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John's Journal... Entry 209, Day 4

KENT DRISCOLL ON CRANKBAITING FOR CRAPPIE

Everything You Should Know About Crankbaiting For Crappie

EDITOR'S NOTE: Kent Driscoll of Cordova, Tennessee, enjoys crappie fishing so much that he fishes the Crappie U.S.A. and North American Crappie Tournament trails and belongs to the Troll Mate Crappie Club in Memphis, Tennessee. For the next week, I'll tell you about the tactics Driscoll employs for the summer months to take suspended crappie. This week we'll learn about crankbaiting for big crappie.

Question: How many crankbaits do you have out at one time when you're fishing for crappie?
Answer: I can have eight rods out at one time. Normally I run two long lines off each side and two Carolina rigs in the front.

Question: Is there anything else I need to know about crankbaits?
Answer: A G.P.S. hand-held unit is mandatory for you to know the speed of your boat. You need some type of unit that will give you your speed. My ideal boat speed for crankbaiting for crappie is 1.6 or 1.7 m.p.h. Another way I control my speed is a trolling plate that mounts directly on the outboard.

Question: How small of a crappie do you catch on crankbait?
Answer: You can catch small crappie but not as small as you will on a jig or minnow.

Question: How many big fish have you caught out of one school of crappie?
Answer: We've caught limits of fish in one school of crappie. You can hook up four or five fish at one time and turn around and go right back through the school. We strictly fish flats looking for crappie that are chasing big groups of shad. We are out in the middle of the lake most of the time.

QUESTION: What types of lakes do you look for to pull crankbaits for crappie?
ANSWER: Reservoirs are the main type of water that work well for pulling crankbaits. In lakes that have current, there's no real thermocline, and the fish don't suspend in a thermocline like they do in reservoirs.

Question: You have a canopy that you pull up on your boat. Why is that?
Answer: When fishing crankbaits for crappie, the hotter the weather, the better the fishing. I ordered a Bimini top that is 4-foot and cost about $150. This top helps keep us cool and in the shade all day long. Being cooler allows us to stay on track and focused.

Question: How much of an advantage is the Bimini top?
Answer: It helps keep us focused and protects us from the sun and the rain. The Bimini top makes fishing more comfortable in general. Most of the people who troll in our area now have a top like this to keep them cool.

To learn more about Lake Arkabutla, Driscoll's favorite crappie-trolling lake near Hernando, Mississippi, go to www.visitmississippi.org, or call (800) WARMEST. You also can go to www.hernandoms.org or call the chamber of commerce at (662) 429-9055, or check out the Days Inn in Hernando at (662) 429-0000, or see www.thedaysinn.com.

TOMORROW: DRISCOLL ON THE MYTH THAT TROLLERS DRAIN THE LAKE

 

 

Check back each day this week for more about KENT DRISCOLL ON CRANKBAITING FOR CRAPPIE ...

Day 1 - Driscoll Goes After Large Crappie
Day 2 - Driscoll Choice of Crankbaits and Equipment
Day 3 - How Driscoll Got Started
Day 4 - Everything You Should Know About Crankbaiting For Crappie
Day 5 - Driscoll On The Myth That Trollers Drain The Lake


John's Journal