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Cover Photo Credit
Capt. Josh Antwine guides on the Tennessee River, in the tailwaters of Chickamauga Dam where there is routinely lots of current. Normally crappie avoid current, but Capt. Antwine has learned how to use the current to his advantage to locate big schools of fall and winter crappie.
Photo by Capt. Josh Antwine
The Opening Cast
by Richard Simms
I cannot tell a lie (well, I can, but I won’t this particular time).
Even though I am the Editor of a professional fishing publication (this one), I am one of those “other people” we always write about this time of year.
You know, it is when we, or one of our writers, says something about how “the lakes aren’t as crowded this time of year because the folks who like to hunt are off somewhere with a gun in their hand, instead of a fishing rod.”
You can insert the “Hand Raised” emoji here. Yes, that is me.
All my life I have been a hardcore deer and waterfowl hunter. I’m sorry, but I can’t help it. Granted, as I’ve grown “older,” my get up and go sort of got up and went. But when I do “go” in the fall and winter, it is most often hunting rather than fishing. You can read about my recent duck hunting adventure in South Dakota here.
All of you out there who do otherwise can say, “Thank you,” to me and all my hunting brethren. We are happy to leave your favorite crappie sweet spot(s) alone so you can have it (or them) all to yourself.
I will slip up occasionally and accidentally hook my boat up to the truck and find my way to the Tennessee River – especially when we get those rare warm and windless days, and I’ve already put some venison in the freezer.
I do love tasty winter crappie. And in my neck of the woods, they are prone to gang up en masse behind a protected bluff or point on the Tennessee River – especially if we have stronger-than-normal current flow. You can read more about that is Brent Frazee’s article in this issue Tailrace crappie catching by Brent Frazee.
Or, here’s a video from me to prove it:
Richard Simms, Editor
“The outdoors is not a place, it’s a state of mind.”
Capt. Richard Simms is the Editor of CrappieNOW magazine as well as owner of Scenic City Fishing Charters. Formerly he was a game warden for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency before becoming a photographer and PR guy for TWRA. That lead to a 30-year career as a broadcast journalist and freelance outdoor writer. Follow Capt. Simms other writings on his “Richard’s Ramblings” Facebook page.
