Simple technique to prevent line twist when you’re respooling One of the most aggravating things a fisherman can experience is twisted monofilament. Sometimes a...
A very basic tip today about a simple piece of equipment. Stripping off old fishing line can be cumbersome, unless you have an inexpensive...
Weiss Lake crappie are eager to take anglers’ offerings, and they bite year-round. (Photo: Ed Masburn) Weiss Lake – A Deep South Crappie...
Recipes: Tips-n-Tricks to Cooking Crappie by Vernon Summerlin Lots of great crappie options It’s a New Year at CrappieNOW and we’ve...
Working as a team will increase your ice fishing odds. Initially everyone should spread out to locate areas holding fish. Then, once found, everyone...
Whether fishing for crappies in Misery Bay, Marina Lake or Head-of-the-Bay, you will also catch bluegills and yellow perch. Destination: Icing PA’s Presque...
Sure, winter fishing can be cold, as far as the weather is concerned. But it can still provide hot crappie fishing. (Photo: Richard Simms)...
THE GREAT OUTDOORS By Larry Whiteley WELCOME TO 2021 Welcome to 2021 and I hope it is a “New Year” in many ways. I...
Advanced Electronics – Sonar, down-imaging, side-imaging, 360 and Livescope have all taken the fishing world by storm. Will high-tech advanced electronics lead to a...
Bob Latendresse shows us what Kentucky Lake offers anglers on a cold winter’s day. (Photo: Vernon Summerlin) Crappies in Overcoats by Vernon Summerlin...
In the winter crappie often find one good spot they like and hold there for days, or even weeks. Find those spots and Tim...
Every day on the water you have the opportunity to make memories. Laughter just helps you make good memories. Waypoints: Laughing heals the...
Industrious fishermen can usually gather up lots of old Christmas trees after the holiday season. They make excellent brush piles that are likely to...
DECEMBER DAYS I like to take a few of my December days and get back out in the deer woods while other hunters are...
Consistent catching of crappie like this earned Scott Bunch (left) and Neal Alvis (right) the Crappie USA National Points Championship in 2020. Winning...
Even on a blustery day with a little snow falling, crappie still have to eat. (Photo: Richard Simms) Our friends at B’n’M’ poles...
Weiss Lake guide Carlton Teague says taking crappie on a spinning rod and reel, whether casting or pulling, is a fun way to feel...
Advances in technology continue to aid fishermen in finding structure and fish. Some wonder if we can have too much technology. (Photo: Jim Mize)...
Alabama guide, Eric Cagle, has earned a reputation as a soft-spoken gentle giant, hard-working and a crappie-catching machine. He has stayed on the cutting...
Plastic bodies for crappie jigs are all the rage these days, however, many anglers still believe that hair jigs (or feathers) are the only...
Christmas Feast of Seven Fishes by Vernon Summerlin An old Roman tradition began in Southern Italy to celebrate Christmas. At Eve Tide (Christmas...
As a tournament director, the most important part of my job is understanding and instilling integrity. Waypoints: A Time for Everything Learning to...
Spicy First Course: Crappie Soup Thinking of a way to kick off your Thanksgiving feast? Think spicy crappie soup. This hardy dish will take...
Sometimes it can be difficult finding crappie in the fall turnover period but when you find them, you can often find lots of them....
Early morning fishing in the Fall may include some fog, but searching open water for schools of shad, then working the area, can lead...
Many of Darl Black’s friends agree: the late fall crappie bite in western Pennsylvania is the most consistent day-to-day fishing of the entire season....
Crappie fishing typically involves catching numerous undersized fish to bring home enough for the frying pan. Inevitably some of those fish will be hooked...
Double jig rigs will work well for jigging over structure. (Photo: Ed Mashburn) Winter Open Water Crappie by Ed Mashburn Don’t Sweat the...
Video Tip: Loop Knots Loop knots can increase the action on your lures Loop knots are extremely important to anglers who use artificial...
Travis Bunting (center) and his brother Charlie are regulars on the crappie circuit. While Travis enjoys using jerkbaits for crappie occasionally, Charlie isn’t so...
During the winter drawdown on I-55 lakes in Mississippi, Clay Blair says, “Fish ledges and points for crappie.” (Photo: Ron Wong) Winter Slabs...
Good crappie are part of the fun of November-December fishing. Lee Pitts shows off two good Alabama crappie! Weiss Lake Fall Crappie Action...
Lynn and Nathan Cochran take Amateur Division. Crappie anglers from fifteen states traveled to Green River Lake at Columbia, KY to participate in the...
Outland and McGregor take Amateur Division Crappie anglers from five states traveled to Barkley and Kentucky Lakes at Kuttawa, KY to participate in the...
Never be too proud to catch what Mother Nature gives you. Waypoints: A Time for Everything Learning to fish and live life by...
MAKE SURE YOU VOTE It has always been surprising to me that many people choose not to vote. Voting is an important part of...
Brad Wiegmann shows off a plump white crappie caught while pushing crankbaits. Pushing for Crappies Find crappie-catching milk runs by Scott Mackenthun...
Professional crappie anglers Charles and Travis Bunting say one key in the Fall is to keep moving until you find a concentration of fish....
Robert Carlile was born in 1969, is married with one daughter and owns a machine shop in Oklahoma. He calls Hudson and Ft. Gibson...
Chasten Whitfield is a young lady going above and beyond to help other youngsters and fishing is her greatest tool. Chasten Whitfield works...
Good sonar units can make the difference between fish in the boat and just a boat ride. (Photo: John Phillips) Sonar for Slabs-...
For crappie, structure located on or near a ledge, or dropoff, is just like the perfect pit stop for us when we’re traveling on...
Crappie Patties & Frying Oils Great recipe and bonus info about frying oils 3 cups cooked crappie fillets, chopped 1/2 cup onion, finely...
With a LiveScope peering beneath a boat dock, you can almost count the number of crappie gathered around the dock pilings. Of course, that...
As shown by Emilee Sperry, a visit to New York’s “Grape Belt” cam also yield additional rewards to crappie anglers. (Photo: Mike Sperry) ...
Jason Westerberg with a nice crappie using a down-sized bait. All of these examples shown are good Fall lures. (Photo: Ron Wong) Downsize...
A jig and minnow is a good combination for most techniques. If fish want a smaller offering, use a smaller jighead and minnow, without...
Bull Shoals Lake is just a short drive away from Branson, MO. Escape to the Ozarks by Larry Whiteley Outdoor activities are good...
This screen grab from a Navionics App illustrates an excellent “intersection” where a creek channel intersects with a main channel. Crappie Basics –...
It wasn’t that long ago that fishermen mostly had “old school” hand-steered trolling motors. But nowadays high-tech foot-controlled or remote-controlled trolling motors are the...
Biologists from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife use electrofishing boats to catch Silver Carp in the Lake...
The Learn 2 Fish organization has created a new brochure helping to explain who Learn 2 Fish With Us is, what they...
Video Tip: Keeping Double Minnow Rigs Untangled Great tip from B’n’M Pro Staffer Ronnie Capps B’n’M Pro Staffer Ronnie Capps, 8-time National Champion,...
Video Tip: Balanced Poles Brian Carter shows you how to check the ‘balance” of your fishing rod B’n’M Pro Staffer Brian Carter shows...
It’s important to know when it’s time to kick back and have fun. Waypoints: A Time for Everything by Geremy Olson Learning to...
Recipes: Mexican Crappie by Vernon Summerlin Recipe from south of the border, plus tips on choosing a filet knife Mexican Crappie & Fillet...
Kent Driscoll is a major player in the sport of crappie fishing. by Tim Huffman If you follow the crappie fishing “network,” it is...
Three-Bowl Breaded Crappie Pan versus Skillet? by Vernon Summerlin 1 1/2 to 2 pounds crappie fillets Salt and pepper fillets 1 /2 cup...
On a day when the shade of the pontoon is welcoming, crappie guide Steve English believes crappie take refuge in the brush. (Photo: Jim...
There are a variety of small, high resolution cameras on the market these days. Here is a first-hand review of some of the pros...
No matter what kind of fish you are catching, never reel in too much line when landing the fish. In general, you want to...
Jeff Barnes plots his course with his Lowrance electronics while practicing his point-to-point technique of pulling crankbaits. (Photo: Greg McCain) Map Your Way...
SPECIAL MOMENTS ON AN AUGUST NIGHT August weather has a way of making us all become slug-like, tired, sweaty and irritable. During the day...
This image from a depth finder shows a massive cloud of baitfish between 5 and 10 feet deep gathered beneath the lights under the...
The Great Outdoors by Larry Whiteley A KIDS CRAPPIE ADVENTURE Every summer when my boys were young, I would take them on at...
This Ranger 223FC is a great option for a family-fun party barge that also provides a great fishing platform. Crappie Tips: Crappie from...
Crappie Chowder Crappie with an Italian twist by Vernon Summerlin 4 cups crappie fillet chunks 4 cups shredded potatoes 1/2 cup...
Video Tip: Matt Xenos on Crappie Nibbles – Do They Work? If you’re a crappie fishermen you’ve seen all the advertisements for crappie...
Crappie Tips: What is a Thermocline In the summer many lakes literally separate into temperature layers called a thermocline. How can you see and...
Video Tip: Matt Xenos on Trolling Cranks for Crappie Video Tip: Matt Xenos on Trolling Cranks for Crappie Lots of folks plan to...
It’s fun to catch a fish on a rod you built, no matter what size! Build Your Own Custom Crappie Rod It’s easier...
Jeanne Huffman shows off a beautiful brace of crappie, including a black and crappie taken while pulling crankbaits in Arkansas. (Photo: Tim Huffman) ...
Will larger size limits and smaller creel limits result in bigger crappie, or more crappie? Most fisheries biologists say, “Not necessarily.” We share your...
Dickey Porter demonstrates proper “dock shooting form.” It takes practice to perfect the art of skipping tiny crappie jigs up underneath shaded docks, but...
Shooting docks is a prime summertime technique for crappie anglers. Read much more in this month’s article by Ed Mashburn (SHOOTING DOCKS STORY). But...
Crappie Kids – How Old is That Crappie, by Scott Mackenthun by Scott Mackenthun CrappieNOW contributor Scott MacKenthun is also a professional fisheries...
Jack Smith sets lines at the start of an evening of fishing. (Photo: Ken Perrotte) Hot Slabs in the Summertime Lighting Up the...
Professional crappie anglers Steve Coleman and Ronnie Capps with proof-positive that Northern Mississippi reservoirs, such as Grenada, are the most productive crappie lakes in...
Dan Dannenmueller, also known as “Crappie Dan,” is the Publisher of CrappieNOW as well as an accomplished professional crappie angler. In the Spotlight…Dan...
Pink Bandit crankbaits are one of several proven crappie-catchers. Crappie Tips: Best Color Crankbaits Trolling crankbaits is an excellent summer technique but color...
Shooting boat docks is an outstanding summer technique, but when fishing clear water it is wise to stay farther away from the dock than...
Dan and I received this “Voyageur’s Award” from the man we paddled out of the wilderness that night. Photo by: Geremy Olson Waypoints:...
Crappie with an Italian twist by Vernon Summerlin “There has never been a better assortment of cheeses than there are today,” says Larry Olmsted...
LILLY’S FATHERS DAY GIFT by Larry Whiteley Lilly Nelson had a great idea for a Father’s Day gift. She told her mom Amanda she...
Lake Chickahominy’s crappie tend to average between 9 and 11 inches, with larger fish often found. It is more of a “fun fishery” than...
Les Milligan catches slabs like this one during the spring and summer months at Lake O’ the Pines. He said the biggest crappie he’s...
Whether you are fishing a tournament or fishing for the freezer, a clean livewell goes a long way to keeping your fish healthy and...
CrappieNOW How to Filet Crappie by Richard Simms There are plenty of different ways to prepare your crappie catch for the table. Of course,...
Many times, when trolling crankbaits anglers may not catch as many crappie, but the ones they do catch are likely to be quality fish....
A TIME FOR FISHERMEN May is a time for fishermen to over indulge themselves. It’s a time to sample all the great fishing that...
Crappie Kids – Crappie Prepared to Chow Down by Scott Mackenthun Quinn and Cora MacKenthun join their Dad, Scott, to explain how crappie...
Rick Dykstra with a stringer of specks from Kansas’ Millford Reservoir caught while pitching docks. (Photo: Mike Gnatkowski) Nebraska Crappie Fest Check out these Midwest...
Kung Pao Crappie Tried and true delicious dish by Vernon Summerlin China has been known for a number of...
CrappieNOW Editor Richard Simms has always pursued wild game and fish mostly for the thrill of the hunt. But the Corona Virus Crisis made...
Drop it like it’s hot by Vernon Summerlin Are you familiar with capsaicin? It’s the hot stuff in peppers, not the seeds but capsaicin...
FISHING FOR TURKEYS If you’re a turkey hunter, while you are out fishing this spring, you can also scout for turkeys. Have a topographical,...
Roger Gant – Take a look at his side-pulling technique, highlights and a few personal tidbits by Tim Huffman Roger Gant’s resume includes guide,...
by Richard Simms For crappie anglers, setting up your rod holders are limited only by your own imagination. Every boat and every style of...
Even in Michigan, crappie put on their tuxedos for the spring spawn. Joe Balog caught this dark male crappie fishing with a tiny jig...
Pymatuning black crappies caught during the spawn period from the edge of a milfoil bed. An interesting fish-hold structure at Shenango is the...
On March 7th, fishing on Lake Grenada in Mississippi, Terry Stewart and his daughter weighed in seven crappie that weighed an incredible 21.17 pounds....
Do bladed jig heads get more bites? by Tim Huffman Plain jig heads or bladed jig heads – what’s your preference? Mr. Crappie, Wally...
You worked hard to catch those crappie. A little work is also required to insure the best eating by Tim Huffman First, it is...
It’s time to long-line by Richard Simms Most anglers who have crappie fished for a while know that the pre-spawn period is a great...
Joe Bragg got a sneak peak of what spring will bring by catching limits of crappies on Kansas reservoirs such as Melvern. Photo: Brent...
Joseph Dennis and Matt Outlaw with some slab crappie caught in Lake Moultrie, spider-rigging 20 feet deep (Photo: Ron Wong) Destination: Santee-Cooper Lakes...
Every part of the country seems to have a favorite “go to” color. However nearly every crappie angler in the world will agree that...
Clint and Dwayne Bailey show off a pair of slabs taken trolling jigs in March. (Photo: Richard Simms) The Search for Big Slabs...
Crappie Dan offers some tips on the most efficient way to pre-tie crappie fishing rigs. Getting rigs tied in advance saves time on the...
Have you ever heard of TackleWebs? If not, Crappie Dan says you need to check them out. He explains why here, along with lots...
Longline trolling is a proven March technique for putting big numbers of pre-spawn crappie in the livewell. (Photo: Richard Simms) In most Southern...
Walking into a bait shop with mom and dad, young anglers see a lot of different live baits for sale. In some parts of...
The new Garmin Panoptix Live Scope has provided an anglers dramatic new information on exactly how close you can approach crappie without spooking them....
Properly rigged floats can help you catch more crappie. Bobber Rigging for Spring Crappie Float your way to more crappies. by Darl Black...
Crappie Dan shares a new revelation in the Valor Downtube, allowing Garmin LiveScope users to control their transducer independent of the trolling motor
THE GREAT OUTDOORS By Larry Whiteley FALL’S FORAGING CRAPPIE In the fall, crappie head to the shallows and they are hungry. They migrate to...
Missouri is well-known for a lot of things but crappie fishing probably isn’t at the top of the list. Take a trip with Tandem...
Reagan Smith enjoys guiding for three kinds of crappie in central Illinois. Destination: Springfield, Illinois by John E. Phillips Twenty-seven-year-old Reagan...
In the Spotlight: Barry Morrow by Tim Huffman Barry Morrow is a respected guide and fisherman. During the past few years, he and partner...
Cold Weather Crappie by Ed Mashburn A fishing guide who makes his living putting anglers on crappie can’t pick the kind of weather. His...
Taking time to organize and re-order needed tackle right now means you will be fully prepared to start fishing as soon as the ice...
Grand Rapids is in the heart of Minnesota. Folks willing to fish the hard water can fill a freezer right outside the city limits....
Years ago most crappie fishermen ONLY fished in the Spring. But nowadays more and more anglers are learning that there are crappie to be...
Sometimes the decision to use planer boards trolling for crappie is simply “personal preference.” But in other situations, planer boards can be essential. (Photo:...
Crappie Shrimp Sauce & Butter Sauce by Vernon Summerlin Cayenne pepper is one of my favorite tongue teasers and an ingredient in many hearty...
Cold-Weather Crappie in the Twin Cities by John E. Phillips Crappie pro Davis Lenzen, from Hudson, Wisconsin, on the border of Minneapolis-St Paul, often...
Double Rigs for Winter Crappie by Tim Huffman Not all double-hook crappie rigs are created equally. For many anglers, double-hook minnow rigs are the...
Wintertime Crappie in North Alabama by John E. Phillips How to Catch a Limit of Alabama Crappie in Cold Weather Lake Guntersville Carter mainly...
Crappie Days Coming in Arkansas and Missouri by Ron Wong Missouri is known as “The Show Me State.” Along with Arkansas, what it can...
Straight-Line Reels for Winter Crappie by Mike Gnatkowski They might look like a fly fishing reel but many ice fishermen say straight-line reels catch...
