Sensitive fly rods are key elements to success
Part of Glynn Lavergne’s secret to success with slab crappie has to do with the very sensitive tackle he uses to entice fish.
He uses two-piece fly rods that stretch 8 to 8 1/2 feet in length, and these are usually of high-modulus graphite construction that heightens sensitivity.
Lavergne also uses 6- to 8-pound-test monofilament, and he equips the fly rods with underhand spin-cast reels.
“What I think accounts for differences in success amongst sac-a-lait anglers has to do with sensitivity,” Lavergne said. “You want to be able to present the lure with action — as well as feel the sensitive bite these fish can give.
“That’s why I use the light equipment and these baits.”
Like many other freshwater anglers, Lavergne has turned his attention to the relatively new “tail” swimbaits for crappie, particularly 2-inch Stanley Wedgetail Minnows chosen chiefly because of how lures’ tails flutter underwater.
He also will have a rod rigged with a 1 1/2-inch Creme tube jig.
Lavergne attaches these baits within a loop knot at the end of the monofilament, allowing the lures to move freely and emit more tail-twitching action.
He makes his own jigheads, preferring 1/32- and 1/16-ounce sizes depending on the depth and current he finds.
Lavergne likes lighter colors in clear waters and darker colors in stained waters — but he always experiments because sometimes crappie will bite a specific color for a reason unknown to man.
His mainstay colors on both baits during pre- and post-spawn periods are pumpkin/chartreuse-tail, pearl, pumpkin/chartreuse-laminated, salt/pepper chartreuse-tail, LSU color and black/chartreuse-tail.
