Intermediate Page

Charlie Bunting believes a large plastic jig catches big, active crappie. Here he pulls in a heavy crappie during a Lake Dardanelle tournament with his partner/son, Travis Bunting, on the net. (Photo: Tim Huffman) Hair Jigs vs. Plastics – We Polled the Experts by Tim Huffman (Editor’s Note: In last month’s issue of CrappieNOW Magazine, […]

Silver carp, the most common of the Asian carp species, jump on the Cumberland River just below Barkley Dam during a Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources electrofishing expedition. (Photo: KDFWR)   Are Asian Carp on the Decline? by Richard Simms Eyeballing his Garmin LiveScope screen, my guide for the day, Jason Sealock, pointed [...]

One of Capt. Josh Antwine’s clients with proof-positive that there are great numbers, and great size crappie to found fishing the tailwater area downstream from Chickamauga Dam on the Tennessee River. Capt. Antwine says find pockets protected from the current can actually make it easier to locate crappie. (Photo: Capt. Josh Antwine)   Tailrace Crappie […]

The Reef Runner Cicada bladebait, like similar lures, creates a vibration in the water that is irresistible to jumbo slabs like this. (Photo: Keith Sutton)   Big Bad Bladebaits by Keith Sutton For crappie anglers who typically use jigs or minnows to entice their quarry, bladebaits might seem like the misfits of the fishing-lure world. […]

Hayden Jeffries has been a powerhouse in crappie tournaments in recent years and now enjoys guiding clients. He tells CrappieNOW writer Ron Wong that he loves the Fall and Winter bite, and that, “The colder it gets, the better the bite gets.”  (Photo courtesy Hayden Jeffries Fishing) Hayden Jeffries’s Fall/Winter Secrets by Ron Wong   […]

Steve McCadams shows off a slab caught during the October “transition period” as air and water temperatures begin to moderate, often inspiring crappie to become more aggressive.   Catching Crappie in Transition by Steve McCadams   For the lion’s share of the crappie world, it has been a hot and dry summer. In the South […]

Anyone who operates a boat in Alabama needs to be aware of a strict new law going into effect Oct. 1, 2024. ALL non-residents will be required to have passed a certified boating safety course. (Photo: Richard Simms)   Crappie Basics: New Alabama Boating Law by Richard Simms If you are planning a crappie fishing […]

It is a debate as old as crappie fishing itself – hair or plastic, which is best? (Photo: Richard Simms, CrappieNOW Editor) Hair or Plastic? How to Choose Your Weapons by Brent Frazee Kim Burnett will tell you that hair jigs are all you need to catch crappies year-round. Gary Dollahon says you have to […]

Kent Driscoll pulls some good crappie from a Mississippi lake. He says to look for September crappie to be in a summer crankbait pattern. As water cools, the fish will become more active, still hitting crankbaits. (Photo: Tim Huffman)   Last-Chance Crankbaits by Tim Huffman Fall is a good time for being in the outdoors. […]

Years of guiding on Mississippi’s Grenada Lake have given John Harrison an in-depth knowledge of crappie behaviors year-round, including September. (Photo: Keith Sutton) September Crappie Secrets by Keith Sutton As September approaches, anglers prepare for the changing conditions of crappie fishing. The shift from long, hot summer days to the shorter, cooler days of early […]

Steve Brown displays a couple of slab crappie he caught on Ross Barnett Reservoir in Ridgeland, MS – the very first time Brown had ever visited the lake. (Photo: Michael O. Giles) Mastering Crappie on Unfamiliar Waters by Michael O. Giles Steve Brown studied his Garmin LiveScope intently, spotting a school of crappie surrounding a [...]

What’s Hot at ICAST 2024 by Richard Simms, CrappieNOW Editor ICAST, the world's largest fishing tackle show, wrapped up a week ago in Orlando, Fla. The annual show of the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, is the largest fishing tackle show in the world – typically featuring every new fishing product made, so far [...]