Bobfish Tales

It has become a crappie world. Fishing used to be dominated by the bass fishing industry and to a degree, still is. But thanks in part to the many crappie clubs and tournaments across the country, crappie fishing went from "just a pan fish to fry" to a sports fish with a new meaning. Crappie fishing has gone from a cane pole way of life to a multi million dollar spectacular industry. This crappie fishing explosion has created a business all of its' own. We now have specialties devoted just to the sport of crappie fishing. Yes, crappie fishing has gone from just another fish to fry to a "feel that thump" exciting sports fishing bonanza. It is exciting times for crappie enthusiasts. There are many new innovations because of this growing craze. There are specialty rods, reels , baits, fish finders, trolling motors, boats, rod holders, spider rig set ups, lights, and the list goes on. It really is exciting to be a crappie fisher. There are many ways to get invo...

Fishing the "marsh" is a totally different dynamic than fishing lakes or rivers. The marsh is unique in its own way. Typically the water is shallow, compared to other places, running an average of 5-8 feet. Understanding the different phases the marsh goes through will help you catch more fish. Summertime patterns differ from fall and winter in that there are grass lines or beds, which will be the best places to target. Early fall can be the same, but when the grass dies off or for any reason is no longer available to fish, the tactics change. Fishing grass lines are usually better with a jig and cork, although tossing a beetle spin works well also. Broken patches or irregular features in the grass seem to produce more fish. However, there are always exceptions. Sometimes just finding holes in heavy weeded areas will produce and there are times if crappie are chasing shad, the middle of the canal will produce. For the live bait users, minnows or grass shrimp are the baits of ...

Perhaps years ago, this title may have read a fisherman's life.  But as my English professor once said,  "fisher" is generic for all those who fish. No doubt she was right about that. A fisher is anyone who loves the sport and enjoys the many great memories, as well as endures the many trials and tribulations that the sport brings. A fisher's life is one that has seen Mother Nature and all her beauty, scary, dramatic, and most of all wonderful scenes. Some days we float on quiet lakes, thanking the Good Lord above for our time in such tranquil times. Other days we run from vicious storms praying we make it back safe.  Fishers all have one thing in common.  No matter what Mother Nature brings, there is no place we would rather be than in the great outdoors, casting a line to try to catch that elusive "Walter." For those who don't know the story of "Walter". Back in the 80's there was a movie called "On Golden Pond".  The main chara...

 Fellow fishers are always curious about how other fishers are catching fish. They ask what kind of bait or color you are using, but the  one question that everyone ask, that is probably the most irrelevant, is "how deep are you fishing"? The one thing modern technology has proven is that under most circumstances, there is no right answer to this question. Unless there is extreme weather like really hot or cold, fish will be all over the water column. This is especially true for crappie.  Livescope technology has totally changed the perception that fish all school together at a certain depth. As a matter of fact I have seen fish swimming a few inches under water, even in 30 feet of water. One would think that if a fish in that depth of water, it surely would be suspended deeper than a few inches.  Even in cover like standing timber, some fish may be at the top, some in the middle, and some may be on the very bottom and all on the...