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Hope you’re stayin’ cool out there – it’s gettin’ into straight-up summertime fishing in some parts! Crappies are moving deeper, the sun’s high, and the trolling motors are earning their keep.
Got another Target Crappie for you, loaded with juicy info to help you keep stackin’ slabs no matter how hot it gets! And howdy and thank you to BaitFuel Nano Crappie Baits and Sea Foam Marine PRO outboard treatment which are helping us reach you all with the 🧃!
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If your email program cuts off the bottom of the email click "View this email in your browser" up top to see the whole thing. Sorry about that – email programs keep changing stuff!
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Cassidy Box and Alex Hall fished small jigs to win
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So much so that they went ahead and used 'em to win the recent Crappie Masters team tournament on Rend Lake, IL. That's Cassidy (L) and Alex – they won it with 14.22 lbs.
The Target Crappie team got in touch with both of them to get some 🧃 on how they found winning fish in some pretty adverse conditions (high water and wind). Here's Cassidy with the winning deets:
How did y’all go about finding those winning fish?
> "We got there Mon and had some places we wanted to look at – we didn’t pick up anything that we thought was going to help. After we went to all the spots we had marked, we were just guessing. We hadn't picked up a fish over 1 lb all week.
> "We figured the big fish had to be in the bushes – the lake was 6-7' high, and the few fish we had caught still had eggs in them. We felt sure those tournament fish were spawning in the bushes.
> "Wed evening right before dark we [finally] picked up a 1.24-lber. We fished until quitting time Thurs and still hadn't caught another fish over a lb. We had a bunch between 0.5 and 0.95, but nothing else big.
> "Friday morning [day 1 of the tournament], we started out at that same place where we caught the big one. In the first 45 minutes...all 5 of our fish were over 1 lb. We had picked up on a few things about where those fish were – especially on structure that was laying parallel."
Alex said y'all keyed in on laydowns – how did that happen?
> "Yes, the laydowns that were mostly parallel – not the ones sticking straight up. We were looking for laydowns with big limbs. Every once in a while you'd catch a glimpse of a bigger fish than what we had been seeing.
> "That really came in handy on day 2 because most of [their] day 1 fish were roaming. They were just floating out in open water. On day 2 the laydowns really became important."
Did you stumble upon those laydowns or have past experience that helped?
> "When we fished Darbonne [LA], we picked up a couple good fish off laydowns so that was in the back of our head. But we were mostly looking at standing structure.
> "After we caught a good one on a laydown and slowed down to really look at them, we picked up another one. It clicked – we had to pick through every single laydown."
How were you picking them apart and watching them on the Scope?
> "Once we found one, we’d have to basically stop and look at every knot and limb. We caught a lot of little fish doing that. They were laying on that stuff – especially parallel laydowns. You couldn't see them as well as you can when they’re hanging off the side of a tree.
> "Sometimes you'd just see a slightly brighter spot, or see one move. A lot of times you just had to drop a bait and check it."
What kind of bait and setup were you using?
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> "We used a lot of ATX stuff, especially during pre-fishing. We’d use a 1/4-oz weight above a really small jighead – maybe 1/16 – and Grenada Lake Tackle heads. Sometimes we’d tip it with a minnow.
> "That water is dark and we’re used to muddy water. Those fish can see a bait further than you think. Looking down in it, you think they can’t, so you want to drop it right on them. But what we learned was: Hang that bait up above them just a bit and make them come to it.
> "We used a lot of the ATX Wicked Shad, 1.5-inch in 'D2D special', 'green and black'. In that darker water, darker baits worked better. Or we’d try to match the hatch with the shad.
> "Those baits are a lot smaller-profile, and that's what we like – especially on Grenada. Everyone wants to throw big baits there because the fish are big. But those fish will short strike a 2.5-3 inch bait.
> "If you get a smaller profile, even if they just nip it, you still might hook 'em."
Any adjustments you made during the tournament?
> "The wind got so rough on day 2 that keeping the bait above the fish – making them come get it instead of running it down to their nose – helped.
> "You couldn’t hold a bait still because the trolling motor would be coming out of the water. You’d see a fish on screen, then the transducer would come out of the water...when the boat came back down, sometimes the fish was gone."
How were y’all setting up on those laydowns on the windy 2nd day?
> "A lot of times we went with the wind. That was probably the hardest part – coming in from one side, getting turned around, and most of those fish were on the upwind side of the tree.
> "We had to get even with the fish and catch it off one side before the boat floated and we lost it on screen. Most of those fish were on the upwind side, which made it tough."
Great intel, much appreciated Cassidy!
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12 batteries and the troller on 10 to find big crappie! 🤯
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We also asked Cassidy about how he and Alex pick apart lakes to find crappie. Here's the juice on that – one thing that blew us away was that he said they used the trolling motor so much to look that they keep 12 BATTERIES on the boat to keep it on 10 all day! 🤯 Let's go:
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When you go to a new lake, what are you looking for?
> "Most lakes – which is different than what we’re used to at home – we’re looking for structure. That’s what everyone guiding talks about....
> "That mindset kind of gets drilled in. Everywhere we go it’s like, Let's look at structure.
> "You can see the stump fields on the maps, and then we’ll side scan a bunch of areas. Alex will get up front, and I’ll crank the big motor and idle through places to maybe mark some fish or laydowns and things like that."
Are y’all actively looking for fish or just for cover and structure?
> "Mostly cover and structure. If we’re looking for fish, we’ll check LiveScope. If we see one that looks like something we want to catch, we’ll mark it.
> "Especially the day before – we don’t want to stick that fish. So we’ll run through an area real quick, and if one looks like a good one, we’ll mark it and drop pins as we go. The next morning, or even Sat morning, we might go back and hit that line we ran."
What’s your process for finding the biggest fish in a lake?
> "We just cover as much water as we can. From my experience, that’s the best way to find big fish. We’ve got either 9 or 12 batteries in that boat and we’ll burn through them, especially on tournament day. We’ll go through 2 or 3 full sets of batteries [6-9].
[He said they use Miller Tech 12v batteries.]
> "Alex scans [with the trolling motor] on 10, wide open, all the time. It’s his boat, he guides out of it every day, so he’s used to how the transducer is pointed and how the boat handles. He scans at full power constantly."
What kind of electronics are y’all running?
> "We’re running the Garmin 8616 with the [LVS] 34 transducer. I’m not even gonna try to tell you what size his Humminbird screens are, but they’re Humminbirds for the mapping units."
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"I’m 58 years old – if I can do it, anybody can do it. It’s just been absolutely fantastic."
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That's Jim Crowley of Jim Crowley Outdoors talkin' how he's been getting dialed with forward-facing sonar. Here's some 🧃 on how he's using his new Humminbird MEGA Live 2 and other Humminbird electronics to bully some crappie.
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How easy was it to start using FFS?
> "I’ve never used forward-facing sonar before, and after just watching like a video or 2, this was the easiest thing to dial in.
> "If I ever had an issue with it – just a couple times – all I had to do was hit the factory reset, and the thing was right up. It is so easy, with 2 or 3 buttons to reset this thing. I was literally watching fish and watching my lure like 15-20 casts into it.
> "It was crazy. I honestly think just about anybody – I'm looking at myself, I’m 58 years old – if I can do it, anybody can do it. It's just been...a lot of fun."
How did FFS help with targeting fish, and could you see other details like algae blooms?
> "It’s great to have FFS to target them, but this technique – just swimming that little minnow – it’s one of the best I’ve ever done for big crappies." [Check out one of Jim's fave crappie techniques here.]
> "That was the other cool thing on the MEGA Live 2. I could see how far the algae bloom actually went down into the water when I turned the contrast up. It was amazing."
How successful are you catching fish with this setup?
> "After about 6 or 7 times out with it, I’ve caught well over 100-150 crappies and bass using this thing. The target acquisition makes it so easy to follow a small jighead with just a little bit of practice.
> "It’s really cool going out over 25-30' of water, seeing suspended crappies that you never knew were there, and being able to target them and catch some of them out of the school. It’s just been a lot of fun."
What’s your opinion on the Humminbird units?
> "I definitely think that competition breeds a superior product, and Humminbird had to do something. I don’t think they could have done any better than what they’ve got now.
> "In the probably 40 years I’ve been using Humminbird [the new XPLORE units] are the easiest units to dial in. The target separation and how you identify items on the XPLORE units is absolutely incredible. It was money well spent as far as I’m concerned."
What are you running for a trolling motor?
> "It's [a Minn Kota Ultrex QUEST]. It’s so quiet, it’s very responsive. You hit Spot-Lock – you better have your feet set on that deck because if you’re going forward it’s going to move you back to the exact place. It’s so responsive and so quick.
> "The power on the thing is unbelievable. If you’ve got lithium batteries – pick your brand...the power is amazing."
Jim said he's using Precision Power batteries.
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New limited-run Bandits are 🔥 + how to fish 'em
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Those L-R colors are: 'bluegrass', 'chartreuse red glitter', 'threadfin', 'monkey milk glo', 'spring fling', and 'bleeding shad'.
So if you're a die-hard crankin' for crappie guy or looking to get in the game, here's a little from a Lurenet.com post with guides from around the country sharing some 🧃 on how how to catch slabs strolling these Bandits in the summer.
> Strolling refers to various slow-trolling techniques in which a...trolling motor is used to move the [boat] along in a deliberate, controlled manner for presenting lures.
> Brad Chappell encourages anyone targeting crappie in water temperatures of 80 degrees or higher to give the technique a try. "It’s a great way to learn a new body of water or explore different parts of a lake or river. I’m always finding new structure while trolling, and marking the spots for visiting again".
Trolling setups
> Brad's trolling spread also consists of 8 rods...held at the rear of the boat in 2 Driftmaster Pro Series rod holders, 4 rods per side.
> Brad uses trolling rods in matching pairs: 9, 12, 15 and 18'. His rod sequence progresses sequentially from shortest to longest, with the shortest being in the first holder to pull directly behind the boat.
> He uses line-counter reels spooled with 15-lb Power-Pro Braid...often alternating line colors – Hi-Vis Yellow, Green Moss and White – among the 4 rods in each set to visually aid in keeping track of his lines (also beneficial when separating tangled lines).
> Brad uses straight braid "because I want braid’s strength from reel to lure, plus I think it gets my baits to depth faster with less line out."
> He ties the line directly to a small ball-bearing snap swivel, which then connects the crankbait. He starts the day with a different color Bandit on each rod."
Trailer jig secret
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> [Beaver Lake guide] Greg Robinson has perfected the use of a soft-plastic trailer rig tied behind his Bandits.
> To rig it, he attaches a 12-18" 6-8-lb mono leader to the rear hook hanger on his Bandit. To the leader he ties a Crappie Pro Overbite Sickle 1/32-oz jighead or a Bobby Garland 1/48- or 1/64-oz Itty Bit jighead.
> Greg's favorites are the Bobby Garland 1.5" Crappie Shooter, 2" Slab Slay’R, and any of the 1.25" Itty Bit Series baits. The newest – the Itty Bit Slab Hunt’R – has quickly become a real favorite.
> "I think a lot of times the Bandit gets their attention, but the smaller jig is a better match to the hatch of summer forage, and they key on it. We had a big mayfly hatch going on, and the Itty Bit matched the size. Having 2 differing baits to offer at the same time is a good thing".
Finding and targeting crappie
> [AR guide] Payton Usrey keys on usual summer crappie holding areas in main lake and river sections on Beaver Lake.
> Productive areas include deep-water flats, bluff lines with pole timber and deep channel swings, all in depths of 15-30'. He typically finds fish scattered and positioned near the bottom.
> While he does pay attention to shad activity, he’s found that in summer crappie feed a lot on sunfish too, so he doesn’t consider it critical to be around shad.
> On his front rods, Payton lets out about 20' of line to push crankbaits at around 16'. On back rods, going from the shortest out, line payouts are 35, 45 and 55' on one side, and 50, 55 and 65' on the other side. That arrangement spreads baits from 12-20' deep.
> "With my boat being the centerline, I’m fishing a different water column on each side of the boat, so I treat my 2 rod spreads accordingly. I pay attention to what rods and depths are producing best, and adjust my lines out accordingly."
Speeds
> Each of the anglers said they pay careful attention to speed because it is an influencing factor on bites moreso than lure depth....
Payton: 1.5-2.0 mph
Brad: 1.5-1.8 mph
Greg: 1.2-1.8 mph
'Low-tech' tip from Payton
> "You can go low technology and still have a blast trolling crankbaits for crappie. If you don’t have a fish-finder, go to a chunk-rock bluff, tie a Bandit 300 on with a Bobby Garland trailing behind it and start slow-trolling, even holding the rod in your hand. You’re going to catch something!"
There's much more juice in that post about cranking with 300s, and be on the lookout for those new colors!
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Toledo Bend is back to the good 'ol days + bait deets!
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That's what is sounds like in this post from Louisiana Sportsman talkin' all sorts of fishing from Living the Dream Guide Service guide (and 1975 Bassmaster Classic winner) Jack Hains. Here's the deal on finding crappie out there:
> There’s good reason to be excited about fishing for bass, crappie and bream in June at Toledo Bend. Our lake is starting to act – i.e., fish – like the good old days.
> Just because you don’t have brushpiles planted in strategic locations around the lake doesn’t mean slabs can’t be caught off natural stuff, such as deadfalls, and there are plenty of those.
> As for key depths, start looking from 17' out to 22-25'. Still check 12' depths because normally they’re shallower the farther you go into creeks. Use your electronics and follow creek channels.
> If you are tightlining to put crappie in the boat – the least amount of action you put into the hair jig, tube jig or soft-plastic minnow...the more it produces fish.
> While tightlining, I normally fish 1/32- or 1/16-oz leadheads on 6-lb line to put plenty of slabs in [the boat].
Color selection
> Color selection hinges on water clarity. If it’s a little stained, brown/chartreuse and black/chartreuse often work the best, while in clear water it’s hard to beat blue-hue baits. Straight shad colors also trigger many bites.
> I like blueback stuff and the minnow colors. Sometimes I’ll crimp a very small BB weight about 8-10" above the leadhead.
And that's not just for Toledo! If you have a deeper lake with plenty of piles, give that stuff a shot!
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> For...crappie and even finesse multispecies fishing, pink braid brings some unique benefits to the table. ...line visibility equals bite detection.... Being able to track your line closely lets you react faster, and often with better hookup ratios.
9. Correct Craft CEO stepping down
Parent company of Yarcraft and Bass Cat:
> Correct Craft CEO Bill Yeargin...will step down from his position in spring 2026. The company’s board has begun executing the company’s succession plan process to find Yeargin’s replacement.
10. Suzuki Marine USA announces 2 promotions
> Brandon Cerka is now VP of sales and marketing, while Jacob Ewing is VP of operations.
11. DC: RBFF might shut down due to federal cuts
> For the first time in its 27-year history, the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation is at risk of shutting down due to a freeze in federal funding from the US Dept of the Interior.
> The delay in releasing money from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund – typically allocated through a competitive grant process – forced RBFF to suspend all active programs and campaigns as of Apr 1, the start of its new grant cycle.
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Put chapstick on your leader knots?
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From Jim Crowley:
> "So I was using 12-lb [Sufix] Revolve to a 10-lb Sufix fluorocarbon [as a] leader... I use the I use the Albright knot for the braid to the fluorocarbon, and then I’ll clip the knot as close as I can, and then I put Chapstick on the knot and it slides the knot right through the guides.
> "About 2 years a saltwater captain turned me on to that – it makes a huge difference because it has petroleum in it so it slides right through your guides."
You know, that might not be as crazy as it sounds! Could definitely see this helping when your casting a lighter jig like TC's Brett Jolley does down here in TX.
Might have to start carrying a tube in the pocket on the boat from now on. Wonder if there's a certain flavor crappie like?🤔😂
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Check out this MN MONSTER! 👀
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This 17.5", 3.68-lb giant was caught a few days ago by MN angler Cherchua Moua. He let us in the the deets and said he was just floating mini mites on a bobber over pieces of cover that crappie were relating to.
If you're interested, here's a pretty sick vid of the guys' reaction when they caught it. Congrats on the catch of a lifetime man!
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