FIGHT THE WEATHER (PRE-SPAWN)

During the early years of professional crappie fishing, I always heard two names at the top of the leader board -- Alan Padgett and Bobby Martin, both from Georgia. Even on the worse, windiest, rainiest, coldest days, these two anglers consistently would come to the scales with some of the biggest crappie taken in any tournament. For years they kept their fishing strategies secret. But finally they told me how they regularly took big crappie, even on bad-weather days.

"I believe you catch some of the biggest crappie in any lake in deep water on main river points," Padgett said. "Bass fishermen know that you can catch plenty of bass on main river points too.

"On many lakes throughout the nation, one to 10 bass tournaments will be held on any given weekend. To try to develop a honeyhole to catch big bass, often tournament bass anglers will build brush shelters out on the ends of the main river points. Most crappie fishermen, especially on bad, cold, windy, rough days, will retreat to the creeks and coves to fish visible cover out of the wind and weather. The least amount of crappie-fishing pressure in most lakes will be on main river points where you must contend with boat traffic, heavy winds and often blowing rains. However, these are the spots we always try to fish to find the biggest crappie." Although some crappie fishermen have their doubts about the importance of color in catching crappie, Padgett and Martin believe that on certain days, big crappie will hit specific colored jigs while little crappie prefer a different color of jigs.

"If we're catching little crappie, we change the color of our jigs and often then will begin taking big crappie, Martin explained.

Call or write, Crappie USA, P.O. Box 0848, Brentwood, TN 37024-0848, (615) 377-7800 to learn more about crappie-fishing tournaments and to receive a schedule of tournaments. You can also visit them on the web at www.crappieusa.com.

TOMORROW: FISH FLOOD WATERS FOR PRE-SPAWN CRAPPIE

Check back each day this week for more about fighting tactics for monster crappie...

Day 1 - Slabs Among The Tree Tops
Day 2 - Fight The Weather (Pre-spawn)
Day 3 - Fish Flood Waters For Pre-spawn Crappie
Day 4 - Start Of The Spawn
Day 5 - The Big Sneak - Fishing The Spawn

John's Journal