KENT DRISCOLL ON CRANKBAITING FOR CRAPPIE

Driscoll On The Myth That Trollers Drain The Lake

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: A lot of fisherman think that trollers drain the lake. How do you answer that?
Answer: I respect other people's opinions. I tournament fish, and I do whatever it takes to catch a big stringer and hopefully win. The one thing I point out to single-pole fishermen is that in the spring when they go out and catch a limit of fish, they have to abide by the same rules we do. I think in the spring the single-pole fishermen have the advantage over trollers, and in the winter we have the advantage over the single-pole fishermen.

Question: What do you think about the 10-inch crappie limit on Mississippi lakes?
Answer: I think it is a great law for Mississippi. We have outstanding crappie fishing in Mississippi. All the lakes in the northern half of the state, Ross Barnett, Albermarle and Eagle Lake, all have excellent fishing.

Question: Why do you like the 10-inch crappie limit?
Answer: This limit protects the small crappie and gives them time to grow up. We catch a lot of small fish and have to throw them back. Missouri doesn't have a limit, and they don't have many small crappie. I think the reason behind that is that crappie are so good to eat that people keep all the crappie they catch.

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.