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Hey y'all!This pic came up on my Snapchat memories from back in 2021 on Lake Belton, TX:

Couple observations:

a) 18-year-old Brett had that Humminbird Helix looking CRISPY.

b) Took a pic of that offshore laydown because I knew it was loaded with fish that weren't bass. When that pic came up, this time, I was like – Dang, that pile was loaded with crappie! 😂

My eyes were trained for bass back then, man! Hope you've been catching some slabs!

How 'bout some Kayle Ward mapping 🧃

Talked with OK/TX guide and tourney pro Kayle Ward – who's been absolutely raking in fish lately everywhere he guides – about something I don't think gets talked about enough in crappie fishing: mapping.

When you see guides posting those piles of fish pics, it's the little details that keep those guys on 'em! Here are 3 Qs with Kayle:

1. When you're looking at maps and contours before fishing, what are you looking for that tells you fish should be there?

> "I pay attention to the type of lake. Is it a shallow lake or a deep reservoir? Is it kind of a bluffy-type lake like Table Rock or Broken Bow? Or is it a shallow or flatter lake like a Millwood or Hugo Lake?

> "That's a general starting spot. You give me that, and that's going to tell me a lot about what the crappie are going to do and what depth of water to be targeting generally."

Next thing Kayle looks for is edges:

> "I tell people that [proximity] to breaklines or edges is always important. I'm looking at creek channels, ditches – those are the highways I'm always going to focus on 

> "If it's a timber lake or a lake that's got a lot of standing timber in it, edges of treelines [matter too].

> "I feel like fish kind of get out into the openings and chase bait at night, and then once the sun rises or it gets daylight, they slide up to the closest piece of cover.

> "There's no point in them swimming past 100 trees to go to a tree just like they swam past.

> "I focus a lot on contour lines or changes, ditches, depressions, drains, creek channels, close to edges of treelines as well. Those are just typically high-percentage areas. It really depends on the body of water."

2. Do you use depth-shading or contour-color tools to find those spots?

> "On your phone, you can get Navionics or Garmin apps that you can look at [Kayle is a Garmin guy – Humminbird has the One-Boat Network App and Lowrance has one too].

> "On my graphs on my boat, probably one of the most important features...I run depth highlights.

> "I'll go in and say shallow water is red for danger – don't run through it.

> "If I'm running 8-12' water and I'm not really seeing fish past 12', and I'm not really seeing them past 8', I'll shade that [window] green.

> "That tells me, 'Hey, I want to keep my boat in green water on the map all the time.' That's just productive water.

> "Then I may shade that 14', 15', 16' in yellow, so I know, 'Hey, I may swing out and look in a little bit in the yellow, but primarily I'm sticking my boat in the green.'"

3. You also mentioned relief shading – what are you seeing there that regular contour lines don't always show?

> "What I've noticed on a lot of these timber lakes, I think when they mapped them, because the timber was so thick, the contours kind of show just a flat.

> "Relief shading will actually show you a little drain or ditch that might run.

> "It might be something real subtle, but that's all [you need]. You don't got to have something real dramatic all the time for these crappie.

> "I haven't seen it that dramatic, but I have seen times where just literally 6 inches or 1' – a little drain, just a little silted-in ditch or drain – can still make all the difference."



That relief shading deal is no joke, man! Garmin/ Navionics, C-MAP and Humminbird apps all have 'em. Here's a bit of how relief shading shows "hidden" contours on the Humminbird One-Boat-Network app:

Don't mind my finger-drawn circles! 😅

Eric Watts' summer crappie program

Talked with AR guide Eric Watts about clear-water summer black crappie. He guides on Lake Maumelle, which can have some real finicky fish in it so I wanted his 2c on how he's picking off the already finicky post-spawners now with the clear water and the heat. Here's 4 Qs with Eric:

1. With the clear water, is keeping your distance a big factor in how you're targeting them right now?

> "For sure. Water being super clear, it's all about keeping your distance.

> "We're casting, usually trying to keep the fish within 30-40' forward range of us...whether we're targeting roaming fish or fish that are on brushpiles."

Follow-up: What's too close?

> "Anything under 30' in forward range is going to be pushing it. You really run the risk of spooking those fish once you get them inside of 30', and it doesn't really matter what depth they're at.

> "If they're 10' down or 20' down, a lot of times if you get them within 30' forward range, they're going to start leaving. It's just harder to get on them at that point."

2. Do the bigger fish eventually get on brushpiles or do they stay roaming throughout the year?

> "A lot of times, especially early summer [or] late spring, those smaller fish tend to move onto the brushpiles first. The bigger fish are still out roaming and doing whatever until it gets really, really hot.

> "The bigger fish will get on brushpiles as we get into summer [and] water temperatures start getting up to the low 80s."

3. For brushpile fish vs roamers, what areas/depths are you looking for right now?

> "It's really a tough time to get on the roaming fish. They could be anywhere – over deep flats, along creek channels or a lot of times what we'll find is those roaming fish will hang out near known brushpiles, known cover in the lake.

> "Essentially, what I'm looking for is a thermocline. Typically, at Lake Maumelle, it's going to set up somewhere about 22-26' of water.

> "I'll try to target the brush that is sitting just above the thermocline, and then if it's holding fish, there's a reason those fish are there. Usually, there's an abundant food source nearby, and the thermocline provides cooler water for them to dip down into and cool off."

[Eric also said fish will sometimes get surprisingly shallow (relatively) – like 10' in the summer just to soak up some oxygen. So be on the lookout for that too.]

4. Are you using the same approach for brushpile fish and roaming fish, or are those 2 different deals?

> "I would generally use the same technique, same approach – casting 5' [in front] of those fish, and swimming right over the top of them.

> "Of course, your roaming fish tend to be a little more aggressive. They will react to the bait a lot of times a lot quicker than the fish that are on brushpiles.

> "It's like you or me being on the couch, where someone comes and hands you the perfect snack while you're sitting on the couch. Yeah, you'll go for it, but when you're in the kitchen, you're actually looking for food. That's kind of the way I think about those roaming fish."

Eric's casting setup

> "My go-to baits, 99% of the time, are going to be Bobby Garland Itty Bit Slab Hunt'Rs in a variety of colors...the smaller baits seem to get way more attention.

> "I'll use the Bobby Garland Itty Bit Mayflies as well, but generally speaking, I just want to use something that is going to be in the smaller range in terms of profile – under 2 inches.

> "My typical setup, especially as we get into summer [is] a 1/8-oz tungsten weight above a 1/48-1/16 oz jighead. It depends on the depth range I'm fishing in and the amount of control I need over the bait.

> "I'll run a 4- or 6-lb mono leader [tied to] 8- or 10-lb Reaction Tackle High-Vis Braid – usually solid white or chartreuse [to see the bites]...sometimes the ACC Crappie Stix copoly leader with a tungsten weight 10-12-inches above the jighead."

Why the super-light jighead?

> "...the profile and the speed of the presentation. If I'm fishing brush, I don't want a bait that flies by the brushpile super fast.

> "A lot of times these fish, when they're on brush, they're more lethargic or may be deeper down in the pile. If you come across it too fast, they just don't get a chance to register that that was food."

Rod/reel

> "My go-to rod is the 8' ACC Crappie Stix Super Grip. 

> "My reels...I'm not [set on] a particular reel that I'm just crazy about, just a 2000 size. It balances better with an 8' rod. I'm looking for one that has smooth reel action and a decent amount of drag because we run our drag pretty loose [since he's using braid]."

Jeremy Lawyer's 10-second rule: keep moving

MO pro Jeremy Lawyer used to fish more on the pro bassin' side of things, but now he's come to the light and has been the 🔨 down on crappie lately. 😅

Here's a quick (and real important) tip from him from a 1Standard YouTube video talkin' summertime crappie:

> "Don't stay in one area too long. You should know pretty quickly when you roll up if it's going to happen or not.

> "It's Jun, there's usually a good morning bite – they're absolutely chewing and getting with it. If they're not biting where you are, then they're doing it somewhere else.

> "If you pull up on a place, scan around or fish your brushpile for about 10 minutes and it's just not going down, roll on. 

> "Maybe a couple fish nipped at it, but if it's not really happening, go to the next one because somewhere they're biting. June is notorious for that.

> "If you're not catching them, keep moving throughout the day. In the next 2-4 stops, you'll find out if it was a good thing you left that pile, dock or school of fish that wasn't producing."

I've seen this go down a lot in my own guide trips too. I had a rule with myself last year when I was guiding: 5 good casts without a bite or if we were catching keepers and caught 2 small ones in a row, we were gone.

Those fish will tell you if they're there and ready to eat man!

Are you fishing a Ned rig for crappie?

Maybe doesn't have to be the whole hopping-on-the-bottom Ned rig like the bass guys do, but at least just the simple Ned rig bait – like Canadian bass pro Jeff "Gussy" Gustafson is fishing for northern spawners right now.

Came across this cool vid from Gussy's Instagram where he got himself on a bed of crappie, catching 'em on a Z-Man Tiny Ticklerz under a Northland Tackle Lite-Bite Bobber around...

> "...old pencil reeds – that's the number one thing they like to spawn around. Any kind of cover, though – beaver huts, trees, just depends on what's available.

> "They want some kind of hard bottom. Here there's sand and reeds. That's sort of the magic recipe."


That Tiny Ticklerz ^ isn't the only subtle little Ned bait for crappie either. Z-Man has some more 🧃-y crappie morsels in their lineup. L-R: Z-Man Micro Wormz (2"), Z-Man Micro Finesse TRD (1.75"), Z-Man Fuzzy Bugz (1.75").

Don't sleep on the fuzz! 🦠

Ever sight fish crappie?

Pretty sweet vid from Bobby Garland's Facebook of a slab getting abducted 🛸 with an Itty Bit Slab Slay'R.

Sick bite! Northern folks, still some time for you to get on shallow sight-fishing eats!

1. PA pro angler Grae Buck's favorite bluegill bait is...

...the Z-Man Shad FryZ! 👀 What's nice about those Z-Man baits is they're super durable so you're not having those bluegill (or crappie) peck off the tails. 💪

2. TN: $10K crappie derb going down on Reelfoot

That's a lot of dough man! 👀 More details on the tourney's site here.

3. Ever seen wagon wheels on forward-facing sonar?

Just a cool shot of one I found on my Humminbird MEGA Live 2 and Apex 13 the other day on Bob Sandlin, TX. I thought it was a round hay feeder on its side but you can clearly see the spokes and inner wheel –plus some crappie that no longer call that place home! 🤣

Btw MEGA Live 2 is $200 off on Tackle Warehouse right now!

4. CA: Crappie bite going down on...

> Valley/Westside waterways: Bluegill and crappie spawning in the shallows.

> Millerton Lake/San Joaquin R.: Shore anglers are scoring with Keitech swimbaits in the 3.3-3.8" range on a ball head or an underspin as...bluegill or crappie are moving into the shorelines.

5. AR: Crappie getting on deep patterns on...

> Millwood Lake: Crappie have “greatly improved” with the warmer water and are biting well in 5-12' on jigs, minnows and smoke grubs with chartreuse tails. Fish are in different stages from spawn to post-spawn, depending on the area.

> Bull Shoals Lake: Crappie 101 Guide Service says fish are still on brush in the creeks, mostly in that 15-20' range. Minnows have been the most consistent, but 1/16-oz jigs are working on certain days too.

> Beaver Lake: Crappie are just starting to show up trolling, and Jon Conklin says that bite should only get better as the water warms and the thermocline sets up.

6. AZ: "Popular lake closes after all the fish die" 👀

Dang man, such a harsh headline! 😅

San Carlos Lake closed until further notice after officials say drought conditions and dam releases killed all the fish. That lake holds AZ state records for largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish and flathead catfish. Bad deal man.

7. Ever seen a line tie like this?

That's Diawa's new Light Jighead that comes in 1/64-3/32 oz sizes and has that U-shaped line tie.

Thought it was a neat deal – might keep the knot up on the top for a more vertical presentation vs sliding forward on the tie and making it hang?

8. How 'bout this hat MS folks! 👀

Different color variations in there too. Wish they had one for TX!

9. MN: New DNR e-licensing system launched Monday (6/9)

10. FL reinstates online 3-day and 7-day non-rez license sales

Bananas decision in the first place for a huge fishing tourism state, but at least they walked it back. Wonder if anyone got fired or voted out...nah!

11. VA: Lots of Smith Mntn ramps dry due to low water

Sounds strange? Odd place for that low a water level.

12. MN: U MN studying if FFS could harm fish populations

Bear in mind that data can be used to support any conclusion:

> ...researchers at the U of MN are preparing to study if the technology could threaten future fish populations across the state.

> The team will use those findings to model if the use of live imaging could deplete fish populations over time.

Does that sound like it's maybe biased from the get-go? Maybe....

• 1st Q: Do any of them fish?
• 2nd Q: Why does it cost $676,000 for a 3-yr project?

Also something that doesn't show up in spreadsheets is the fact that most walleye folks who are diehards and utilize FFS technology are also doing 1) a lot more catch-and-release fishing, and 2) actively practicing selective harvest and only keeping enough for a meal versus measuring their sucess by needing to keep a limit.

Let's see what happens.

13. Study alleges a lot more fish harvest in the US

Supposedly a lot more than "policymakers" thought. But:

> ...we used the US Inland Creel and Angler Survey Catalog and catch and effort model (CreelCatch) and several assumptions to provide an initial estimate of the magnitude of total inland recreational fisheries harvest....

So not actual data collection but computer modeling. Also a little vague why they did the study – other than maybe it was funded by the US Geological Survey Climate Adaptation Science Center. Seems like looking for a problem where none exists.

This kinda sounded good though:

> Ultimately, inland recreational fisheries warrant greater consideration for their contribution to national scale socioeconomics and impacts on fish stocks and ecosystems.

14. New (?) jet ski fishing boat for $32.5K

A better way to pitch with spinning gear?

Saw this interesting little deal from BassBlaster – came across the pond from Japan. If you're not aware, Japan has some of the most efficient, detail-oriented, diehard fish-heads in the world!

So instead of grabbing the line with our index finger for a spinning-rod flip-cast like we usually do, is it better and more precise to hold the line on the spool like that instead? For that kind of cast only (a flip), it is supposed to be more precise.

I'm all down for more precision when you're talking dock-shooting and hitting bank cover and precise casts to stumps man!

Before forward-facing sonar, there was...🤣

Still wondering why they haven't put this pic of big-fish hunter and former crappie guide Josh Jones on the cover of Men's Health or Time! 😂

National Professional Anglers Assoc.

MN-FISH