Beginner Page

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 […]

Altera Alpaca Socks Everyone has heard how cotton kills, since cotton stops insulating when it is wet. Most outdoor enthusiasts turn to wool as their choice for fabrics, particularly socks. Alpaca wool takes things to the next level. It’s warm, soft, breathable, and moisture-wicking. Altera Alpaca sells socks of all lengths and weights. Try some [...]

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 […]

Paddlin’ with Madalyn – An Introduction to Kayak Fishing Adventures Story and photos by Madalyn Roberts (Editor’s Note: We want to welcome Madalyn Roberts as a regular monthly columnist for CrappieNOW.com. Her subject – fishing from kayaks. If you spend any time on the water at all, you’ve seen it happen. In a 2024 “Special […]

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 [...]

One of the author’s favorite tournament photos was taken years ago during a cold, winter tournament on Tennessee’s Reelfoot Lake. National champs Ronnie Capps and Steve Coleman slow troll their home waters, demonstrating that using a stealth technique and being quiet pays dividends in more bites.    Top 10 Crappie Fishing Tips for 2026 Story […]

A Special Christmas Gift   Kris, a friend of mine who is also a fishing guide on local lakes, called me the other day and invited me to go crappie fishing with him. That was not unusual. We usually go together a couple of times every winter when his guiding business is slow. He told […]

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 […]

  Lure of the Month: Power Vibe by Terry Madewell Lipless soft baits are an excellent choice for many species of fish, and crappie are no exception. The smaller, crappie-size lures often have weight built into the bait’s head, eliminating the need to attach a soft plastic profile body to a jighead. It’s a slight […]

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 [...]

Utilizing electronics for ice fishing can be incredibly productive. And a good portable shelter combined with a small propane heater can make ice fishing downright warm and toasty.   Frozen Lakes, Fiery Bites: The Ice Belt’s Best Crappie Fishing Secrets Photos and Story by Rob McDonald The time is here when fishing in North America’s […]