Freshwater Fishing Archives - Page 62 of 86

Crappie Time TV show host Ronnie Capps claims regardless of how you get to the wading flats, you’ll still be limited to the amount of gear you can carry.

Best crappie wade-fishing equipment

March 1, 2013 Phillip Gentry

Whether you decide to chase spawning crappie on foot, from an ATV or paddle after them in a kayak, each tactic limits the angler to only what he or she can reasonably carry. […]

The oxbows in the Yazoo River floodplain are rarely fished gems just waiting to be uncovered.

Hidden treasures

March 1, 2013 Hal Schramm

The Mississippi Delta is dotted with fisheries resources — the oxbow and abandoned channel lakes on the floodplain of the Yazoo River Basin. In contrast to the larger river lakes that were former channels of the Mighty Mississippi — lakes like Chotard, Eagle, Ferguson, Lee, Washington and Whittington — that are well known among anglers, the smaller lakes of the Yazoo Basin attract little attention. […]

John Harrison used the conditions to his advantage nailing seven slabs over 2 pounds each during the MCC’s Sardis Reservoir tournament.

Sardis crappie are fat and healthy

March 1, 2013 Paul Johnson

Learned something new the other day while preparing for a crappie tournament to be held on Sardis Reservoir. I learned the meaning of the term “turbidity level.” Look, I was at the top of my vocabulary class when I was in grade school a hundred years or so ago, and I knew the word turbid. […]

Despite crazy and constantly changing conditions, fishermen like Bobby Cleveland have caught bass this week shallow on crankbaits when the weather allowed access to water.

Fishing reports, like weather, lack consistency

February 21, 2013 Bobby Cleveland

Fishing reports throughout Mississippi have been about as consistent as the weather, and the only predictable thing about the conditions is that they are constantly changing. […]

Catfish guide Brian Barton is out to show that Pickwick Lake should be as well known for its catfishing potential as it is for its smallmouth bass and crappie fishing.

Early season trolling for catfish at Pickwick Lake

February 19, 2013 Phillip Gentry

When the name “Pickwick” is heard in general fishing conversation, it’s generally in context with the great smallmouth bass fishing or tremendous crappie fishery that’s contained in the lake. Say the word “catfish” and most anglers think they misunderstood you. […]

If the wind will allow it, this would be a great weekend to catch black crappie under the piers at Eagle Lake, where fishing shallow in deep water produces for anglers like David Thornton, who lives on the lake.

Approaching front won’t help poor fishing conditions

February 15, 2013 Bobby Cleveland

Last weekend’s rains and this week’s cooler temperatures have slowed what was rapidly becoming an early spring for Mississippi fishermen, and another big delay is rapidly approaching.

A cold front forecast to drop lows below freezing Friday and Saturday nights in most of Mississippi will make finding bass and crappie more difficult.

And that’s not the worst news. […]

Mason Porter caught this 30-pound channel catfish Feb. 7 on Davis Lake, using a jig pole and 6-pound test line.

Crappie angler lands 30-pound channel cat on jig pole

February 10, 2013 Bobby Cleveland

Mason Porter of Houlka is a devout crappie fisherman. He’s a member of the Magnolia Crappie Club and Crappie.com, and fishes events on both tournament circuits. […]

Big Blues on the Big Muddy

February 2, 2013 John J. Woods

Fishing for catfish in the winter on the Mississippi River? OK, nobody in their right minds would go after trophy-class record-book blue catfish on the Mississippi River, especially in the winter.

No?

Well, you obviously have not been introduced to Bob Crosby of Madison and his catfishing buddy Bill Conlee of Pocahontas. And we’re not just talking about catching big catfish here either. These guys want the state-record catfish in the boat and in the record book. That’s a tall order indeed.

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Magnolia crappie share similar traits with both white and black crappie, but only about 60% retain the easily identified black stripe.

How to distinguish a Magnolia crappie

February 1, 2013 Phillip Gentry

Many novice crappie anglers have a hard time distinguishing between a black crappie and a white crappie, so adding a third species to the mix can be a bit confusing. […]

Wadeable streams are often overlooked fishing opportunities.

Fish, farms and forests

February 1, 2013 Hal Schramm

Mississippi anglers know that healthy, productive fisheries depend on good habitat. In turn, they rely on their finned quarry’s habitat preferences to help locate and catch fish. […]

MCC Tournament Director Terry Stewart and his 80-something father Don won the December “fisherman’s choice” event.

Same lake, different story

February 1, 2013 Paul Johnson

Since my last report here, the Magnolia Crappie Club has held two tournaments at Chotard and Eagle lakes. These unusual “fisherman’s choice” crappie tournaments were held in early December and early January.

In fact, last month’s “As Big As They Grow” crappie column was based on what I expected to happen in that early December tournament. As I recall, I predicted that the tournament would be won pulling crankbaits at Chotard. […]

The goal of the Magnolia crappie program is not to create a super crappie, but to put more fish in angler’s creels.

In search of the Magnolia crappie — Why MDWFP biologists created a third species of this popular panfish

February 1, 2013 Phillip Gentry

A day at work for the fisheries biologist at the MDWFP North Mississippi Fish Hatchery near Enid begins with flipping on the lights. […]