If you haven’t come up with your own yet, I am going to suggest a New Year’s resolution. Resolve to “Get out of your fishing rut.”
We all do it. Whatever species we fish for we generally do it one way – a way that worked wonders once upon a time and we loaded the boat with fish. But the day will come, if it hasn’t already, when that special lure fails you or that special sweet spot on the lake goes sour. Yet you will continue banging your head against the same wall thinking, “It worked once. It will surely work again, someday.”
Spooning with Crappie
Spoons can be used to catch crappie year-round, but they’re particularly effective during winter when crappie are holding near deep cover and structure. (Photo: Keith Sutton) Use a Spoon for Cold Crappie Medicine by Keith Sutton Many crappie anglers fish only with jigs or minnows, but spoons are superb crappie-catchers, too. When […]
Cast & Blast
Lots of hardcore crappie fisherman are also hardcore hunters. A winter visit to the Mississippi Delta can put folks smackdab in the best of both worlds. Mississippi Delta – A Recipe to Cast & Blast by Richard Simms When the Editor of CrappieNOW Magazine (me) visits the Mississippi Delta, one would surely suspect […]
Hot Products
Product Buzz by Tim Huffman Mini-Planer Board – Off Shore Tackle Planer boards serve several purposes when trolling for crappie. Their most important advantage is to get baits away from the boat. CrappieNOW Publisher and Off Shore Tackle Pro Staffer Dan Dannenmueller says, “The boards catch a lot more fish than you’ll catch […]
Try a Spinner
On this particular day Capt. Brannon Kirby felt sure that switching from a basic jig head to Fin Spin jig from Crappie Magnet triggered the crappie to bite. Crappie Basics: Sometimes a Tiny Spinner Works Magic by Richard Simms, CrappieNOW Editor We had been spider-rigging Mississippi’s Enid Lake for far too long […]
Which Line Should I Use?
John Godwin gained his initial fame on the TV Show, Duck Dynasty. But now he is perhaps better known as an expert crappie angler. (Photo: Richard Simms, CrappieNOW Editor) Crappie Basics: Which Line Should I Use? Whether you're a duck hunter or not, there is a good chance you are familiar with Duck Dynasty [...]
Electronics by Wiegmann
Garmin electronics new Striker Vivid series offers seven new high contrasting color palettes. That’s the Wrong Color Palette by Brad Wiegmann How many times have you changed the color palette of your sonar unit to see the sonar image better? Most readers would probably say, “Never.” Some don’t even know they have the […]
Old Technology Still Works
Memphis outdoor journalist Larry Rea well remembers the days before fancy mapping and electronics, when anglers had to use old school techniques to find and catch crappie. (Photo: Richard Hines) Old Technology – Tried and True by Richard Hines Some tips for those without expensive electronics on board These days anglers seem […]
The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors by Larry Whiteley NEW YEAR’S MORNING At my age, I am not into New Year’s Eve parties or staying up late to watch the ball drop in Times Square. On the first day of the new year, I get up early. I go outside and build a campfire in the fire […]
National Crappie League (NCL)
A New Crappie Tournament Trail MONROE, LA — National Crappie League (NCL) adopted a format designed to promote fair competition for everyday anglers and seasoned pros where all have a chance to compete in the national championship against competitors of the same level. NCL’s first season will begin in 2023 with two tournaments: Division 1 […]
Vernon’s Recipes
New Year’s Crappie Tacos by Vernon Summerlin The taco predates the arrival of the Spanish in Mexico. There is anthropological evidence that indigenous people traditionally ate tacos filled with small fish. The term taco has been translated as “light lunch,” however, you can load them up with whatever fulfills your gastric fantasy. Lime is […]
The Reel Deal
The day after homecoming Lindsey was sporting very pretty nails. But that didn’t stop her from spending a cold day on the water with her dad, hoping to win a nice paycheck. The Reel Deal: Pretty Nails and Flipping Bails by Lindsey Lucas “Dress warm, it’s only going to be 32-degrees,” my [...]
Crappie Tips
Getting a fish to bite is the key to success. However, the fun comes when you can swing one into the boat or slide it into the net. Wade Mansfield pulls a fish from Tennessee’s Reelfoot Lake. (Photo: Tim Huffman) Fish-Catching Tips for 2023 by Tim Huffman Downsize and Finesse Hayden Jefferies, 2022 Wally […]
B’n’M 75 Series Combo
The 75 Series Combo is a 7.5ft/1pc construction pole for true action and strength. Includes high modulus graphite (our secret recipe) for extreme strength, sensitivity, and castability. The 75 Series is perfectly balanced and has high quality, gold alloy guides (7+tip), and a Genuine Portuguese cork knob handle.
