The #1 rig for hauling in late-season slab crappies

Late in the open-water season, big crappies hug bottom and eagerly wait for baitfish to swim by. To catch these slabs, try simulating a school of shiners by tandem-rigging two jigs using the 10-10 method.

Take a 10-inch length of four-pound-test fluorocarbon leader material and tie it to your similar strength main line using a simple double or triple surgeon’s knot. Just make sure to attach it so that the end of the leader is 10 inches up from the end of the main line.

Next, tie a light, 1/8-ounce jig to the end of both the leader and the main line. Tip the jigs with a lively minnow or soft-plastic dressing, let them fall to the bottom and swim them along ever so gently. Do this and you’ll avoid tangles—and double your chances of catching fish.