Professional Crappie Anglers United has been in the planning stages for
months but just officially rolled out, accepting new members, April 1, 2023.
PCAU Strives to Unite Professional Crappie Anglers
by Richard Simms
“Our goal is to bring some overall professionalism to the sport. Some feel like it’s kind of gone backwards the last few years.”
Those are the words of Craig Nichols, Board Member of the newly formed Professional Crappie Anglers United (PCAU). Nichols said he was selected by the Board as the organization’s spokesperson.
“PCAU has been in the planning stages for six or eight months,” said Nichols. “But we just officially began accepting new members April 1st.”
Nichols said some of the top professional crappie anglers have already joined PCAU. The Board named Charlie Bunting as the President and Jarad Roper as Vice President.
“Crappie anglers need to have a voice with the tournament trails,” said Nichols. “If you have 3-400 members speaking up, (tournament organizers) are going to have to start paying attention.”
Nichols also said, “New guys coming on the trail need guidance, finding sponsors and all the other things they need to be successful.”
The cost to join PCAU is $50 per year. Nichols said there is a huge list of benefits that come with membership including big discounts from a major car dealer, Berkshire-Hathaway Reliable Group.
“Members can buy a vehicle for $1,000 over cost,” said Nichols. “Plus, there are discounts on a wide range of products. The list goes on and on.”
The organization has also created its own official “Ranking System” for professional crappie anglers. Nichols said they are planning now for annual conferences.
The overall mission: “To provide professional crappie anglers a unified voice in the growth and development of professional crappie fishing. The PCAU creates a pathway to develop career opportunities to educate and unite anglers, sponsors and sportsmen on conservation, integrity and professionalism for all future generations to come.”
Learn more at https://www.procau.com or visit their Facebook Page.
Capt. Richard Simms is the Editor of CrappieNOW magazine as well as a “semi-retired,” fishing guide on the Tennessee River and owner of Scenic City Fishing Charters. Formerly he was a 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. Check out his book, “An Outdoor State of Mind.”
