5 Best 7 ft. to 10 ft. crappie fishing rods
It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that you can catch crappie with any old rod and reel if you let yourself get fooled by this common misconception. These are little fish, much like the majority of other sunfish species. They would undoubtedly be simple to capture, right?
Well, if you’ve gone crappie fishing more than once, you already know that’s not true. Crappie are notoriously difficult to reel in, and the most effective crappie rods are surprisingly light.
When you’re fishing for crappies, hefty rods often work against you. It’s simple to pull your hook all the way out while attempting to set it on crappie because they have incredibly sensitive mouths. A lightweight or ultralight rod with a quick or light action is the ideal fishing rod for crappie. With this, you may easily set your hook with a swipe of your wrist, ensuring that you don’t lose a prize fish because you overreacted to the bite.
Buying Guide:
Good crappie rods are available in a range of lengths, strengths, and actions. One thing they have in common, though, is the ability to place the hook softly while still sensing nibbles.
- Action
The action of a rod is a measurement of its degree of bending when subjected to a load. Fast action rods are flexible near the tip but are stiff for most of their length. Slow action rods, on the other hand, start to bend pretty close to the handle and reel seat and over a much larger portion of their length.
- Power
Power refers to the amount of force needed to bend a rod. A rod’s power provides valuable insight about its performance together with its action.
You need a sturdy rod to endure the impact of hard strikes and dramatic battles from giant fish like tarpon or pike. In order to have a chance of hooking bass and redfish, you need to set the hook strongly and precisely. But when you’re fishing for crappie, even big crappie won’t put your tackle in danger; instead, you’ll rip the hook out of the fish’s mouth if you use any significant power when you set the hook.
- Length
Since 7 to 10 feet is generally the maximum length you desire for casting, the majority of rod makers don’t provide ultralight or light rods longer than that.
Generally speaking, a longer rod allows you to cast farther but with less accuracy. Shorter rods have pinpoint accuracy, but their casting distance is significantly reduced.
Ultralight rods are often shorter in length, and the reels they’re meant to fit can’t handle much line. They are focused more on accuracy and finesse than distance, thus they are not distance devils. Look for rods closer to 7 to 10 feet in length if you need to cast as far as possible, and think about using somewhat stiffer ultralights.
- Handle
Much about which handle to pick is a matter of personal preference. Cork and EVA foam are the two basic materials that are used for handle construction in most cases.
Our Recommendations for Best 7 ft. to 10 ft. crappie fishing rods
| Award | Design | Outdoor | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editor’s Choice | Best Pick  | Check Price | |
| Perfect | Staff Pick  | Check Price | |
| Outstanding |  | Check Price | |
| Superb | Budget Pick  | Check Price | |
| Best |  | Check Price |
St. Croix Premier Spinning Rod
Length: 7ft
Line Wt: 8-14 lbs
Lure Wt: 3/8-3/4 oz
Rod Wt: 5.0 oz
St. Croix’s rods are increasingly outperforming their pricey rivals, including the well-known Fenwick brand. This is not due to the quality of Fenwick’s rods, which is, in fact, very high; rather, it is due to the fact that St. Croix is continuously improving its products. This is definitely the greatest crappie rod available if you have the money to invest.
The Premier lightweight has a quick action, and when combined with the cushioned hookset you require for “papermouths” gives you the sensitivity you want. This rod has all the qualities you need: it’s sturdy, flexible, balanced, and light. This rod can handle all types of fish without any problem.
The aluminium oxide guides will treat your line with care. These are among the top options, in my opinion. No matter the size of the lure, the casting on this rod is superb.
Pros
- Premium SCII carbon rod
- Unparalleled strength and durability
- Strong aluminium-oxide rings
- Ultrasensitive rod
- Cork Handle
- High Quality
Cons
- Price is bit high
Lew’s Fishing Mr Crappie Slab Daddy
Length: Available in 9-foot to 12-foot lengths
Line Wt: 4 to 10-pound
Lure Wt: 1/16 to 3/16-ounce
Rod Wt: 6.3 oz
This rod can be purchased in a variety of lengths, including lengthy ones. Especially with the 12-foot, you can make very long casts. It has strong stainless steel guides with smooth aluminium oxide inserts that make your line feel like it’s sliding on butter. I also liked that it could be folded up into smaller pieces for transport because it is quite lengthy.
In order to prevent blisters or hand stiffness over a long day of fishing, this rod has a comfortable EVA foam handle. Additionally, it has hook grippers made of stainless steel that are intended to prevent the tangling of your fishing line during casting.
Pros
- Premium 2-piece fiberglass blank
- Lightweight Graphite reel seat
- EVA handle
- Rod length indicator
- Specifically built for crappie
Cons
- Few complaints of broken tip
Shakespeare CH9025SPBO Crappie Hunter Spinning Rod
Length: 9 feet long
Line Wt: 4-pound line weight
Lure Wt: 1/8-ounce to 1/4-ounce
Rod Wt: Lightweight
If you need your crappie rod to be versatile enough to capture a number of different fish species, the Shakespeare Crappie Hunter Spinning Rod is a fantastic option. Because of its low power, it is not nearly as sensitive as other crappie rods that are specifically designed for the species, but it is still more than forgiving enough to get the task done.
This 9-foot-long rod can be divided in half for simple transportation. The shaft is made of ultralight graphite, and the aluminium spool is extremely tough. It is pre-strung with a fishing line tested at 4 pounds, which is thin enough to allow even the smallest of fish to be reeled in successfully. This is a fantastic choice if you like to catch fish with ease.
Pros
- Pre-spooled with 4-pound fishing line
- Instant anti-reverse system
- Multi-disk drag system
- Lightweight graphite construction
Cons
- Not assembled
Lew’s Fishing Wally Marshall Pro
Length: Available in 8 to 12-foot lengths
Line Wt: 4-pound line weight
Lure Wt: 4-pound to 10-pound line weigh
Rod Wt: 6.3 oz
This Rod is made for extremely delicate handling. It includes graphite reel seats in addition to a graphite rod. This does more than just make the rod sensitive, though. You won’t feel like you’re swinging a baseball bat around when you cast because it’s so light, allowing you to do so effortlessly.
Stainless steel, which is used in the construction of the guides, has a satisfactory level of smoothness. It has a stainless steel hook keeper to prevent tangles.
This rod is a fantastic option for long casting since it is offered in lengths of up to twelve feet. Just bear in mind that you will need more room to swing a longer rod.
Pros
- Premium Im8 graphite blanks
- Crafted from the highest quality material
- Durable
- Provide maximum balance
- Soft Feel
Cons
- This rod requires more space to swing
Cadence Fishing CR5 Spinning Rods
Length: 7 ft
Line Wt: 2 to 6 lbs.
Lure Wt: 1/32 oz. to 1/8 oz.
Rod Wt: 1.76 oz
If you’re searching for a specialized crappie rod, the CR5 is a quality rod at an affordable price.
The CR5 will provide you with the kind of gentle hookset that’s necessary for crappie thanks to the way its length, action, and power work together. Additionally, under conditions of extreme stress, moderate action permits the use of very light lines. To absorb stress that would otherwise be passed to your line, the rod will flex along a large portion of its length.
Catching fish bigger than crappie shouldn’t be an issue with the CR5 ultralight rod because it is also strong. Still, the slow action that makes it good for targeting crappies might not be the best for other species. The handle is of good length and premium quality, and the guide quality is superb.
Pros
- Constructed with 30-ton carbon matrix graphite
- Lightweight
- Sensitive
- Super smooth power
- Stainless steel guides with SiC inserts
Cons
- Medium Durability
Summary of Best 7 ft. to 10 ft. crappie fishing rods
| Award | Design | Outdoor | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editor’s Choice | Best Pick | Check Price | |
| Perfect | Staff Pick | Check Price | |
| Outstanding | | Check Price | |
| Superb | Budget Pick | Check Price | |
| Best | | Check Price |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are crappie rods?
A 9-foot or longer rod that can accommodate both a spinning reel and a bait caster or small round reel serves as the standard length for a jigging rod for crappie. They are often two pieces, but occasionally three. A trolling rod or a spider rigging rod, for example, can be a little softer in comparison.
What size line should I use for crappie fishing?
For crappie fishing, the majority of fishermen favour monofilament lines weighing 2 to 10 pounds. Crappie have incredibly fragile mouths, thus when fighting the fish and setting the hook, anglers must exercise tremendous caution to prevent entirely pulling their hook out of the crappie’s mouth.
What do you need for crappie fishing?
A light spinning rod between 7 to 10 feet in length, together with a matching reel, makes up the greatest crappie fishing equipment. This gear will be suitable for all types of crappie fishing. It will also be necessary to have a variety of lightweight jigs with plastic grub bodies. Hooks from #2 to #6, floats, and split shot are the necessary things an angler needs to catch crappie.
Conclusion
For effective fishing, the right rod selection is essential. However, it is a really challenging task to take into consideration each and every factor before selecting a particular rod. We accomplished the work for you by covering practically all criteria very thoroughly, and after doing so, we came to the conclusion that the best spinning rod is the St. Croix Premier Spinning Rod because it satisfies all of the quality standards and performs better than any other rod on the market.