Richard Gene, known as “The Fishing Machine” on his YouTube channel, is a firm believer
is using underspin jigs for winter crappie. He says the underspin blade imitates the flash
of a weak or dying baitfish – a common occurrence in cold water temperatures.
(Video Screen Grab courtesy Richard Gene)
Crappie Basics: The Fishing Machine’s Winter Crappie Tactics
by Richard Simms, CrappieNOW Editor
If you are a regular YouTuber following fishing channels, you’ve probably heard of Richard Gene, The Fishing Machine. Based out of Alabama, he has nearly 400,000 subscribers on YouTube with millions of video views.
According to one influencer ranking list of fishing-focused YouTube channels, the Fishing Machine channel is among the “Top 20 Fishing YouTubers” based on average views.
Gene regularly shares excellent fishing tips for viewers, including great tips for catching crappie in December and January.
Gene says his winter crappie fishing pattern is based on crappie migratory routes, which he says is simply the crappie staying around forage. Forage is going to be threadfin shad or gizzard shad 1-to-2 inches long.
“That doesn’t mean that’s the only way to catch them,” said Gene. “I’ve always said that there’s several different patterns on any lake, at any given time, which will catch crappie, but the natural migration route of crappie (following shad schools) is what I look for.”
His favorite winter lure is a Crappie Magnet Fin Spin or other similar underspin jigs. He emphasizes that the underspin blade is critical. He says crappie see the flash of that blade as an injured or weak shad.
“They’ll instinctively come to it because in these big schools of shad you’re going to have weak shad and dying shad at all times,” he said. “That flash looks like a dying, quivering shad and that’s why this bait I believe is so effective.”
Everyone is more than welcome to email The Fishing Machine at any time about anything.
“Feel free to send an email and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can,” he said. “Sometimes it takes a little bit but e-mail Richardgenethefishingmachine@gmail.com.
Capt. Richard Simms is the Editor of CrappieNOW magazine as well as owner of Scenic City Fishing Charters. He was a former game warden for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency before becoming a photographer and PR guy for TWRA. That lead to a 30-year career as a broadcast journalist and freelance outdoor writer. You can follow Capt. Simms on Facebook.
