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John's Journal... Entry 104, Day 2

DOG DAY CRAPPIE

Slow-Trolling for Crappie

EDITOR'S NOTE: Roger Gant of Corinth, Mississippi, has fished Pickwick Lake on the Tennessee River for more than 40 years. Fishermen haven't historically recognized Pickwick Lake, located on the Alabama/Tennessee/Mississippi border, as a crappie lake. However, Gant guides on Pickwick Lake more than 200 days a year and consistently catches good limits of slab crappie. Most crappie fishermen don't successfully catch crappie during the Dog Days of summer. But, Gant catches more crappie in the summer than any other time of the year. This week we'll look at Gant's secrets to catching Dog-Day crappie.

click to enlargeQuestion: During the summer, what effect does the wind have on crappie?
Gant: If crappie don't actively bite on a windy day, I'll have a difficult time keeping the boat moving slowly enough to present the bait to the fish at a rate at which they will bite. If the area where I'm fishing has little or no wind, I can better control the speed of the boat to allow my jigs to pass by the crappie slow enough for the fish to take the bait. I believe that on days with little or no wind, we catch more fish than we do on the days when the wind blows hard.

click to enlargeQuestion: Why do you prefer a 1/4-ounce jig instead of a 1/16- or a 1/32-ounce jig like most crappie fishermen use?
Gant: I prefer the heavier jig because it gets down to the fish faster and easier. The crappie can see the heavier jig better, and my fishermen can spot the jig's stripes better. If I want to fish a 1/16-ounce jig, I'll have to add a shot lead to the line to get the jig down to the depth I want to fish. I believe that the shot lead may spook the fish I'm trying to catch. Over the years, I've learned that in hot weather the bigger 1/4-ounce jigs work better for me.

Question: What color jigs do you like to fish with in the summer months?
Gant: I prefer chartreuse- and lime-colored jigs during the hot months because they work the best in Pickwick's water colors.

click to enlargeQuestion: When do you go crappie fishing?
Gant: You can catch crappie on Pickwick Lake any time of the year, weather permitting.

To learn more about crappie fishing with Roger Gant, call him at (731) 689-5666 or (662) 287-2017. For more information on staying at Pickwick Landing State Park on Pickwick Lake, contact the Hardin County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau at info@tourhardincounty.org, call (731) 925-8181 or (800) 552-3866, or visit www.tourhardincounty.org. Pickwick Landing State Park offers fishing, boating, hiking, camping, swimming and golf. Lodging includes the lakeside inn with over 100 rooms, cabins that sleep eight and a campground that contains 48 sites with grill and electric/water hookup at each site. A restaurant at the park offers delicious southern cuisine. Call (731) 689-3135 or (800) 250-8615 to learn more.

TOMORROW: CATCHING CRAPPIE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR



 

 

 

Check back each day this week for more about P-Arrow Plantation...

Day 1 -Hot-Weather Crappie-Catching Tactics
Day 2 -Slow-Trolling for Crappie
Day 3 -Catching Crappie Throughout the Year
Day 4 -How, Why, and When to Change Water Depths Throughout the Day
Day 5 -Gant's 10 Secrets for Catching Year-Long Crappie

John's Journal