Gronaw’s shoreline strategy and tailor presentations keeps him on fish all season long.
Spotlight on Jim Gronaw
by Darl Black
Bank-bound and still catches crappies
Outdoor writer Jim Gronaw is a name I recognized for many years from his numerous articles in freshwater fishing publications. We finally met in person about eight years ago at a Crappie Camp media event held in northwestern Pennsylvania. The first thing I learned from Jim was he never stops fishing. Before the boats launched in the morning and after they docked for the evening, Jim was on the bank fishing for crappies and bluegills.
According to his family history, Jim was about five years old the first time his father took him fishing. Using a bobber and worm was the extent of his father’s angling experience. However, little Jimmy put that knowledge to work and managed to catch 15 bluegills that day, got hooked on fishing in the process and – according to the family – has never been the same since.
Today Jim lives in Taneytown, Maryland, not far from the Pennsylvania border. It is an area with many small lakes, ponds and creeks both in Maryland and Pennsylvania which Jim fishes regularly by kayak and wading.
“Trailering a boat got to be too much of a hassle. Focusing instead on small waters, I’ve discovered a cornucopia of species to catch from shore or by kayak – especially crappies and various members of the sunfish family,” noted Jim.
RAPID FIRE ROUND with Gronaw
Your reputation is panfish. Which species do you like best to catch?
Jim: Well, to be honest, bluegills are at the top of my list, with crappies running a close second.
Favorite season?
Jim: Fall into early winter is my favorite time for crappies. In venues around the Mason-Dixon Line, our small lakes rarely freeze up. Fish remain in that late fall feeding pattern well into calendar winter. Bigger crappies are biting in the shallows. Great time for shoreline fishing.
Favorite technique?
Jim: These days, my first choice is long casting with jigs – either plastic or hair. Runner up is casting with small crankbaits. The Rapala Countdown Minnow in size 03 (1-1/2”) or size 05 (2”) in either Silver/Black Back or Baby Bass pattern is my go-to crankbait. I’ve discovered that pond crappies feed heavily on young-of-year largemouth bass. Recently I’ve gotten away from using a bobber so much, preferring to cast and retrieve the bait directly so I can feel that ‘thump!’
Hair or Plastic?
Jim: I lean towards plastic these days because of the wide variety of colors available and different type of action tails. Now I back it up with hair jigs; hair jigs seem to be a mid-winter thing for me. I catch a few more crappies on hair in the winter than I would any other time of year. For plastics, I rely mostly on Bobby Garland 2” Baby Shad and Crappie Magnets 2” Split-Tails. I use lighter jigheads than most crappie anglers. A 1/32-ounce head is my go-to; when retrieving a 1/32-ounce jig, I can detect bites better than with a heavier head.
Best all-around color for crappies?
Jim: I lean towards anything that represents a minnow – black back with white, pearl or silver bottom. I also like the Mo’ Glo colors in blue and green shadings from Bobby Garland. At times I find white/chartreuse to be the hot color. Blue ice, too. Oh, I don’t want to forget pink! Sometimes crappies will hit anything you put in front of them; other times they are extremely finicky. Every good crappie fisherman I know has a lot of colors in their arsenal because somedays a certain color is going to make a world of difference whether you catch crappies or not.
Scent or no scent?
Jim: I say no to liquid type scents, but I like the Crappie Nibbles. Kenny Smith told me about them seven years ago at Crappie Camp. I begin adding one to a jig when the bite slows, and easily get 30 percent more fish. You are definitely going to catch some extra crappies with Nibbles.
Do you use live minnows?
Jim: I have not used live bait for crappies in three or four decades. I know minnows are a big thing, especially in South. Yes, minnows can be great, but you have got to keep bait alive which can be a big hassle. With so many artificial options these days, I have not found the need to fish with live minnows any longer.
Favorite Line?
Lately I’ve been using Original Stren 4-pound test hi-vis. Also, Trilene XL in 4-pound clear. Also, SOS by Crappie Magnet; it is a thinner diameter than other 4-pound test; when throwing 1/32-ounce jigs I can get longer distances with a finer diameter line.
Favorite rod?
For casting jigs, I’ve been using St. Croix Panfish series in 6.5 & 7-foot models. I am also using a Fenwick Eagle 7-foot for throwing crankbaits. For really long casting, I’ve been using a 9-foot Shimano Convergence steelhead rod. You can chuck a bobber and jig combo a long, long way with this rod. But you must be careful with a long cast because you don’t want to outcast your ability to set the hook. I like to throw 80 feet with a plain jig. If casting further than 80 feet, I’m going to use a bobber. I would say I can throw 120 feet with a bobber, still see the bobber and be able to set the hook.
Favorite reel?
Jim: I’ve been using the Lews Speed Spin 1000 series. Also, I have smaller Shimano Sienna on several reels; they have held up well.
Favorite crappie bobber?
Jim: Rocket Bobber 4.75-inches. Weighted bobber that casts like a bullet and is visible.
Although you spend most of your fishing time on small waters near home, I am aware you travel to other lakes from time to time. What are several of your favorite crappie lakes in the US?
Jim: In recent times, I’ve had good fishing on Kerr Reservoir and Lake Anna in Virginia, and Pymatuning Lake in Pennsylvania. But my most favorite crappie water is the tidal Potomac River. I caught my personal best crappie of 2 pounds 12 ounces from the Potomac.
What question didn’t I ask that you want to answer?
Jim: I would like to give Kenny Smith up in western Pennsylvania a shout out. I met him at Crappie Camp. We fish different types of venues with entirely different presentations – his lakes are large and deep, and he relies on sonar to find fish; I fish small, shallow ponds without the aid of electronics, focusing on visible shallow cover. But our shared interest in crappies has led to ongoing conversations about crappie behavior since that media event. Those conversations have helped me catch more fish.
(Darl Black began his career as an outdoor writer over 50 years on a on a long-forgotten communications instrument – a typewriter. Since then, his columns, articles, and photos have appeared in dozens of regional and national fishing related publications.)
