Page 12 - Crappie NOW - June 2017

Story & photos by Tim Huffman

Our series experts include Darrell Van Vactor, General Manager of Crappie
USA; Mike Vallentine, President and Owner of Crappie Masters; Matt Morgan, Co-
Owner of the American Crappie Trail; and tournament fishermen. The last part of the
series looks at the changing look of tournaments and their future.

The Changing Look of Tournaments are creating baits and equipment geared
My first classic as a writer/photographer directly toward the crappie fishermen.
was in 1991 at Lake Ouachita, Hot Springs, That’s a change. The biggest difference
Arkansas. Things were different then. First, is electronics. BnM is one of the few who
qualifying for a classic was difficult. There have always supported crappie fishing and
were more fishermen at qualifier events competitive crappie fishing since day one.
so making the cut was a challenge. The VanVactor continued, “A potential
classic was an honor…much more than sponsor years ago told me, “Oh yea, the
today when basically anyone can get in. crappie fisherman is the guy setting on the
Another difference then was the boats. bank on a bucket with a pack of cigarettes
There were 14-foot johnboats, many 15- and a carton of beer.” Getting sponsors to
and 16-foot aluminum rigs and small glass a few tournaments was all it took for them
boats. 40- to 90-horsepower motors were to see what competitive crappie fishing was
common. I watched boats slid from flatbed really like.”
trucks. Flashers were the primary depth/fish Vallentine says, “I’ve only been on
finder. Homemade rod holders and racks the competitive side for seven years but
were common with 2x4’s often a part of the I’ve learned a lot from those who have
system. Compared to today’s standards, fished for decades. I’ve learned that a few
the equipment was basic. The good thing teams, including Ronnie Capps and Steve
about those times was that everyone could Coleman, dominated. They are still very
compete no matter what boat or equipment good but I have witnessed growth in the
they owned. Today a fisherman can’t finish skill level of many other teams.
consistently without a good boat, advanced “Crappie tournaments are no different
electronics and equipment. than softball tournaments. There is a
At the ’91 classic, Crappiethon percentage of people who are likely to win
housed all the contestants in a downtown a number of tournaments, a group with a
Hot Springs motel. The rooms were paid. A chance to win one, a group who might win
police escort took a motorcade of boats to and a group who enjoys competing but are
and from the lake. It attracted the attention less likely to win. The skill level separation
of many people along the route. The weigh- between teams seems to be growing
in was downtown. The prize was two fully smaller with many good fishermen.”
rigged Ranger fiberglass boats and some Matt Morgan says, “That’s a funny
cash. question because I go to tournaments as
VanVactor says, “One of the biggest an escape from everyday work and life. It is
changes in crappie fishing in the last 30 years a stress relief. I work harder at fishing than I
has been equipment. Today manufacturers do at my job which is not easy and includes

12 Crappie NOW June 2017