by Tim Huffman
Photos reveal that big fish are indeed a thing of beauty, at least to a crappie fisherman. Photos in this article were from the Alabama River and Grenada Lake Crappie Masters Tournaments (crappiemasters.net).
Kent Driscoll says that Grenada, Washington and Arkabutla, in that order, are his lake choices for catching a big crappie. You must go to a lake with big fish.
“It boils down to being patient,” says Driscoll. “Expect a slow bite and have all the right equipment. Have a dipnet ready. We stand our net upright because it takes half the time to get it under a fish. If you don’t have the net under the fish within two or three seconds after it gets on top of the water the fish will be gone.”
Tim Blackley, tournament fisherman and Reelfoot Lake expert. “Grenada is a great spot to catch a big fish. There we believe in big bait, big fish. I definitely recommend using a bigger size jig or bigger minnow. We’ve fished minnows as big as some of the crappie we catch at Reelfoot. However, it’s important to match the bait with the lake and quality of fish it has. The huge baits don’t work at most lakes. One of the jigs I use is a 1/8-ounce pink head with a Strike King tube. In dingy water it will be an electric chicken color.
Another tip comes from Kentucky Lake guide and tournament fisherman, Steven Brasfield. “If you’re catching the same size fish at a certain depth, say 10 feet, every spot you go to at that depth you’ll be catching the same size fish. You need to change something. Move to 5 feet of water, or maybe 15 feet. Change what you’re doing if you’re not catching good fish.”
Greer’s Ferry Lake, Arkansas, guide Wayne Stewart says, “March is a good fishing month. The fish are coming up out of the flooded timber. Some of the males go to the bank but to catch bigger fish you need to stay out in deeper water. My lake is deep and clear so the fish will suspend up in 6 to 10 feet of water over 30 foot depths. I troll hand-tied 1/8-ounce jigs with a spinner. My speed is usually 1.0 mph but I’ll vary that to change my depth as needed.”
>1. Go to a big fish lake.
>2. Use a big bait for the lake you fish. It might be a huge 4.5- to 6-inch bait at Grenada but a 3-inch on your home lake.
>3. Fish in areas and zones where big fish hold. If pre-spawn, don’t fish on the bank if you want to catch big females.
>4. Have your equipment ready. Good line. Good knots. Sharp hooks. Net handy to grab.
>5. Use a limber long pole. You must set the hook hard but the limber pole acts as a drag and shock absorber giving you a better chance to land the fish.
>6. Don’t panic. This is difficult not to do when you first see a huge crappie coming up. Keep constant pressure and have the net under the fish when it reaches the top of the water.
>7. Fish the right season. Pre-spawn and spawn is the best time when fish are healthy and full of eggs.
