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Berkley Powerbait Drip Minnow 3"   Realism of plastic minnows just took a giant leap forward. The Berkley Powerbait Drip Minnow features high-definition true colors, molded scale patterns, glitter flecks that mimic real fish, realistic eyes and even internal guts that are visible on translucent color patterns. If these minnows looked any more real, they’d [...]

Fall crappie are popular targets for many Kansas anglers at locations like beautiful Fall River Lake. (Photo courtesy of TravelKS.com)   Six Fall Crappie Lakes You May Not Know About By Keith Sutton   Ask a dozen serious crappie anglers where they would go for a fall fishing trip, and chances are you’ll hear many […]

Future Fisherman Foundation Gets New Home With Fishing’s Future Courtesy of The Fishing Wire   In September, Fishing’s Future, a national leader in family‑centered angling education, announced the acquisition of the Future Fisherman Foundation (F3), an organization whose programs have supported national angler recruitment, educator training and youth fishing initiatives for four decades. This historic […]

Oklahoma crappie pro Todd Huckabee used a detailed game plan to help him find Lake Ouachita’s clear-water slabs the first time he fished this huge impoundment.   Arkansas’ Lake Ouachita: Where Smart Crappie Fishing Pays Off Story and photos by Keith Sutton   Some crappie lakes give up their secrets easily. Lake Ouachita isn’t one [...]

When the crappie bite gets tough, changing the direction of your presentation can sometimes make all the difference.   Tips for Slow Days By Bernard Williams Photos by Keith Sutton   Every crappie fisherman has experienced one of those days. You know exactly what I’m talking about—the days when nothing you try seems to work. [...]

Northland Tackle Deep Vee Spin Jig Northland’s underspin jig, the Deep Vee Spin, is a catcher. Cast it or troll it and you’ll catch fish. This jig shines in crystal clear waters where its flashy willow blade makes all the difference in getting fish’s attention and getting bit. The jig has a keeled body shape [...]

Fishing remains one of America’s favorite outdoor pastimes, but a new report reveals some surprising trends that could shape the future of the sport.   Special Report Provides Fishing Insights Source: American Sportfishing Association/FTR Industry News   The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) recently announced the results of the 2026 Special Report on Fishing. In total, […]

Falling barometric pressure and cloudy skies ahead of a cold front often trigger aggressive feeding activity from crappie. Photo by Keith Sutton   Mastering Fall Fronts: Crappie Strategies When the Weather Swings By Keith Sutton Early fall is a season of transition on crappie waters. Summer’s heat begins loosening its grip, cool nights arrive more […]

A careful release starts with keeping fish in the water as much as possible. During hot summer weather, minimizing air exposure can significantly improve a fish’s chances of survival. Photo by Keith Sutton 8 Tips for Warm-Season Fish Care Source: TheWaterWire.com Fishing during the heat of summer means going the extra mile to make sure […]

The exterior of Wonderbird Spirits welcomes visitors to one of America’s only grain-to-glass gin distilleries, where Mississippi Delta rice is transformed into award-winning handcrafted gin. photo by Kyleigh Touro One of a Kind: Discovering the Hidden Gems of Oxford, Mississippi By Kyleigh Touro When people think of Oxford, Mississippi, they often picture the historic Square, […]

Berkley Drip Swimmer Berkley has your trailer of choice with their Drip Swimmer. The 3-inch version is perfect for crappie anglers who go drop shotting, swim shotting, strolling, casting on jig heads or who use them as a trailer on other baits. Leave the minnows behind and grab these ultra-realistic plastic minnows in 14 fish-catching [...]

Using lively minnows can mean the difference between catching lots of nice slabs or none. Keeping Minnows Alive and Lively Story and photos by Keith Sutton Minnows are the best natural baits for crappie. No other offering can tempt slabs more consistently than a lively baitfish struggling on the hook. But there’s a catch: dead […]

A quick trip before work turned unforgettable when Jesse Miller landed this massive 4.27-pound hybrid crappie from Ohio’s Great Miami River. (courtesy of Jesse Miller) Ohio Angler Lands Record Hybrid Crappie By Keith Sutton What started as a quick fishing trip before work turned into a catch that has rewritten Ohio’s record books. On April […]

Captain Jake Futia said crappie are available all year, but anglers must follow their seasonal movements. Summertime Slabs Story and photos by Terry Madewell Hot summer weather often leaves crappie anglers reflecting on productive spring fishing when the annual crappie migration to the shallows to spawn was underway. Warming water had crappie active and usually […]

Action Glow Cups  Action Glow Cups were created by a Utah angler with a mind for figuratively building a better mouse trap. Anyone who fishes after dark or in low light conditions with glowing jigs knows how important it is to have a jig charger. Most chargers require you to turn them on, or drop [...]

Dropping a 1/8-ounce jig in front of a desert reservoir slab crappie has been a specialty of Randy Howton. His love for crappie fishing and taking others out started after the passing of his father and many hours dedicated to perfecting his skills with live imaging sonar. Arizona Crappie at a Distance By Scott Mackenthun […]

Black crappie (top) and white crappie (bottom) may look similar, but their spring behavior isn’t the same. Water clarity and habitat often determine which species is most catchable. When to Target Black Crappie Instead of White Story and photos by Keith Sutton Across much of the South and Midwest, anglers are blessed—and sometimes confused—by lakes […]

Tournament angler Dennis Outlaw said confidence in the ability to work out a pattern keeps anglers focused until they find and catch fish. Muddy Water Crappie Story and photos by Terry Madewell Tournament crappie anglers are a hardy lot and have learned to cope with adverse conditions to consistently catch crappie. But not all challenges […]

Several years ago, on a trip to Truman Lake in Missouri, high water had scattered crappie. Crappie found protection and food in thick, flooded, green vegetation. Seen here are crappie pros Travis and Charles Bunting probing the thick limbs of willow trees and surrounding submerged brush.   Battling High Water Story and photos by Tim […]

A late-winter fishing trip on Arkansas’ DeGray Lake often produces big stringers of good-eating crappie for anglers like Keith Sutton and Alex Hinson.   Spring in the Ouachitas: DeGray and Greeson on Fire Story and photos By Keith Sutton Late February and early March in the Ouachita Mountains can fool you. The air may still […]

Capt. Rodney Donald relies on FFS to find big schools of crappie quickly on Lake Hartwell, an overlooked crappie-fishing treasure.   Lake Hartwell: An Overlooked Crappie Destination Story and photos by Terry Madewell Lake Hartwell, a deep, clear lake in the upstate portion of South Carolina, has earned a reputation as a premier striped bass [...]

Sad news for professional crappie anglers. The National Crappie League will be shutting down its tournament circuit. (NCL Image) National Crappie League Tournaments Shut Down by CrappieNOW.com Staff What is surely sad news for many professional crappie fishermen, the National Crappie League (NCL) has announced the pending end of its tournament circuit. In a Facebook […]

Healthy crappie of both black and white species are prolific in Weiss Lake. For Lee Pitts, it’s just another day at the office. With decades of experience fishing Weiss, Lee prides himself on relying on his knowledge over forward facing sonar to put fish in the boat.   Weiss Lake Winter Story and photos by […]

Will Hinson said size and profile matter when trying to make a finicky crappie eat an artificial lure. Cracking the Crappie Code: Lure Size and Profile Matter Story and photos by Terry Madewell When tempting a finicky crappie to eat an artificial lure, anglers must meet the needs of the fish – not make the […]

January or February are typically the coldest months in the South, but anglers willing to dress warmly and bear the low temperatures can find plenty of slab crappie biting in the region’s top lakes.   Chasing Winter Slabs: A Southeastern Crappie Road Trip Story and photos by Keith Sutton When most of the country is [...]

A confirmed minnow-man, Capt. Travis Bradshaw relies on live minnows to put slab crappie in his boat during cold weather.   A Crappie Guide’s Tactics for Winter Live Bait Fishing Photos and Story by Terry Madewell One of the appealing attributes of crappie fishing is that anglers have a variety of options that enable them […]

Jackson Lake and Jackson Lake Island provided the perfect locale for a fishing day with local youngsters during CrappieNOW’s 2025 media camp.   Alabama’s Jackson Lake Island: A Hidden Gem for Anglers and Families Photos and Story by Keith Sutton CrappieNOW editor Richard Simms shoots photos while walking through the Town of Spectre, part of [...]

Covering water with confidence, Kent Driscoll (front of boat) plays the odds in September with spider rigs and live minnows. (Photo: Keith Sutton)   Cracking the September Crappie Code by Keith Sutton September can be a puzzle for crappie anglers to piece together. It is a month marked with shifting water temperatures, fish movement and […]

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. […]

Control tool bar allows an angler to select popular navigation modes. (Photo by Brad Wiegmann) Wireless Integration for your Electronics by Brad Wiegmann Integration is a key word when talking about marine electronics. You can connect to one or more units in a boat and control multiple screens; in addition to a pilot mode that […]

Frank Haidusek holds proof that he knows how to catch 2-pound crappies when he fishes Kansas reservoirs such as El Dorado. (Photo: Brent Frazee)   Kansas Pro Prefers Quality over Quantity by Brent Frazee Frank Haidusek stared at the screen of his Garmin Livescope and watched as an appealing picture of a big school of […]

Can you spot the monitor in this group of sonar/GPS units? The NBT Marine Electronics is similar to a regular unit, but cost less and is a better option for many crappie anglers. (Photo: Brad Wiegmann)   Electronics: Wait Until You See This Screen by Brad Wiegmann   Just when you thought your boat has […]

Contour lines and shading are available with most fishfinders purchased today. (Photo by Brad Wiegmann) Does Your Fishfinder Have GPS? by Brad Wiegmann   These days the answer to that question is usually, “Yes.” But it is often overlooked when purchasing a new fishfinder. There are several satellite-based navigation systems currently available. Which one depends […]

Split screen imaging with traditional sonar on one side and mapping on the other. Sonar screen capture during the summer month with a thermocline starting at 20 feet and balls of shad near the surface. (Photo by Brad Wiegmann)   Smart, Castable Fishfinders by Brad Wiegmann   Interfacing between smartphones and marine electronic units isn’t […]

Guillot sends this sac-a-lait airborne after enticing it away from the school by “fishing above the fray”. (Photo: Keith Lusher)   Don’t want to spook the school? By Keith Lusher   Picture the scene… You’re pulling up to one of your most productive spots. As you approach, your fish finder screen lights up, showing a […]

CrappieNOW Senior Writer, Tim Huffman (left), pictured with Garry Mason, founder of the Legends of the Outdoors organization. Huffman has already been honored once by the Legends of the Outdoors when he was awarded the prestigious, “Wade Bourne Communicator of the Year” award in 2022.   Huffman to become Legend of the Outdoors by Richard […]

Professional Crappie Anglers United has been in the planning stages for months but just officially rolled out, accepting new members, April 1, 2023.     PCAU Strives to Unite Professional Crappie Anglers by Richard Simms   “Our goal is to bring some overall professionalism to the sport. Some feel like it’s kind of gone backwards […]

The diagram shows the coverage area of 2D sonar, down-imaging sonar and side-imaging sonar. (Courtesy Humminbird Electronics)     Understanding Sonar Beams and Cones by Brad Wiegmann   Anglers often think that the signals being emitted from your electronics’ transducer are all the same. But that’s not at all true. The shapes of sonar beams […]

Niblets in an Eye Hole Jig plus Crappie Magnet plastics equals the perfect slab-catching combo.   Crappie Basics: Major Merger of Lure Companies Crappie Magnet has teamed up with Eye Hole Jig to bring revolutionary products to the crappie fishing world. Through this merger, Blake Phillips, the inventor of the Eye Hole Jig, and his […]

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 […]

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 […]

These days many boats are outfitted with lots of electronics on the bow and at the console. Is your wiring adequate to be able to handle the load? To ensure maximum quality and performance, many boats – especially older models – may require a serious wiring upgrade. (Photo by Brad Wiegmann).   Wiring for Power-Hungry […]

CrappieNOW Senior Writer, Tim Huffman (left), pictured with Garry Mason, founder of the Legends of the Outdoors organization after being presented the prestigious, Wade Bourne Communicator of the Year award.   CrappieNOW Senior Writer Receives Prestigious Award Richard Simms CrappieNOW Editor   SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tim Huffman, former Editor and now Senior Writer for CrappieNOW, […]

Crappie Masters, LLC to acquire Crappie USA Tournament Trail Courtesy Crappie Masters, LLC   Two major crappie tournament circuits have announced a merger. Crappie Masters, LLC announced in late December that it has acquired the Crappie USA Tournament Trail. Blake Jackson, owner of Crappie Masters, LLC said the acquisition of the Crappie USA Tournament Trail […]

One of Chad Schut’s favorite winter hard baits is the Salmo Chubby Darter. He often tips the lead hook with a minnow head.     Hard Baits for Winter Crappie by Mike Gnatkowski Go Hard When Plastics Fizzle     Day-in, day-out, summer, winter, spring or fall – soft plastics are the go-to bait for […]

Crappies often have a preference for long, slender plastic baits like Custom Jigs and Spins Wedgee. (Photo: Mike Gnatkowski)   Give Yourself a Wedgee! by Mike Gnatkowski Fishing with slender plastics is dynamite for crappies   We all remember wedgees back in high school. It was always better to be the wedgor than the wedgee! […]

Alex and T.J. Palmer show off two of the slabs and their championship trophies for winning the 2021 Crappie Masters National Championship on Lake D’Arbonne.   Palmers Fishing Dream Comes True by Kinny Haddox 2021 Crappie Masters National Championship   It isn’t that unusual for the winners of a major fishing event to get excited […]

When fishermen think of Colorado, they think of clear mountain trout streams. However, the state has several reservoirs that provide some excellent crappie fishing.   Colorado Crappies by Mike Gnatkowski It’s not all trout in the Centennial State   The Colorado wind is relentless. I had all I could handle keeping the boat positioned, but […]

Costa Sunglasses are well-known as a premium product, with a premium price tag. Now the company says it is doing its part protecting our environment by manufacturing a line of glasses created from recycled plastic. (Contributed Photo)   Costa Sunglasses Casts New Marketing Net by Richard Simms   As an outdoor writer, I get a [...]

With a new venue in Sandusky, Ohio, the 2021 NPAA Conference will offer space for an expanded expo with larger booths including boats, motors, and marine accessories on display by NPAA Partners – plus an all-star line-up of speakers.   Post-COVID NPAA Conference Coming After a year in which many things felt to be beyond […]

Dan Dannemueller says summer action is available if you find the right area, make a good presentation and crappie will chow down on crankbaits. (Photo: Tim Huffman)   Dog-Day Crankbaits by Tim Huffman   Hot sun and temperatures keep most fishermen in the air conditioning in August. But good action awaits those willing to brave […]

Matt Xenos from East Tennessee has a popular YouTube Channel for crappie anglers called “Wired for Crappie.” In this video he shares details on how to fine tune your electronics to locate crappie structure.   While the Garmin Livescope is all the rage among professional crappie anglers, the majority of everyday fishermen have not “made […]

Among anglers in our survey who said they do fish in crappie tournaments, the overwhelming majority said they believe limits should be reduced from the standard seven fish down to five fish.   Survey Results on Lowering Crappie Tournament Limits by Richard Simms, Editor In the April Issue of CrappieNOW, we included an editorial opinion […]

Advanced Electronics – Sonar, down-imaging, side-imaging, 360 and Livescope have all taken the fishing world by storm. Will high-tech advanced electronics lead to a decline in game fish populations? (Photo: Richard Simms)   In our December issue, CrappieNOW Editor Richard Simms shared an editorial about the potential impact of high-tech electronics on fishing. Some well-known […]

Video Tip: Matt Xenos on Trolling Cranks for Crappie Video Tip: Matt Xenos on Trolling Cranks for Crappie   Lots of folks plan to have fun in the sun on the 4th of July holiday. But most are recreational boaters, skiers, personal watercraft riders and cruisers. Sometimes hardcore anglers purposefully stay away from the water […]

It’s fun to catch a fish on a rod you built, no matter what size!   Build Your Own Custom Crappie Rod It’s easier than you think!   by John L. Torchick   Much ink has been spilled on the craft of building a fishing rod. This will be a condensed version about the craft […]

ICAST Goes Virtual World’s largest trade show is going online only due to pandemic   As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, ICAST, the world’s largest recreational fishing trade show, has transitioned from a physical show to a virtual event with ICAST 2020 Online. The American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the show’s producer, says it is […]

Jeanne Huffman shows off a beautiful brace of crappie, including a black and crappie taken while pulling crankbaits in Arkansas. (Photo: Tim Huffman)   Advanced Seasonal Structures: Hot Water for Cranking Crappie Open water offers crappie action now with crankbaits.   by Tim Huffman   July isn’t the most comfortable fishing month in the middle […]

On March 7th, fishing on Lake Grenada in Mississippi, Terry Stewart and his daughter weighed in seven crappie that weighed an incredible 21.17 pounds. Stewart was using a relatively new technique he calls, “Drop Down on ‘Em.” (Photo by: Bernard Williams) Drop Down on ‘Em The new LiveScope search technique by Bernard Williams For many […]

by Tim Huffman The depth of winter crappie may be 15, 20, 30, 50 or deeper. The purpose of discussing 20-foot deep stumps is to combine active crappie with an easy-to-fish depth. The crappie holding to stumps in 40 feet of water are more difficult to fish than the ones at 20 feet. Without a […]

By Tim Huffman BRUSH. Early spring fishing, brush and the spawn go together; always have and always will. Crappie are big and active. What’s great for the crappie fisherman is the aggressiveness of fish to hit a bait during this phase. After the spawn a percentage of the crappie will stay shallow and offer opportunities […]

Story and photos by Tim Huffman PVC beds are nothing new. Plastic buckets have been used for imitations stumps for decades. Eight to ten inches of gravel in the bottom, lowered by a rope to the lake bottom and you have a plastic stump. PVC can be easy-to-assemble like shown here or you can create […]