2005 October Member Magazinehot!

MAGAZINE
October - December 2005
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Lake
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Site of National Qualifying
Tournament
March 4, 2006
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Nature’s greatest gift
to the sport fisherman.
Formed by an earthquake in the 1800’s.
Reelfoot Lake has one of the largest
Crappie, Bluegill and Bass populations
in the nation, making it a favorite
spot of America’s Pro Fishermen.
Reelfoot also is the winter home of
American Bald Eagles and
several species of Ducks.
So, when you are ready to fish or hunt
where the pros do, then come visit
one of our fine resorts.
1-888-313-8366
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e-mail: visit@reelfoottourism.com
President’s Corner
STAFF
President . . . . . . . . . . Paul “Ed” Johnson
Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Alpers
Advertising/Sales (MO) . . . . . Paul Alpers
Advertising/Sales (FL) . . . Angela Karrati
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 863-467-9598
Editor/Sr. Writer . . . . . . . . Tim Huffman
Graphic Design/Layout . . . . . Julie Plaster
Webmaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobby Brown
Office Administrator . . . . . Lashelle Smith
Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417-532-7192
Crappie Masters, Inc.
PO Box 989
Lebanon, MO 65536
Email: crappiemasters@aol.com
Web: www.crappiemasters.net
Television & Radio
Crappie Masters Outdoor Productions
Ed Johnson . . . . . . . . (C) 417-718-7069
Paul Alpers . . . . . . . . (C) 573-280-8020
Joe Kulis . . . . . . . . . . . . 440-232-8352
ANGLER ADVISORY
BOARD
Dean Repelius . . . . OK . . . 918-485-4805
Gary Kendrick. . . . . AL. . . . 205-338-2011
George Parker . . . . FL. . . . 561-248-3172
Joe Meyer. . . . . . . . MO . . . 573-672-3317
John Shantz . . . . . . IA . . . . 563-940-0397
John Witt . . . . . . . . FL
Kevin Rogers . . . . . MO
Larry Hammond . . . MO . . . 573-498-6543
Phil Rambo. . . . . . . IN . . . . 812-876-4647
Richard Lindsey . . . LA . . . 318-377-0370
Scott Bildebeck. . . . MO . . . 417-644-7501
Todd Huckaby. . . . . OK . . . 405-520-8980
Tony Edgar . . . . . . . MO . . . 573-378-2220
Vic Finckly . . . . . . . MS
Wade Mansfield . . . MO . . . 537-333-9866
Wally Marshall . . . . TX . . . 972-272-4016
Whitey Outlaw . . . . SC . . . 803-730-7610
Coy Sipes . . . . . . . . AL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gilford Sipes. . . . . . AL . . . 205-919-0982
Copyright 2005
All rights reserved by this publication and
its writers/photographers. No parts of
this magazine may be reproduced in any
form without written permission.
Volume 2
October 2005
We only accept digital files and images
via email, CD, etc. Please do not send
actual photos or printed material.
F a l l i s
approaching. A
long hot summer
with erratic
w e a t h e r
challenged
everyone who
participated on
Ed Johnson, President our tournament
trail. However, the season was great
despite the conditions!
New friends were made and old
acquaintances were renewed. Many
miles were traveled in quest of big
crappie and a sometimes elusive
qualification to the Classic. Yes, the
Classic, the National Championship
on Old Hickory Lake in
Hendersonville, TN. It's waiting for
all of you who qualified in the 2005
season.
Old Hickory's charm and beauty
silently waits to challenge you. As the
excitement builds, the Classic will be
the show of shows and an experience
you will never forget. Bass Pro
Crappie Masters has gone the extra
mile to ensure you have an experience
of a lifetime. Even the seasoned
veterans of the tour long to return to
the National Championship!
Bass Pro Crappie Masters has
made great strides since its inception,
creating a variety of surprises and fun
events. Our seminars have been well
accepted and the prizes continue to
please those who are winners.
The support for the tour
continues to grow as we are seeing
more and more new teams fish the
Crappie Masters Trail. We now have
well over 1000 members
participating in our different
programs. We can all be proud of
Bass Pro Shops, Tracker Boats and all
of the other sponsors who have
stepped up to the plate and
contributed to the success of this tour.
Most of you know that 2006 will
feature increased paybacks and
additional title tournaments starting
with the Florida State Championship
in Sanford and Leesburg Florida. This
event guarantees $75,000. Bass Pro
Crappie Masters, Inc continues to lead
the field in total purse paybacks based
upon number of events.
We are very pleased to know that
some of you fish other tournaments,
both local and national. We have
always felt that reputable
tournaments help promote Crappie
fishing in general. If a tour
misrepresents itself, it hurts the entire
sport. I appreciate the comments you
have made on this subject.
It
strengthens our efforts to serve you
better and your comments are always
welcome.
You now have an additional page
on our website. You can visit among
yourselves and communicate with the
rest of the anglers. I ask that you use
the utmost integrity in the use of the
forum section of the site. Its purpose is
to build up the tour and support
crappie fishing, not to tear down
others.
We will continue to promote the
tour and the sponsors in many ways
including our new television
capabilities.
“The Crappie
Challenge” will soon be a reality on
major networks! Our shows will
feature you, the fishermen, doing
what you do best…fishing and having
fun.
I want to thank you for your
support and kind words to Paul
Alpers, me and our staff. You have
been the backbone of a dream for
professional and competitive crappie
fishing. You have believed that it
could happen and it has. You will see
great strides again in 2006, all
because of you. Let’s continue to make
the journey together…..to the top!
Good Fishing and God Bless all of
you.
Ed Johnson
President
Crappie Masters Magazine • July-September 2005
3
Wade Mansfield displays a crappie taken by jigging at
Truman Lake, MO.
TALKIN’
CRAPPIE
with:
WADE
MANSFIELD
BY TIM HUFFMAN
Wade Mansfield has had a good year on
the Crappie Master Tournament Trail. When
fishing or hunting is not on his schedule,
you're likely to find him at the Grizzly Jig
Company store where he is part owner in his
dad's business. His laid-back style mixed with
hard work and a burning desire for success
gives him an edge whether it's in business,
fishing or personal life.
Along with some top-ten finishes this
year, he has been tough on big fish having one
runner-up fish and two big-fish wins. At this
writing, Wade and partner Steve Preuett are
in third place in the points race. Sponsors
include: MinnKota; Humminbird; Perotti
Bilt; Grizzly Jig and MonsterCrappie.com.
FISHIN'
Wade is like many other tournament
fishermen…he'll do whatever it takes to
catch fish. He'll vertical jig at Truman and
Rend, fish weeds at Hot Springs and slowtrolls at every lake where water and fish
movements allow. His years of experience on
Reelfoot Lake and the Mississippi River
helped to give him experience at vegetation,
trees, shallow/deep waters and current.
What about vertical jigging?
4
"Depends upon where my partner and I
are fishing. When going deeper than ten feet
we'll usually start with a jig on the bottom
with back-to-back worm weights 12- to 18inches up from the jig. The two weights will
let us go straight up and down with fewer
hang-ups. They'll also add a pop that I think
helps attract the fish."
"Sometimes it's best to use just a jig
without the weights. Using nothing above
the jig allows a bass sinker with a clip added
to be snapped to the line, dropped down to a
hung-up jig and knock it free. That works
most of the time to free the jig. It saves having
to re-tie or messing up the spot with the
disturbance of breaking off."
Wade will tip with Nibbles but also relies
heavily on minnows. He believes that when
fishing is really tough, a minnow or
jig/minnow combination is the way to go.
I've fished with several jig fishermen, but
Wade is one the most patient I've seen. He'll
work every inch of cover and give the fish
plenty of time to bite. He'll work all depths
until he finds the right zone. He says that
keeping the jig above the fish is critical for the
maximum number of bites.
Crappie Masters Magazine • July-September 2005
Got any jig tips?
"The bait size depends upon the season
and lake. For example, at Lake of the Ozarks,
the fish only wanted very large baits. It was
Joe Meyer who mentioned during the weighin that they, too, went to big baits because
they had seen big four inch shad on top of the
water. So bait size is important so you've got
to change to match what the fish are eating at
the time."
"Plastic or feathers is another choice to
make. I like plastic when searching because
it's easy to change colors until I find what
they want. If I find that the fish like a
black/chartreuse plastic jig, then I might go
to a feather jig of the same color just to see if
they like it better."
"I use our 1/32-ounce Grizzly jig a lot in
the spring. I'll use a 14-foot pole, pitch the jig
to the bank and pull it back to me so it falls
really slow. If fish are there I'll soon learn what
depth or distance from the bank. This jig
works great up to three feet deep."
"The fish were shallow and the water
muddy this year at Grenada. I run the small
jigs under floats on my trolling poles. It
makes it easy to run parallel to the bank
south. They are
consistently good
on the lakes where
the fish are holding
out on the
stakebeds. It's the
same with Capps
and Coleman and
several other top
teams."
"Earlier we had
discussed the OMansfield and partner Steve Preuett work a stump flat with 20-foot
No Hang plastic
long poles. The longer poles spook fewer fish giving them more bites.
structures we sell
mixing jig depths at one, two and three feet
at the store. I don't think it has anything to do
deep. To go a little deeper all that's required is
with what type structure it is but rather the
to add a split-shot to one of the light jigs."
fact it is structure. The O-No Hang is no
What about the 20-foot poles you run?
different than placing a brushpile, driving
"Those are the BnM Slow Troller poles.
stakes or a Christmas tree. If it is in the right
They get the baits further away from the boat
spot in the right season it will work. It's great
and you spook fewer fish. Whether by
for the weekend angler and to use around
trolling motor noise or by sight, crappie can
docks. Once the tournament guys figure out
be easily spooked so the long pole are an
how to use it and figure it's worth it to them,
advantage. For example, two-foot flats make
then they'll pay for them because they know
it difficult to get a boat in without spooking
they are worth the money. Their biggest
the fish so the poles help you reach out."
advantages are that they are easy to carry,
"Long poles are not easy to use. They're
quick to assemble and drop, and you won't
hard to maneuver. Hang-ups are a pain.
hang-up hooks like wood does. They are just
Hook sets can be really difficult."
another tool a fisherman can use.”
He also will use standard length jigging
TOURNAMENT FISHING
poles in the Grizzly Elite Signature, BnM and
Why do you fish tournaments?
Wally Marshall brands.
"The biggest advantage for me is
Whether trolling or vertical jigging, you're
learning a lot of new techniques. Most
often targeting cover?
fishermen use a version of slow trolling or
"Woods and McIntire are excellent
spider rigging. Capps and Coleman always
examples of what cover will do. They work
gets credit for perfecting that and a lot of
hard putting out structure in a lot of different
people use some form of their technique."
lakes. They can do good in the north or the
"Roger Gant runs several jigs per line
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and trolls sideways. Chains and
crankbaits…if I wasn't tournament fishing a
lot of those things I would never see.
Tournaments allow me to learn."
"Another thing about tournament that's
sometimes the weather is bad. It might be
snowing or have forty mile-per-hour winds.
It can be really tough. I'm a new guy on the
circuit so any time I'm in the top 20 I feel that
it is a respectable finish. If you can beat
fishermen on their home lake you've really
done something."
"Everyone studies maps. So when I go to
a new lake I've already picked spots to fish. If
I pull into a spot I've picked and there are two
or three good fishermen on or near the spot
that tells me that I'm probably doing
something right."
Other advantages Wade says little about
is the fact that going to tournaments helps
Stickin’ it where the sun don’t shine!!
Wade Mansfield works a thick, shallow,
brushy area near a highway at Rend Lake.
him in his business. Fishermen are seeing that
the Grizzly Jig Company not only directly
supports the trail as a sponsor but they
further support by participating in the
tournaments (both Wade and his dad, Louie).
Fishermen know they can call their store to
get good advice on fishing and fishing
products. A fisherman can save a few dollars
at an X-Mart but you can't get a salesperson
with the experience, knowledge and
guidance you'll get by shopping at Grizzly.
Wade is qualified for the Crappie Master
Classic with partner Steve Preuett from
Union City, TN. They both live near Reelfoot
Lake. When Steve has had other obligations,
Wade has fished alone in several tournaments
and one tournament with another partner.
FINAL NOTE
Wade Mansfield is a good example of a
class act. He's a Git-r-Done type person
who's glad to help others. On the water, he
practices what he preaches. But everyone
beware, don't let the mild manner and
kindness fool you…on tournament day he'll
be trying his best to bring the biggest weight
to the scales.
Crappie Masters Magazine • July-September 2005
5
January 14
Lake Okeechobee
Okeechobee, FL
January 21
Monroe-Jessup Lakes
Sanford, FL
January 28
January 29
Harris Chain of Lakes FL State Championship
Harris Chain of Lakes
Leesburg, FL
March 4
Reelfoot Lake
Reelfoot, TN
March 11
Johnny Ray Alexander Benefit
Not a Guaranteed $20,000 Tournament
TX, LA & AR Lakes
March 18
Ross Barnett Reservoir
Rankin County, MS
April 1
Pickwick-Wilson Lake
Sheffield, AL
April 22
Lake of the Ozarks
Laurie, MO
May 6
Mark Twain Lake
Perry, MO
May 20
Lake Rathbun
Centerville, IA
June 9
June 10
Truman Lake MO State Championship
Truman Lake
Warsaw, MO
Lake Neely-Henry
Grenada Lake
Gadsden, AL
September 9
October 4-7
6
2006 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
2006 Bass Pro Crappie Master Classic
Crappie Masters Magazine • July-September 2005
Grenada, MS
NATION’S LARGEST CRAPPIE STORE
Grizzly Elite Rods, B&M Poles, Sportsman’s Series Trolling Poles,
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Louie Mansfield and Scott
Stafford with some of the 1st
place winning stringer off
Arkabutla Lake tournament
in Mississippi
Fishing & Hunting
Outfitters
303 Ward Ave
Caruthersville, MO 63830
573-333-9866
1-800-305-9866
www.grizzlyjig.com • Email: lou@grizzlyjig.com
Crappie Masters Magazine • July-September 2005
7
Friends, Neighbors
and True Champions
BY RICHARD WIMAN
Franklinton, LA is a beautiful
southeastern Louisiana town of 1745 fine,
friendly folks and a few ole sore heads.
Among the 1745 fine, friendly folks are two
special men by the name of Elbert “Buck”
Thomas and Harold “Lefty” Thomas.
Though only distantly related, they are
across-the-street neighbors
in Franklinton and attend the same Baptist
Church. In fact, Harold is the church
treasurer, and Elbert is his assistant. Both
men love the Lord and God’s great outdoors.
The first time I ever saw these two men
was at the CrappieMasters fishing
tournament on Grenada Lake on March 19,
2005. I couldn’t help but take notice of the
men’s names on their shirts when they
checked in 22.11 lbs of crappie on their 10fish limit, which set a one-day tournament
record for Bass Pro Shops CrappieMasters
Team Tournament Trail, a record that will
probably stand for quite some time. At the
awards ceremony, I called Elbert by his nick
name, “Buck,” and he asked me how I knew
to call him, “Buck.” I told him it was on his
shirt! Then I asked him how he ended up
being called, “Buck.” He explained that his
name was called out at another tournament,
and another angler with poor hearing
thought the announcer said, “Buck,” when
he actually said, “Elbert.” No matter how
much of a stretch that is, the name stuck.
If Buck received his name in a rather
unusual manner, what about Harold’s?
Where did “Lefty” come from? He isn’t a
natural left hander. During a crappie
tournament, someone saw Harold netting a
fish with his left hand and assumed that he
was a lefty. His right hand just happened to
be occupied with another fish on the hook at
that particular moment, but the name has
stuck anyway.
Not only did they win the March 19
CrappieMasters tournament on Grenada
8
Lake, they also finished second in the Big
Fish contest with a super 3.38-pounder.
If the two fish the little boy in the Bible
gave to Jesus when He fed the 5,000 had
been two of Buck & Lefty’s crappie, the
miracle wouldn’t have been as dramatic!
Buck raises cattle on his home
place, and Lefty is a retired road
construction engineer with the LA
Highway Department. Both men
love the outdoors, but neither of
them were crappie fishermen until
seven years ago. Though they
enjoyed other types of fishing,
especially catfishing, crappie
fishing, especially tournament
trail crappie fishing, was a novelty.
Beginning with small local
tournaments on MS River oxbow
lakes, in just a few short years, these men
have become real champions in the sport.
Four years ago, Elbert and Harold
became teammates on the crappie fishing
circuit. They joined the Magnolia Crappie
Club in central MS and began competing in
their tournaments and started winning.
Back on March 20, 2004 they won the
Magnolia Crappie Club tournament on
Grenada Lake and posted an incredible
24.93 lbs. on a ten-fish limit. These men
obviously know how to catch crappie.
Even though fishermen are notorious
about not giving up their secrets to success,
Buck and Lefty have both been very
transparent in discussing theirs. One of the
reasons they’ve been so successful on
Grenada Lake is their knowledge of the lake.
They point out that prefishing a lake at
different times of the year and keeping good
records are key to success on any lake. The
more time you can spend on any given lake
and recording pertinent information, the
more successful you’ll be.
When asked about their choice of
equipment, Buck was quick to confess that
whatever he’s doing these days is the result
of the advice and counsel of other crappie
fishermen. In the early days of his crappie
fishing experience, he said he asked
a lot of questions and tried a whole
lot of different types of equipment.
Though I’m not a liberty to reveal
some of their most precious
secrets, a few tidbits gleaned from
our phone conversation might
prove to be helpful to you crappie
anglers out there.
If you like to troll while
crappie fishing, Buck said that he
and Lefty like to take it slow. If
Crappie Masters Magazine • July-September 2005
windy conditions mean the boat is moving
faster than they like, they’ll throw out a
logging chain to slow them down. They
make good use of their electronics, keeping a
constant eye of the depth finder. Buck said
that following along the edge of a drop off is
a very successful tactic for them. Big fish
tend to hang around the ledges, and these
two guys will leave a lot of crappie of average
size to go looking for a few large ones in a
heart beat. They also shared that even
though enjoy trolling, their preference is
bumping a stump or some other structure
with a jig One last item that has been a real
key to their success this year in the two
CrappieMasters tournaments they’ve fished
in(finishing first in Grenada and fourth in
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri) is the use of a
Gammagatsu red hook and tri-colored
Super Jig head purchased at the local WalMart store. Their preference in colors is some
combination of chartreuse, plus pink or
white, or some other colors they wouldn’t
elaborate about, but they did say the crappie
seem to go wild over jig heads that glow like
a lightning bug on a summer’s night.
If you hear a Louisianan accent coming
from two men crappie fishing nearby during
a Bass Pro Shops CrappieMasters
tournament, especially if the guy in the back
is netting and tending to all the fish, then it’s
probably our good friends, neighbors and
champions from Franklinton, Louisiana,
Elbert “Buck” Thomas and Harold “Lefty”
Thomas. If you aren’t doing any good, ease
up close and ask for their advice. They
KNOW what they’re doing! They might
even toss you a couple of hooks and jig heads
in what the fish are partial to that day. These
gentlemen are really good sports and
humble about their amazing success.
Believing that in a few short years
anyone could go to catching coolers full of
huge crappie and winning tournaments may
be a long shot for some of you,
but…whatever you do, don’t be afraid to go
with the long shots. Live life to its fullest
every moment and be ready!
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Florida State Championship Information
Crappie Anglers,
Lake Monroe and Jessup and the Harris Chain
of Lakes will both be
National Qualifying
Tournaments.
The top 20 teams from each
tournamnet will advance on to the National
Championship at Grenada Lake in Grenada, MS. The
National Championship will be held on October 4-7,
2006.
The top 50 teams with the combined weights
from Lake Monroe and Jessup, January 21, and Harris
Chain of Lakes, January 28, will fish the Florida State
Championship. The Florida State Championship will
be held on the Harris Chain of Lakes on January 29,
2006.
The total purse for all 3 events will
total over $75,000 in cash and prizes!
Crappie Masters Magazine • July-September 2005
9
has been held there
when they haven't
caught some big fish.
There were at least 10
fish over three pounds in the last tournament.
"I get plenty excited when I go to Grenada.'’
About
Sipes Cousins Passionate
Crappie Angling
BY DAN COOK
Gilford Sipes easily recalls fishing the
Mississippi River oxbow lakes as a five-yearold. Growing up in Blytheville, Ark., he
regularly made trips with his grandfather and
father to the oxbows to cast for crappies, bass
and catfish.
"I've never gotten over that,'' Gilford
said, his voice shaky with nostalgia as he
remembered the experiences from his home
at Moody, Ala., near Pell City. "My
granddaddy and daddy would carry me to the
oxbows. If the fish weren't biting by about 10
o'clock, though, granddaddy was ready to go
home. But if they left by 10 o'clock, I would
cry all the way home..'’
Gilford and his cousin, Coy Sipes,
possess that level of enthusiasm for fishing.
Such is a necessity in order to compete on a
professional level. Neither rain nor cold nor
heat must keep an angler from the objective,
they‘ve learned. The Sipes tandem simply
ignores the obstacles in looking for fish to put
in the live well. They constantly utilize fishcatching techniques they have personally
found resourceful, adding advice from other
anglers in developing a winning strategy.
It was that kind of determination that
led them to win the inaugural
CrappieMasters Classic championship a year
ago at Lake Grenada, Miss. The big prize
there was an 18-foot, 6-inch Triton boat, a rig
they today use on the CrappieMasters tour.
For two days of competition at Grenada,
they had a catch of 37.88 pounds on a 10fish-per-day limit. Fishing aficionados believe
it's a world record catch for a two-day
tournament. It's no surprise that Grenada is a
favorite lake for the cousins, their top choice
for sure when it comes to catching big fish.
Fate as it relates geographically to
choices of where to live has played a role in
the success of the two. Both
grew up in Blytheville.
Gilford, who was in the
insurance business for years
before retiring from that
field and taking an
occupation in delivering
nuclear medicine, moved to
Moody from Blytheville in
1985. Coy, who is in
construction, arrived a
decade later. He had once
lived with his parents near
Huntsville, Ala., and
wished to come back to the
state.
Their homes are
located near Neely-Henry
Lake, an Alabama Power Company
impoundment that, along with upstream
sister reservoirs Logan Martin and Weiss, is a
regular stop on crappie-fishing circuits.
"We've crappie fished for all of our lives,''
said Coy."And we had watched those bass
shows on television.'' Then 3 1/2 years ago,
they saw a brochure at a bait store listing a
crappie tournament to be held at Neely
Henry. The program included a seminar. Coy
attended.
"We trolled on Grenada,'' said Coy. "We
won that tournament with a Roadrunner on
the bottom. We tipped it with about a 2 1/2to-3-inch shiner. Those fish were tearing it
up.'’
Asked to compare that lake to other
reservoirs where they have fished, he said,
"There's no comparison. I've never seen a lake
that can consistently produce 3-pound fish
like that.'’
Pre-fishing Grenada yielded even more
evidence of its crappie productiveness.
"We pre-fished up there and caught four
fish over three pounds each,'' he added. "The
biggest was 3.59, the smallest 3.10.
“I can't think of any tournament that
10
Crappie Masters Magazine • July-September 2005
They liked what they learned about the
series and have been tour fishing ever since.
With both residing in the Pell City area, it's
little trouble for them to load up and go.
Before their touring days, they fished
year-round in their leisure. "Most people
think there's a crappie season,'' Coy said, "one
that lasts from February till about the middle
of May. But that's not really the way it is. In
the summertime, the crappies go a little
deeper. They get on a summer pattern and
they just don't 'bunch up' like in the spring.
You have to fish a little slower and a little
deeper.
"We like to fish a ledge (then) with jigs
and minnows. Minnows seem to do a little bit
better in the summer.'’
It used to be that they would lay down
their fishing poles in favor of seasonal deer
hunting. Now they've parked their guns
completely, with one exception: Thanks
to a drawing at Grenada, they'll be
heading to Texas to hunt on a ranch later
this year.
Bait presentation gets a lot of
attention from the Sipes duo. "(But) we're
one of those teams who do whatever it
takes,'' said Coy."If we have our choice,
we like to troll.'’
When the Sipes made plans to hit
the fishing trail, they verbally agreed
upon a specific time frame as a test of
whether they would make it a long-term
activity. "We decided we were going to
give it five years to try to win a big one,''
said Gilford. "You need to get something
back and we wanted to win a major
event, (but) not necessarily a Classic.''
Winning the CrappieMasters Classic,
however, now finds them in high gear as
touring fishermen..
They fish several other tours in
addition to the CrappieMasters,
including the regional Alabama Crappie
Association, Crappie USA and the
Crappie Angler Sportsman Tour (CAST).
They have found camaraderie with
fellow anglers a bonus for it all. "They're
great people,'' Gilford said, adding,
however, that learning to discern
resourceful information from some of the
fishing commentaries is important.
"There are times to ask questions and
there are times to listen,'' he explained.
Superstitions about fishing abound.
Coy is cautious to wash his hands in lake
water once he's through filling the gas
tank on the boat, in reality a good way to
get rid of any scent that might turn the
fish away. "You pick up odors from
anywhere,'' he said.
Gilford has one particular pair of
lucky overalls that he likes to wear when
he's in tournament competition. "You
don't want to change anything that's
working,'' he said.
Their involvement in crappie tour
fishing has necessitated some lengthy
towing trips. This year, Santee-Cooper,
S.C.; Fort Gibson, Okla., and Truman
Lake, Mo., are on their agenda.
In addition, there’s the
CrappieMasters Classic to be held at
Nashville's Old Hickory Lake in
October. Two boats with 200horsepower motors are the top prizes.
Winning a second Classic would be great,
they figure. But collecting prize money
at any tournament makes the adrenalin
get speed sensitive: If you're not going
flow.
fast enough, they're not going to hit.
With them, we'll use a heavier weight.
One of their longest trips, so far, has
been to Truman Lake. "It's something
"Normally, if we've got our
like 800 miles from my door to Truman
preference and the situation allows it,
Lake,'' said Coy. That's where they once
we'll use a half- to one-ounce sinker, a 3won an award for traveling the greatest
way swivel, a main line that runs from the
distance to the site. "When you do good,
3-way to a swivel, sinker with 6-poundit seems like a short trip home; when you
test line and another hook on that. "It's
do bad, it seems like twice as bad,''
been used in the competitive crappieGilford said. The two find that plenty
fishing world, though some are doing it
incentive to aim at winning.
differently: Some will wrap the line
around
the sinker.'’
Poles, Rigs and Tactics
The Sipes team deploys a slightly
Cousins Coy and Gilford Sipes likes
different
technique, believing that a
to troll for crappie whenever possible in
crappie
will
more easily detect a wrapped
tournament competition. Yet such
sinker
and
back
off. "(But) if it's where it
fishing itself requires a much more
floats,
a
crappie
won't feel it as quickly,''
effective approach than simply tossing a
believes
Gilford.
"I think it's a little more
line into the water with a jig and/or a
effective
if
you
use
a swivel. If a crappie
minnow attached, then watching it sink
comes
up
with
it
(the
bait), the sinker will
in anticipation of a bite.
go back the other way and he won't feel
The two use both 12-16 foot
it.'' Such is for certain the correct method
Mississippi-produced B'n'M and Texasfor fishing lakes in the Mississippimade Wally Marshall rods on the tour.
Alabama-Georgia area, he believes. "If
"Our boat is a floating tackle box,'' said
we get in some super clear water where
Gilford. "We have more equipment than
we can see the bottom, we'll go to a
you would have in a bass boat. The only
smaller diameter line and lighter sinker.”
difference is you
would have more
expensive reels (in a
bass boat). We've got
12-, 14- and 16-foot
rods.'’
In addition to
live wells, they have
an aerated tank for
minnows. They carry
along five batteries to
be sure their
electronic equipment
will last throughout
each fishing day.
"A B'n'M pole is a
little more sensitive
on the end,'' Gilford
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Wally Marshall rod is
a lot stiffer. It has
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Crappie Masters Magazine • July-September 2005
11
Color Clector
Spike-It Outdoors is a manufacturer of many useful fishing items. One of its
newer innovations is an updated version of the Color-C-Lector.
Crappie fishermen agree that color is a crucial factor in catching fish. That's why so
many jig colors line the shelves and fill our tackleboxes. The choice of color can be
confusing and we usually end up just fishing our favorite one or two colors. You can catch
more fish by staying versatile and knowing the right color to have on your hook.
What does the Color-C-Lector do? It reflects the actual responses of fish to color
under fishing conditions that anglers encounter. It takes the guesswork out of selecting
the right lure color. Simply lower the sensor into the water and press the power switch.
The ambient light in the water is registered and the appropriate color code is displayed
on the LCD screen. You immediately know the best color to fish.
It's a small, simple unit engineered to give many years of use. For more information,
contact: www:ispikeit.com or mail to PO Box 147, Brooklet, GA 30415.
EMMROD Pole
"It's all about perception. Just change your thinking about what a pole must look like
and give it a try." That's the key to fishing a compact Emmrod pole.
Emmrod is a family owned business that develops, designs and manufactures compact
fishing gear and accessories. They focus upon ergonomics, efficiency, space and design.
They use high-end engineering and materials resulting in quality.
Why a compact pole? The primary reasons are that it is easy to store it is an excellent
choice for shooting docks and to get in the tight places where you can't cast.
Features include: frictionless pole eyelet; no long lag time as in a long pole; spring
action sets the hook; very long casting distance; easy to use; breaks down to just 13-inches
for storage; stainless spring steel; adjustable handles; and counter weight balancing
system.
It's especially good for those 'just-in-case' situations because it stores under your truck
seat; in a small spot in a boat; in a horse or motorcycle saddle bag; in a four-wheeler box; or
anytime you might need a survival pole.
Contact Emmrod at 1-888-924-6227 or 509-979-2222.
Email at
emmrod@comcast.net. Emmrod Fishing Gear, PO Box 861, Spokane Valley, WA 99037.
Do you like to try products used by successful tournament fishermen and guides?
Here's an inexpensive fish-catcher to add to your tacklebox. The Slider is one the best
ways to put a bait into the thick stuff without hanging up…not easy to do in heavy
brush, grass, rootwads and other jig-eating cover.
The Slider features a weedless head. The jighook has a special bend behind the lead
head. The bend holds plastic bodies while the head adds weight and color.
The 1.5-inch Crappie/Panfish Slider Grub body completes the jig.
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Place order & receive free catalog 1-800-762-4701
(On
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easy to set the hook even with the hook point embedded into the body. The
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choices to fit any condition or water color.
This bait made a huge comeback in the 90's. It is known because its
$14.95
Free Samples with Order!
weedless
style gives a good option for fishing cover. However, the vibrating
Charlie Brewer Slider Co.
tails on the grubs makes them work great on a standard jighead with an
exposed hook…good for casting and excellent for long-lining.
Charlie Brewer's Slider Co., PO Box 130, Lawrenceburg, TN 38464;
www.sliderfishing.com; 1-800-762-4701.
Charlie Brewer's
Crappie Slider
1” Crappie Kit
1” Crappie Kit
$9.95
88 pieces, 5 colors
Crappie
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$10.00
12
140 pieces, 7 colors
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Crappie Masters Magazine • July-September 2005
Zip
Q: You're known for the big Grenada Lake stinger. Tell us about the
fish.
A: We pre-fished on Friday and stayed out a little searching for females.
Our first objective was to catch fish. Then, we would go after the big
ones. We fished remote areas where there weren't a lot of people.
We caught a 3.16 and a 3.38 crappie. Our one-day catch for ten fish
on Grenada was 22.11 pounds. We caught the fish on MidSouth
glow jigs.
Elbert Thomas & Harold Thomas,black/chartreuse
LA
Randy Pope, NC
Sponsors: Lindy-Little Joe; Stren Line
Q: You're known for your jig
fishing. Tell us about the jigs you
use.
BSX, with patented BIOSONIX Sound Technology, plays back record -
A: My primary jig is the Little
Nipper in 1/32-ounce size. It's a
feather jig. It has a good rate of fall.
My favorite color is
white/chartreuse.
I caught my biggest fish in
today's tournament (Chicamauga,
TN) on the Mighty Mini
blue/chartreuse plastic jig. It's
shaped like a little minnow. The
rubber jig does well when the
water warms up.
White/chartreuse is my
favorite color but chartreuse/green
with a chartreuse head is good for
us, too. In cold front conditions we
use a brighter color and tone back
down under normal conditions.
ings of distressed baitfish and attacking predator fish. Over 15 years of
research by leading scientists of fish behavior, and extensive field tests done by
pro fishermen have proven the effectiveness of BSX sound technology. Test
results show that these natural sounds attract and activate predator fish, while
also masking artificial sounds that we and our electronics put into the water.
"Not only am I catching more crappie but larger crappie
as well."
"I can only give BSX™ the highest of marks on improving
my catch."
-- Richard Lindsey •Crappie Touring Pro Points Leader / Guide
www.biosonix.com
1-800-633-4861 • Alexandria, LA
Experience the sounds of fish feeding at:
Crappie Masters Magazine • July-September 2005
13
From The Editor
Jesse Leattrot
Tennessee
Q: What should a fisherman look for
in a longpole?
A: A pole needs enough backbone
to set the hook. It can't be too
flimsy.
We slow troll. We've got to have
something that can hold the weights
required when fishing in the wind. I
like the BnM BGJT 12-foot jigging
pole when fishing jigs and the Wally
Marshall poles in 12 and 16-foot. I
also have a few Grizzly poles in 10
and 12-foot.
When buying a pole, look for a
graphite pole that's sturdy. Stay
away from fiberglass. Also, painted
tips are good.
In Memory
Of:
Ronald B Eddings
Stover, MO
1937-2004
Here comes trips. The trips have been both
Old Hickory. It work and fun with Wade Mansfield
w i l l b e m y deserving special thanks for
f o u r t e e n t h multiple trips and tough fishing. In
classic in sixteen May I went on two retreats where
years. It'll be fun top fishermen, outdoor writers and
to see old friends tv/radio pros met to work on story
and make new ideas, photo shoots and fish
ones. Also, I enjoy together. Crappie Master Magazine
seeing new tricks, tactics and was borne. My wife, Jeanne, and I
techniques. I never spend a day on spent a week (and lots of money) in
the water with a fisherman or go to Las Vegas in July where I got to visit
a tournament to watch the teams ICAST (a huge wholesaler show)
without learning something new or where one of the features was
different.
companies introducing new
You want real examples? products for 2006. It's been a good
I've been taught two sinker rigs year and continues…here comes
that will get through brush easier; a Old Hickory.
jig that will definitely catch more
fish in muddy water; many Good fishin' and God Bless
different pole holder/rack setups; Tim Huffman
and secrets for
finding the best
crappie holes.
Observati
ons have lead to
two important
points: (1) there is
no one best way
that always works
to catch crappie
Electric Fillet Knife
w/Optional 110 Volt to
Classic 6” Wood
because every
12 Volt Converter
Fillet Knife
lake/situation/con
dition is different;
(2) fishermen are
Deluxe 6” Soft-Grip
Fillet Knife
extremely
7” Soft-Grip
Fillet Knife
Ultra Pro Electric Fillet
talented at
w/Hand-Held Sharpener Knife w/Carrying Case
developing new
and better ways to
catch crappie.
Life is
good. It has been
Battery Operated Aerator
Electric Sharpener
Expanda-Board
a good year for
Fish Filet and Preparation Products
me. I have worked
Creating
Creating Solutions
Solutions for
for the
the
with several
fishermen on
Needs
Needs of
of Fishermen
Fishermen
fishing/photo
Ron, an avid crappie
fishermen, starting his
tournament fishing in the early
90's and fished in three classics.
He died Oct. 12, 2004. His
widow, Beverly, visited the
weigh-in at Lake of the
Ozarks.
14 Crappie Masters Magazine • July-September 2005
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