OPENING CAST AUGUST 2025
ICAST 2025 is a wrap. This year, it was hosted in Orlando, Florida. Fishing vendors and manufacturers from around the globe attend to meet with dealers, retailers, rep groups and media. New products are presented to all attendees at the show, orders for the next year are processed and it is also a means for the fishing family to come together to celebrate friendships and industry partnerships. Sue and I and part of the CrappieNOW and CatfishNOW team were in attendance.
Is Forward Facing Sonar Right for You?
Story and photos by Terry Madewell
When fish-catching technology leaps forward, anglers watch closely. Once proven effective, the temptation for anglers to incorporate the new technology into their arsenal of tactics is strong.
Big-City Crappie: Urban Hotspots You Can Reach Fast
Story and photos by Keith Sutton
Living in a big city doesn’t mean you have to travel over hill and dale to reach great crappie water. Fortunately for many anglers, there are lots of crappie sweet spots close to town.
Fishing and Outdoor Recreation in Elmore County, Alabama
by Anietra Hamper
Just outside of Montgomery, Alabama is Elmore County, a prime destination for outdoor enthusiasts, especially anglers.
Brotherhood, Battlefields, and Reelfoot Crappie
Story and Photos by Richard Hines
I was intrigued when I got the call from Vernon Lovejoy, one of my college roommates from long ago. Vernon and I have remained close friends for more years than I would like to admit.
Trailers on Crankbaits, Who Knew?
by Richard Simms, CrappieNOW Editor
Most year-round crappie anglers know a great hot weather/hot water technique is to troll crankbaits deep down in the water column. That’s where crappie find cooler water temperatures and more oxygen when surface water temperatures climb above 80 degrees.
Crappie Basics: Driftmaster Debuts Bold New Yellow Rod Holders
by Keith Sutton
The recent CrappieNOW/CatfishNOW Media Camp in Elmore County, Alabama, served as a hub for collaboration between editors, writers and sponsors. But amid all the content creation and networking, one eye-catching highlight stood out: Driftmaster Rod Holders unveiled a bright new look for its legendary Pro Series rod holders—an attention-grabbing neon yellow version made with nighttime anglers in mind.
Crack the Code on Sluggish Crappie
by Tim Huffman
Hot water in August, along with changing weather and water conditions any time of year, can create a sluggish bite. Experts provide solid tips for getting those sluggish crappie into a biting mood.
Lure of the Month: Z-Man Baits Micro GOAT
by Terry Madewell
Lure versatility is an underappreciated quality of many crappie fishing lures in terms of overall crappie-catching production. I was discussing the finer qualities of productive crappie lures recently with a local crappie fishing guru in my area.
Crappie Basics: Don’t Reel So Far
by Richard Simms, CrappieNOW Editor
When my grandson was only two years old, the very first thing I tried to teach him when we caught a fish was, “Don’t reel him in too far.” Now at four-years old, he has it figured out.
Crappie Basics: Beat the Heat and Bring the Bite
by Richard Simms, CrappieNOW Editor
Let’s be honest — this might be the most repeated summer crappie tip ever shared in CrappieNOW or anywhere else. But some advice is worth repeating, time and time again.
Memories of August Nights
by Larry Whiteley
August is a month of hot, humid and uncomfortable weather. For an outdoors guy like me, staying inside in the air conditioning is hard to do. I spend a lot of time in the house writing stories like this one.
Crappie Dan Talks About Booby Garland
The Bobby Garland Itty Bit Mayfly in Blue Ice color is a popular soft plastic bait designed for finesse fishing, especially targeting crappie. Its appearance has a light translucent blue base with fine silver glitter or flakes embedded in it.
