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Berkley Powerbait Minnotator Tie on, cast out, catch fish. Simple as that. The Berkley Powerbait Minnotator comes prerigged on a jighead with sticky-sharp Berkley Fusion 19 hooks. The 2- and 2.5-inch versions are great crappie catchers. These baits feature incredible realism with baitfish designs printed right on the plastic bodies. The club tail helps the [...]

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 […]

With its segmented body and slim profile that includes a scent channel in the belly, the Itty Bit Swim’R Lights Out lived up to its name when paired with an ultralight-action rod like Leland Lure’s TCB rod by B’n’M Fishing. Photo by Madalyn Roberts   Bobby Garland Crappie Baits: Winning with Plastics Suited for Any […]

Paddlin’ with Madalyn: Artificial vs. Live Bait & Storage Options on a Kayak Story and photos by Madalyn Roberts The YakAttack BlackPak Pro and ShortStak combo is the ultimate win when it comes to kayak storage. I store four large tackle boxes, rain gear, first aid kit, anchors, etc. in the Pak, while the ShortStak [...]

The Great Outdoors: Old and Cold By Larry Whiteley February has always been cold where I live in Missouri. I have lived there all my life. But, to me, it seems the older I get, the colder I get. That is a problem when you love crappie fishing as much as I do. When I [...]

That unmistakable stripe is the calling card of a blacknose crappie.   Crappie Basics: What Crappie Is That? Story and photo by Keith Sutton In many waters, anglers catch crappie that have a dark brown or black stripe running under the chin, over the nose and across part of the back. These beautifully marked fish, […]

You catch ’em. Science studies ’em. Anglers are needed for Florida’s black crappie project at Tenoroc.   Anglers Needed for Florida Crappie Project Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is inviting local anglers to take part in a new community science project designed to improve black [...]

The grin tells the story. Spring is the perfect time to get the family out to enjoy time on the water. Khloe Moe displays an Alabama crappie.   Prespawn to Post-Spawn Transitions Story and photos by Tim Huffman Fun awaits fishermen who solve the puzzle of finding crappie from before the spawn to after. The […]

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 [...]

Prespawn travel routes often produce some of the heaviest slabs of the season as big females move toward the bedding grounds.   Finding and Fishing Prespawn Travel Routes Story and photos by Keith Sutton Every spring, as the lengthening days begin nudging water temperatures upward, crappie shift into a pattern that savvy anglers anticipate all […]

Joyce is a single parent, and she has a problem. Divorced for 12 years, she recently moved to Missouri with her 17-year-old son, Sam, and he wanted to go fishing. Friends from his new school told him winter crappie fishing was good on area lakes. They also said that crappie caught in the winter tasted […]

Veteran angler and outdoor journalist Jason Sealock says he loves the winter crappie bite. He insists that fishing a double jig rig helps increase his crappie success rate in the cold weather months. (Photo courtesy Jason Sealock)   Crappie Basics: Double Jig Rigs Can Increase Your Winter Catch by Richard Simms The spring months see […]