April 2025

A Kayak Angler’s Journey Outdoors

by Madalyn Roberts

When I think back on my childhood, some of my best memories include my dad rounding up my sister and I and hauling us off to the lake for a day of fishing. For us this generally meant an afternoon spend sitting on a cooler in his camouflaged jon boat, which doubled as his duck blind in the cold, winter months.

Spider Scoping for Wary Crappie

by Brent Frazee

Dan Dannenmueller (a.k.a. Crappie Dan), is the publisher of CrappieNOW Magazine as well a longtime professional tournament fisherman. He is convinced that largely because of forward-facing sonar (FFS), crappie are getting harder to fool.

Get Your Feet Wet for Slabs

by Capt. Richard Simms
CrappieNOW Editor

I live in East Tennessee and primarily fish Tennessee River reservoirs. In our part of the country a crappie is considered “shallow” if it is in less than five feet of water. Lots of people do wade fish for crappie here. However, even while they are wading, generally they are still casting their lures or bait out beyond easy wading depths.

Destination: Arkansas’ White River National Wildlife Refuge

by Keith Sutton

I have been fortunate to fish many of our country’s best crappie lakes. I’ve caught 3-pound slabs in Mississippi’s Grenada Lake, stringers full of 2-pounders in Oklahoma’s Lake Eufaula, and coolers full of eaters in lakes from Texas to Florida and points between.

Crappie Basics: Z-Man Crappie Cheat Codes

When is the last time you caught oodles of crappies all day on a single softbait without reaching for a replacement?

In recent seasons, the rise of superplastics—those extra soft, long-lasting, buoyant and energetic baits made from ElaZtech® – have lured anglers and panfish alike with their almost mind-bending collection of talents. Here is a laundry list of tips and tricks from Z-Man lures.

Conquering Tough Spring Conditions

by Tim Huffman

Spring is a time of ever-changing weather and water conditions. What do you do when the waves are high, or, when a spring cold front moves through causing a tough bite? Three experts suggest a few tips and ideas for the days when fishing isn’t ideal.

Lure of the Month: G-Daddy Baits Hybrid

by Terry Madewell

I rarely encounter a unique crappie fishing bait with such a competitive, creative, and flourishing crappie lure market. The need for a particular bait to fill a niche between two options created a need for a new crappie fishing lure to develop: a hybrid lure.

Crappie Basics: Guide Matt England Shares His Secrets

by Noel Vick, Traditions Media

Crappie purist and veteran guide Matt England is a fulltime central Illinois guide.

To find fish, England relies on forward-facing sonar (FFS) to identify remnants of the past season’s baitfish population and hopefully their arch nemesis crappies. He searches for the warmest water and takes an outside-in approach, first testing wintering grounds and then moving shallower if fish are starting to make their move.

The Tough Life of an Outdoor Communicator

by Larry Whiteley

More than 40 years ago I was selling advertising at a local radio station to support my family. The station manager knew I liked to hunt and fish. He asked me if I would like to start doing a weekly outdoor show. He even offered to pay me extra. It did not take me long to say yes. Needless to say, that day changed my life.

Crappie Dan talks about how Spring time is a fantastic time for crappie fishing as they move into shallow waters to spawn. But be prepared to make changes and be adaptable.