Hi guys, my 8 year old daughter and 14 year old son don't have school on Friday and I was wanting to take them out crappie fishing.   I'll be borrowing my buddy's boat because I'm thinking about getting my own and want to see if it takes with the kids.
 
Thing is my experience is limited to basic fishing.  I know to go up to the north at the stumps and use minnows, but I don't know how to rig them.
 
Any info on procedure, where to get bait, equipment to try etc etc is greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks in advance.
 

pretty simple man.  A lot of make it more difficult than it needs to be. 
 
Some bamboo poles, a weight, a hook, and a bobber.  *pro tip.  Keep your minnows alive.  Float bucket, ice, whatever it takes.  Circle the stumps, tie off to one fish for a while find your next target, the key is to be stealthy. 
 
In a aluminum boat the fish will get frighten if your making a lot of sound.  also the middle of the day the crappie may move out to deeper water.  Gotta find them first! 
 
I would hook them through bottom of mouth to the top (jig?)  Make the minnow swim naturally and struggle alittle.  Some hook them through the eyes.  Gotta find what your like.  If it's good fishing you can try a 1/8 to 1/4 oz jig with 2" grub. 
 
I don't have a map with me, but east of the stumps there's a nice drift spot if you have a southern wind.  It's either a rock bottom or wood.  You can only fish one rod, you will hit bottom a lot.  It's on the west side of harris island, try that if the wind picks up.  GL let us know how you did. 

thank you for the reply and detailed input slabfinder.  weather is shaping up to not look the best but will continue to watch it.
 

My "pro tip" is to use the smallest bobber you can get away with. The idea is that the easier it is for the crappie to take the bobber under, the more likely it is to not spit it out, or only hold it by the tail. For crappies with Fatheads for bait, the smallest round foam ones w lead in the bottom should be good enough. Leave the 2" red n white bobber in the bottom of your tackle box where it belongs. I like about a sz 8 hook. Maybe a 6 or 4. with a split shot 6-12" up from the hook. Jigs work too... sharper is better, dont use the no name crappie hook kit from wally world. I don't use cane poles, I like to be able to cast if I want, but cane poles would work.

Don't forget to pick up a container of red worms or crawlers, and be prepared to move shallow for some bluegill action as needed.  Nothing worse for kids than being bored (some adults too).  Hell I don't take people under 30 on my boat, but when we aren't catching anything I'll switch the ladies (or myself!) to a smaller hook and a worm so they can do some catching.  

this is the kind of info I'm looking for.  huge THANK YOU to all.  now hopefully the weather shapes up.
 

Paint me 'doom and gloom' if ya like.................  just some 'food for thought'.
 
When it comes to the weather, "keep an eye on the sky" while fishing Pymie.  Storms can come up quick and the water can get pretty nasty, at times.  
 
Hope yinz, get lots of fish, have 'tons of fun' and, don't forget to take pictures.
 
 

To add to what Sam said about getting bored. Take some toys or something for the 8 year old. If not catching nonstop, you may need something to keep from a meltdown on the lake, and never want to fish again. Not as easy as finding something different to do as it is on shore. A separate small clear container to put a minnow or two in, is an easy way to keep entertained for a little bit. Hopefully it is a boat that you can stand up and walk around on. Small sit down boats are pretty confining. I have both, and not catching fish in my small sit down one within an hour or two, I'm ready to call it quits myself. Can stay out all day if able to stretch out a bit.

As for catching the fish, I don't get to fish Pymie as much as I would like, but have had success every time that I went.  It is one of the better crappie lakes that I have ever fished, and you should get into some fish.  I do have success with crappie a bit south of there.  I like using 1/16 or 1/32 jig heads (either sickle hooks or I widen the gaps myself).  Either minnows hooked through the lips or Gulp minnow (1" or 2.5").  I also tie up my own jigs that often out fish either, always good to have minnows though.  Under a bobber (I like the foam with lead bottom), try different depths.  I usually start about 2' down, and adjust if no bites, ect.  Often, I am catching fish with the minnow/jig less than a foot under the bobber.  Try leaving still for a few minutes, if nothing try slow retrieve, jigging it a few times (even with minnow works great) and letting sit.  Avoid letting it sit for 15-20 minutes with no bites.  Stop at an area, try to fish as much of that area as you can, if no bites within 1/2 hour, move.  Try the stumps, hit 5-6 different stumps, if no catching, go closer to the shore line and look for old weed growth.  Fish on top of the old growth, cast around until you can find any.  They might be on their spawning beds, which would be away from the stumps themselves, but nearby.  If fishing is really slow, take the bobbers off and troll really slow with the minnows until you find some fish (lots of snags in the stump area, so do this with care).  Crappie will tend to stick together, so try to cast right where you caught the last fish.  Often, you can catch 5-10 fish in one spot, cast 2-3 feet away and not get a bite...  If absolutely no bites, try going a bit deeper.  Find a point on the lake, go 30-40 feet out from it, and drift by it with your minnows just above the bottom (let line out until it hits bottom and take a wind or two of the reel).  If that all fails, try bluegill fishing, or just cruise around in the boat!!!  Kids love just cruising.  Not sure about the 14 year old, might not be enough action for him, but if one of the first times on a boat, I'm sure he would be fine with it.  Explore some of the islands, ect.  If it has a steering console, you are golden.  Able to let them steer, they will love it.  Tiller is a bit more complex, and you could end up going for a swim if they accidentally turn too hard...  I'm sure your 14 year old would be fine, but might turn into an issue that one was able to drive, while the other wasn't.
 
Don't be scared to ask around at the bait shop of what is biting and where.  Most of the time they will lead you in the right direction.  They want repeat business.
 
If looking to buy a boat with kids in mind, I would strongly suggest something with a console that you can stand up and walk around a little on.  16'-18' or bigger if getting a pontoon.  Nothing like stretching your legs or standing while fishing and not feeling like the boat is going to tip.  Kids can get up and check out one seat to the other.  If fishing is slow, they can do other stuff and not be as confined, or they can steer the boat while cruising like mentioned.  I used to take a toy box with me, with crafts and other toys for the kids.  Minnows are hours of entertainment for kids as noted.  If you put the effort of driving to a lake and launching a boat, you don't want to be out on the lake for an hour or two, unless you are in a dock/slip and easy.  When fishing from shore, if fishing is slow, you can go to a playground or other form of entertainment pretty easily.  Not really the case on a boat.

I can't believe nobody mentioned taking some bread and heading to the spillway for carp if the crappie aren't cooperating. You'll catch fish for sure and get into some big ones. May not be able/want to eat them but it's fun for the kids.