by Tim Huffman Crappie fishermen, in general, are less aggressive than the bass fishermen getting from one spot to the next. However, some...
1st Place This Month!Jimmy Leonard pictured with his granddaughter, Skylar and her first fish.Lake Fork, TX 1.54lbs 13” (estimated) Honorable MentionTanner RitenourLake Monroe, Sanford...
According to www.thefishingwire.com, a leader in industry information, thirteen Mississippi lakes get stocked with crappie.The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP), recently...
Étouffée or etouffee (pronounced ay-TOO-fay) is a dish found in both Cajun and Creole cuisine typically served with shellfish over rice. In French,...
…Giving Families the Chance to Make Special Christmas Memories Santa’s Wonderland-A Classic Christmas is returning for its seventh year. Through December 24th, families are...
October 17-18 Crappie USA held the 2014 Cabela’s Crappie USA Classic on Lake Cumberland at Sumerset, Kentucky, where 250 of the top anglers in...
Story and photo by John Neporadny Jr. A lively minnow is hard to beat when crappie get a craving for the real deal.Keeping minnows...
Story and photos by Jeff Samsel Catching fish on lures you create brings unique satisfaction, but the bigger advantages of tying your own jigs...
Jeremy Aldridge and Jason Daniels made a big jump at the Crappie Masters Championship to finish a strong seventh place. They did it by...
By Keith Sutton When I think back, I find it difficult to remember any particular Christmas dinner our family had over the years. From...
By Tim Huffman Flooded Brush & Trees. High water often changes the position of fish. We see this most in the spring but any...
By Bernard WilliamsNothing has changed the crappie fishing game like side and down imaging sonar technology.Several months ago I started hearing about a new...
1st Place ThisMonth!RJ Burgamy holding his 1/2lb“ISH” (as he calls it) at LakeOconee Honorable MentionRoderick Sanlin12-14 inch CrappieKentucky Lake
Vern’s Cooking & Tidbits By Vernon Summerlin I’m sure you’ve heard the rhetorical question “Who was the first person to eat a raw...
By John Neporadny Whether you are waiting in a long line to weigh in your fish during a crappie tournament or you fish from...
By Darl Black When I was a youngster, our family’s Thanksgiving tradition involved two major activities: hunting and eating. Thanksgiving morning I would accompany...
Fred Dooly, Texas. “In Texas where I live you can go to 30 or 40 foot water, maybe 50 or 60 feet. I put...
by Tim Huffman Bass Pro Shops Crappie Masters All American Tournament Trail held their National Championship in late September. They had 154 teams fishing...
Story & photos by Tim Huffman Dock fishing in the fall and winter can be excellent. There are several ways to fish docks with...
by Ronnie Capps The Capps & Coleman rig definitely took hold years ago and has been used in lakes all over the country. We...
By Tim Huffman Our cover photo was taken at Rend Lake, Illinois. The lake has been on the upswing in its crappie fishing for...
When I lived in Minnesota I fished the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) and the wilderness of southwest Ontario’s Quetico Provincial Park where I’d...
By John Neporadny Jr. A key component in your boat that is frequently overlooked and neglected is the livewell. A good livewell is critical...
by Keith Sutton What’s the toughest time of year to catch crappie? Survey your buddies who fish year-round and chances are good you’ll find...
When going to a new lake there are many things that can reduce your search time. Find out information before leaving home. Ask questions...
Kyle Seinfeldt, Iowa, says, “Things are starting to happen. Fall feeding pattern are in place in the north. Reaction bite is taking place on...
All fishermen have approached an area and thought, “It will take a long time to fish this spot.” Unless fish are super-active and spread...
Story & photos by Jeff Samsel If you have slabs in mind, don’t offer a dainty snack. Serve up a meal that warrants pulling...
Story & photos by Tim Huffman Slow trolling is a great way to put more baits in one spot, but when wind is bouncing...
1st Place This Month!Jonathan Lin 15-16” slabs, caught at a dam in Albermarle, NC Honorable MentionLake Oconee – Proud dad Rick Burgamy...
Vernon Summerlin Last month I promised a crappie recipe without using hot peppers. So mote it be… let’s use herbs instead.When planting your garden,...
Late summer and early fall crappie have a tendency to move up into the creeks. The baitfish move more as cool nights start cooling...
By John Neporadny, Jr The Rod Safe holds up to eight pre-rigged poles to prevent lines from tangling while the boat is running, and...
By Vic Attardo It’s about the weather isn’t it?It’s always about the weather.The weather dictates where crappie are found, how they’re reacting and even...
Charles Bunting, Missouri, says, “The 12-foot Ultralight has always been our bread-and-butter pole. It’s really light. The original style pole is what we were...
Fall is one of the greatest times of the year. Cooler mornings are refreshing and enjoyable. Late September through early fall is a goog...
By Ron Presley Crappies sometimes like to hide under shady overhangs and hard to get to places. Presenting a lure or bait back under...
By Tim Huffman All crappie fishermen have fished laydowns. When they are in proper depths, they are year-round crappie-holding spots. Fall laydowns can be...
1st Place This Month!Braeden GunterMalcolm, ALTombigbee River15″ – 2 lbs Honorable MentionElle Laverne Watson ClarkLake Thurmond, SC Honorable MentionKenny Smith – Couple over...
Darrell Van Vactor has spent 30 years in crappie fishing tournament promotions. He started with Crappiethon USA in 1985 as a tournament director. In...
For the last several issues I’ve featured crappies with hot peppers. I was going to ease up on your taste buds… yes, but I...
Two things stands out when interviewing crappie fishermen about river fishing. Water fluctuations causes daily, and hourly, changes in the fishing conditions. Current is...
by John Neporadny Jr. Hydrowave installation should be a position where it is easy for you to use the unit. This one provides control...
By Jeff Samsel Crappie seek respite from the heat when summer hits hard. That provides an advantage to crappie anglers because it makes the...
John Shannon- Missouri. On lakes with shallow flats they move in on the cover. Summer when it is hot there is more oxygen. I...
By David Townsend In August the fish are often on flats off the creek channels. At a recent tournament on Truman Lake, the water...
Knowing a little about a body of water can hurt more than help. For example, two years ago you caught three good fish in...
By Darl Black “Where did all the crappies go?” On many northern reservoirs, bridges are a magnet for summer crappies. Be sure to fish...
By Tim Huffman Summer weed patterns vary from lake to lake. Some lakes will have no submerged weeds. These lakes are typically stained or...
Story & Photos by Keith Sutton The rosy red minnow is an unusual color strain of the black fathead minnow. At first glance, you...
Whether fishing a tournament or pleasure fishing, it’s easy to be facing bad water conditions. During a recent tournament with muddy, falling water the...
By John Neporadny Jr. I have never considered myself a gambler but apparently I have been one throughout my years of fishing. Ever since...
By Vic Attardo If crappie could watch cooking shows, I believe their favorite recipes would all feature minnows. In my humble opinion, you can...
By Dan Dannenmueller Sr. What should a crappie fisherman consider when buying crankbaits? With so many brands and types to choose from, it is...
By Dale Black Take care of your line and it will take care of you. (1) It’s true you should keep your line out...
By Tim Huffman Summer is known as a prime time to troll crankbaits for crappie. The trolling method targets suspended, scattered fish. These fish...
By Tim Huffman Foundations have always been good spots to fish. The biggest problem is most of these spots are known by other fishermen...
Lyme disease has become a fast growing epidemic. Revised numbers from the CDC reflect they have numbers nearing 300,000 a year, according to InsectShield.com....
By Ronnie Capps Every second of time is important when fishing a tournament. It’s not as important for a weekend fisherman but they can...
“I’m strictly a jig fisherman. I wouldn’t put a minnow in my boat.” Or, “I’m a minnow fisherman.”We’ve all heard it and you might...
by John Neporadny Jr. The best location for placing large screen electronics is along the gunnel next to the driver’s console. If you are...
Q&A: How do you take of care of your minnows? Your favorite size? And how do you hook them? Dan Johnston, Illinois. “We take...
By Tim Huffman My first time to fish in New York was this May at a Cast & Blast event held by the Association...
By Darl Black To tip or not to tip: that is the question!Do you fish your crappie jig with just the artificial body, or...
The simplest way to rig a minnow is to put it on a plain minnow hook. It can be lip hooked, eye hooked or...
Story & Photos by Tim Huffman A tricked-out kayak ready for slow trolling can offer an alternative way to fish for crappie. Crappie fishermen...
By Tim Huffman Public-marked structures, or fish shelters, are often scoffed as being the community hole, quick-stop shop, and other less than flattering titles....
There are many techniques but few are more effective than spider rigging. You can stop, go slow or go fast. Everything starts with being...
Athens- A black crappie caught March 13 from Lake Texoma could set a state record as well as two water-body records.Johnny Summers, Jr, of...
By John Neporadny Jr. I remember the first depthfinder I owned was a Humminbird Super Sixty that flashed a light to show fish, brush...
Tundra, Chiller Brew, Alaskan Arctic Ice“This is space age material that will last a lifetime if not punctured or mistreated,” says David White, Vice-President...
by Tim Huffman I’ve had the opportunity during the past few years to share a boat and/or visit with several of the Magnolia Crappie...
Fly rods aren’t only for catching trout. Fly-fishing offers a fun and highly effective way to put crappie in the boat. by Jeff Samsel...
Story & photos by Ron Presley Sharing crappie-fishing adventures is a tradition passed down from generation to generation in many families. I have a...
This has been a brutal winter and spring. Spawning rules are very controversial with some fishermen believing it comes with the time of the...
Story & photos by Keith Sutton It’s spring again. Dogwoods are blooming, and crappie are biting in the shoreline shallows of many lakes in...
1st Place This Month!Jared Francisco – Lake Chickamauga, TN Honorable MentionJason Hawkins:Guntersville Lake Alabama 1LB 11 OZ 14.5” & 1 LB 13 OZ...
CRAPPIE MASTERSwww.crappiemasters.netMike Valentine, Pres. 660-351-6960Paul Alpers 573-280-80202013 Champs: Tommy Skarlis & Kyle Steinfeldt >>Washington, MS, March 1. A total of 92 teams enjoyed a...
By Vernon Summerlin One of America’s favorite breakfast foods is the pancake, also called hotcake and flapjack. Archaeological evidence suggests that pancakes are probably...
Catalano: “In April the fish are up shallow where we live. I like flipping a cork 12 to 18 inches deep. Flip the jig...
Q: If forced to fish on a wind day, what are some tricks you use? Jerry Blake, Arkansas, fishing guide (www.Blaketours.com). “For me, the...
When a fisherman gets a new piece of electronics he is excited to use it to catch more fish. Many of these fishermen are...
By John Neporadny Jr. My wife has seen a lot of fishing gear during our 32 years of marriage but she was stumped recently...
by Vic Attardo You know how it is with the wind and weathermen. For the angler, a good rule of thumb is to add...
by John Neporadny Jr. Kyle Schoenherr says bushes like these are prime springtime targets. Gusty spring winds blowing across the Illinois flatlands surrounding Rend...
Photo & Story by Darl BlackWhen the US Army Corps of Engineers constructed Shenango River Lake in northwestern Pennsylvania during the mid-1960s, the primary...
Boat control is everything. Without it you’ll catch fewer fish. In general, with the trolling motor in front, putting the nose of the boat...
Story & Photos by Tim Huffman One of the obvious visible wood structures on many lakes is a stationary dock. Vertical, along with horizontal...
Big bait, big fish. In Mississippi big means a 1/4-ounce, 3-inch jig with a 3-inch minnow. Everything is relative to where you are fishing,...
by John Neporadny, Jr Longtime fishing guide Sam Heaton has seen a lot of innovations in trolling motors throughout the years.When I asked him...
by Jeff Samsel Black and white crappie are big and plentiful in South Carolina’s Santee Cooper lakes, and spring delivers the finest opportunities of...
By Josh Gowan This is CrappieNow Big Fish issue, so here are a few of my thoughts. First and foremost, you’ve got to go...
Krappie Kings TV is a character driven, angling travel show featuring the people, places and appetizing culinary techniques and recipes by unique chefs. The...
You think it can’t happen to us? The following are a few of the highlights from a media release from the American Sportfishing Association...
by Tim Huffman Photos reveal that big fish are indeed a thing of beauty, at least to a crappie fisherman. Photos in this article...
By Keith Sutton During 50 years of crappie fishing, I’ve seen three crappie exceeding 4 pounds.One was a 4-pound, 2-ounce slab, a former Arkansas...
Big crappie up north are, in general, a smaller size class. Also, the fishing situation of a long warm weather season at Grenada or...
Spring Bank action is the indicator of true, up-tempo spring crappie fishing. In reality, fishing can be excellent other times of the year but...
CRAPPIE MASTERSwww.crappiemasters.netMike Valentine, Pres. 660-351-6960Paul Alpers 573-280-8020Defending Champs: Tommy Skarlis & Kyle Steinfeldt Crappie Masters 2014 ScheduleJan 24-25 Harris Chain of Lakes (1st leg...
Spider rig with double-hook rigs. On a few hooks slide a tube up on the shank of the hook to add color to see...
Don’t forget to send in your recent photo by the 15th.Crappie NOW e-magazine accepts color digital images for publication. A single photo will be...
by Vernon SummerlinIt took a little while for me to appreciate eating raw fish (except tuna). Ceviche may seem like raw fish but it’s...
By John Neporadny Jr. Preferences on rod holder design vary with each crappie pro, but they do concur on one important aspect. When they...
By Gilford Sipes One of the changes in slow trolling that has made a big difference in the last ten years is the use...
Story & Photos by Darl Black At 17,000 surface acres, Pymatuning Lake is Pennsylvania’s largest inland body of water. Therefore during January, February and...
Story & photos by Vic Attardo I have to say I’m proud of myself. I’ve been writing CrappieNow articles on ice fishing up here...
Winter is really a good time to go crappie fishing. It has taken years for many people to realize this but now we see...
By Tim Huffman Lake drawdowns are normal during the winter. The lowering of water gives the Corp of Engineers a buffer when spring rains...
Show off your great catches in the Crappie Now e-magazine! Each monthly winner will receive a fantastic prize and be featured in Crappie Now!...
The Fishing Wire (www.thefishingwire.com) published a report concerning crappie fishing research in Florida. The following are highlights of the report.Biologists with the FWC’s Fish...
CRAPPIE MASTERSwww.crappiemasters.netMike Valentine, Pres. 660-351-6960Paul Alpers 573-280-8020 >The team of Tommy Skarlis and Kyle Steinfeldt won the 2013 National Championship at Grenada Lake. The...
by Vernon Summerlin CrappieNow editor Tim Huffman and I were exchanging emails; he was bragging ’bout the bucks he’s taken this season and I...
Seat placement should include having the seats and racks as far forward as possible. Seat placement is a critical element in boat setup. Pulling...
There are no limits to the number of double-hook rigs available. The Capps & Coleman rig can be tied or you can get a...
Story & photos by Ron Presley When the temperatures drop and the cold wind blows in the northern part of the U.S. and Canada,...
Story & photos by Darl Black Recognized for his bass fishing exploits on the FLW Tour, professional angler Dave Lefebre is equally proficient at...
By Derak Walters The fishing during the Crappie Masters National Championship at Grenada Lake was as tough as it could get. We caught our...
Story & photos by Keith Sutton “How can I catch more crappie?”All who enjoy crappie fishing want an answer to that. Most who pursue...
Jonathan VanDam, Michigan, B.A.S.S. Elite Series Champion. “Yes, I catch crappie while I’m bass fishing. I catch them on small drop-shots, swim baits, spinners...
There are several reasons fish are lost. Line is the weakest part of the tackle chain between the reel and hooked fish. Weak...
by Tim Huffman#1 Target shallow stumps. It’s not the first spot you expect to see winter crappie but different lakes offer different opportunities with...
Mr. Crappie Solo Reel This new reel borrows from a single action fly reel and combines with the extended foot of a spinning...