What Is Pitching When Fishing?

Boyd Duckett caught this nice bass at Demopolis when I fished with him

What is pitching?

Bassin’ With Boyd: Pitchin’
by: Boyd Duckett

If a bass could build its ideal habitat, the specs would be something like this: shallow water, in or near heavy cover with quick access to deep water nearby. While the nearby deep-water access is good news for anglers (you need some place to float your boat), pulling bass out of water in or near heavy cover can pose some access problems.

Safe and secure in its ideal surroundings, the bass has an ideal ambush point should it decide to feed on baitfish or crawfish. This bass isn’t going to have a very big strike zone, so don’t expect it to come charging out from the cover to devour any fast-moving bait that just happens to be in the area. You are going to have to put this bait right where the bass lives. You may have to get the bait in through an opening no bigger than a coffee can or under low-hanging trees — all the while making sure not to spook the fish by causing a big splash with every cast. You are going to have to pitch.

What Is Pitching?

Pitching is a similar technique that anglers have employed for centuries when they tied lengths of line to the end of cane poles. It allowed them to guide the bait to a desired location. They did this without the high-tech rods and reels we now have at our disposal. It worked fair then but it works even better today. Whether it’s getting your bait in a small opening near heavy cover, under low-hanging limbs or around boat docks, being a proficient pitcher can make your days on the water much more successful.

Ideal for using in off-color or muddy water (as most lakes tend to be this time of year as they are stirred up by the wind and hard rain), pitching is best for targets between 10 and 30 feet away and provides a very quiet lure entry. Standard equipment for me is 25-pound test Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line and a 7-foot-6-inch Flippin’ Stick (at least 7 feet in length is a must for a casting rod). It’s a heavy rod with plenty of backbone to wrestle big fish out of cover with a moderate action for easier strike detection.

What To Pitch

A must for anglers who use jigs, nearly any single-hook bait can be pitched, but my all-time favorite bait is a [link url=http://www.berkley-fishing.com/dyn_search.php]Berkley PowerBait Chigger Craw[/link], either as a Texas rig or tipping a large jig. With this Texas-rigged bait on the line, I face the target, depress the line release trigger and let out enough line so that the bait is even with the first guide. With the bait in my off-hand and about waist level, I lower the rod tip toward the water and put some tension on the line. In one smooth, quick motion, I swing the rod tip toward the target and upward, letting go of the bait in my free hand. This is all controlled with the wrist – arm movement is not a factor. As the bait moves beneath the rod tip, release the line and continue raising the rod tip and control the spool with your thumb. The bait should fly just above the water’s surface and should land in its desired location through a combination of line tension and rod movement. Stopping the bait just before it enters the water almost always ensures a smooth, splash-free entry.

Pitching has been a go-to technique for anglers for years. But it takes practice. Set up some drills in the backyard or anywhere else you have room. Even if you can’t be on the water, you can still be sharpening your skills to make the next trip a success. Learn to make accurate, quiet casts and pitching will likely become one of your favorite ways to target big fish.

What Do I Do To Get Tackle Ready for the New Season?

Getting your reel ready for the new season

by: Glenn Walker

Its time for getting your tackle ready for the new season

With spring right around the corner for many anglers, the cabin fever has set in for many of us. Some anglers have had the opportunity to already wet a line if their lakes don’t freeze over, but for many anglers like me, our favorite bodies of water turn into ice shanty towns and we are still a month or so before we can make that first cast of 2013.

All winter anglers spend their time tinkering with tackle and looking at all the hot new baits for the year. There are a few key items that all anglers can do to not only prepare their tackle

Tip #1: Evaluate Your Tackle Storage System

Keeping your tackle organized allows you to quickly find that fish catching lure, but it also helps keep your lures from getting wrecked throughout the year. By properly keeping your tackle in a Plano Waterproof Stowaway, you won’t have any worries about your favorite topwater plug getting wet and rusty. When organizing your tackle, this is also a great time to see what all you have and if there are some lures you haven’t used in years, then put together a grab bag and give it to a young inspiring angler.

Tip #2: Spool Your Reels with Fresh Line

An anglers fishing line is the key connection between landing that trophy and just having a fish story for your buddies at the dock. Putting new fishing line on your reels is very important and isn’t something that should be put off until you have your line break. Any time I’m spooling my reels up with fresh line, I’ll always spray the spool of the line and run the line through a rag as it goes on the reel that has the KVD Line & Lure Conditioner on it. Doing this will help you get the maximum performance out of your line.

Tip #3: Put New Treble Hooks on Your Crankbaits

Whether you got a batch of new crankbaits underneath the Christmas tree or a bunch of your favorite cranks need some TLC, putting new treble hooks on these baits can help increase your hooking percentage tremendously! The stock hooks that come on crankbaits out of the box aren’t very good and after a year of fishing your favorite crankbait could let you down when you hook up with that big bass. Using a good split ring plier, I spend a good chunk of my winter making sure I have sharp treble hooks on all my baits, and if I don’t, I’ll put on a pair of the new Trokar Treble Hooks. These treble hooks are super sharp and will help you get more crankbait fish in the boat!

Tip #4: Protect Your Investment

Keeping your expensive fishing gear safe happens on two levels, the first is the immediate impact it has, such as keeping your rods and reels protected from damage and from collecting dust when not in use. Using products such as The Rod Glove to cover your rod will keep your rod blank and guides from getting damaged. The second and larger scale way to protect your investment is to do an in-depth inventory of all your tackle, rods and reels, this list, along with photographs will help you recoup your loses should you need to make an insurance claim, due to an unforeseen incident.

Tip #5: If It Don’t Fit, It Sits

Staying warm, dry and safe on the water is the number one goal every angler should have and this doesn’t start when you arrive at the boat ramp, or even the night before a big fishing trip, it starts now. Take the time to make sure your life jackets fit you and your fishing guests properly and that there are no holes or rips in them. A good rain suit is the key piece of the puzzle to staying dry and warm, especially when fishing in the early spring. All winter I keep my Onyx Pro Tech Jacket and Bibs hanging up so they will be ready for my first trip of the year.

Who knows, maybe by the time you are done reading with this it is time to go make a cast and take advantage of every fishing opportunity you have this year!

To read more fishing tips and see informative videos, check out fishglenn.com

How To Fish The Weedline

Two nice Lake Conroe crappie

by: Bob Jensen

In the summer, there are a lot of areas in a lake that will be home to fish. Some fish will be in the deep water close to structure, some will be suspended over deep water hanging out around baitfish, and some will be in the shallow sloppy vegetation. But on any lake in the Midwest, you can bet that if there is a good weedline in the mid range depths, there will be fish nearby. They might be largemouth bass, could be crappies, there will probably be some walleyes in the area, and you can bet a musky or northern pike will be cruising through every now and then as well. For the next couple of months, the weedline is going to be the grocery store for fish.

Weedlines To Fish

Just to be clear, the weedline that we’re talking about usually consists of cabbage weeds. Clumps of coontail weeds are also good. The tops of the weeds could poke above the surface of the water, but mostly the weedline is below the surface. The weedline could be in five or fifteen feet of water. Generally, the clearer the water, the deeper the weedline.

Baits To Use

Lots of baits will work on the weedline. Early in the day, later in the evening, or on cloudy days, it works well to fish a spinnerbait over the tops of the weeds. Sometimes you’ll want the spinnerbait to bulge the water’s surface, other times a lift-drop retrieve will be best. Regardless of retrieve, you’ll want to use a spinnerbait that has hardware that enables the blade to turn at the slowest speeds. A Pro Series Reed-Runner spinnerbait is perfect for working over and around the weedline.

Lots of other techniques will work along the weedline, but day in and day out, it’s tough to beat a jig and soft bait of some sort. Soft bait appeals to any fish that lives on the weedline.

When some anglers think soft bait and jigs on the weedline, they automatically think of a worm shaped bait. Worms have caught lots of fish on lots of weedlines, but it is possible that fish become conditioned to a traditional worm shape. Much of the time, if you try something a little different, you’ll catch more fish. A fairly new worm shape that has been out-producing traditional worms is the Berkley PowerBait SaberTail. The SaberTail looks just a little different than most worms, and lately, it’s been a lot better than most worms.

A jig designed for soft bait is also important. The Lip-Stick Jig-Worm has a long shank hook and a bait holder that prevents the soft bait from sliding down the hook. For soft bait, this is the jig you should use.

When the fish are active, a heavier jig works best as it allows you to cover water faster.

A smaller jig allows for a slower fall which can trigger fish that are reluctant to bite.

Eight pound Berkley Trilene Sensation is about perfect most of the time for working the weedline.

Right now is a great time to be fishing, and the weedline is great place to start your search for fish.

What Is the Most Important Bass Fishing Equipment Development?

The modern bass boat is full of amazing developments

What is the most important bass fishing equipment advancement in the past 100 years? Is it depthfinders, that allow you to know what is under the water? How about monofilament and fluorocarbon line, or braid, all a great improvement over old lines that broke way too easily and were hard to use. Or is it modern reels and rods? How about electric trolling motors? GPS? Lures or plastic worms? Fancy bass boats? The list goes on and on of things fishermen did not have 100 years ago.

I started fishing in the mid-1950s – about 60 years ago. When I started standard equipment was a cane pole, length of line, split shot and hook and a can of earthworms. My uncles used knuckle busting baitcasting reels. There was no free spool on those old reels, the handle was attached directly to the spool so the handle spun backwards as you cast, hitting unwary knuckles.

Line on those reels was a form a braid, nothing like modern braid. Rods were often steel or bamboo. All broke often and were not reliable.

Boats were wooden and you paddled them. Some anglers had small gas motors that were hard to crank and would leave you out on the water way too often. To fish you skulled the boat with a paddle, stopping to fish, or had one person in the boat paddle or skull while the other fished. If you wanted to know the depth of the water you stuck your paddle down or used a sounding line. But few fished for bass deeper than a few feet deep.

I got a Mitchell 300 spinning reel in 1966 – one of the first available at a reasonable price. And it was a big improvement.

Now I fish out of a 20 foot bass boat with a 24 volt trolling motor and 225 HP gas motor that is very reliable. I have about 25 modern rod and reel outfits, including spinning and baitcasting outfits. And I use modern braid, mono and fluorocarbon line. There are hundreds of bags of plastic worms of any color and size you can imagine and I don’t want to count the number of crankbaits, topwater plugs, spinnerbaits and rattle baits I carry.

But to me the most important item is the foot controlled electric motor. With it I can maneuver the boat quietly, hold where I want to fish and have both hands free to cast, work baits and reel in, allowing me to pay more attention for bites.

What do you think is the most important fishing equipment development? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

The Best Fifteen Years

I was happy with this keeper bass that hit a Zoom Mag 2 worm

by: Ron Brooks

Along about 15 years or so ago I was surfing around on the internet looking for fishing information. I came across a website called “The Mining Company” and a whole bunch of articles about fishing. I was living in the Atlanta area, and as it turned out lots of these articles talked about fishing in the local area. So I book marked the site and came back to it quite often.

My main job at the time dealt with the internet and building websites, so I found it quite interesting that this “Mining Company” thing had taken hold. The fishing site was one of dozens of sites under the Mining Company umbrella, covering everything from sewing to cooking and car repair to fishing. The people writing for these sites were called guides, and they “mined” the Internet for information so that you would not have to search. Each site became a veritable plethora (you like those two words?) of specific information.

A few weeks later, the author of this fishing website – his name is Ronnie Garrison – asked if anyone out there had any fish stories. Well, I had a few, so I began writing them and sending them to Ronnie.

Now – I am not the greatest writer in the world, but I do pretty well, especially when it comes to fishing stories. I submitted some stories to him and he posted them on his site. I was thrilled!! I went to work and actually kept his website minimized on my desktop PC to show visitors to my office how I had been “published”. I even contacted my cousin, Jim in Tennessee and put him onto Ronnie’s site. We both loved it!

I think it was just a couple of months later in 1997 that Jim had come to visit me in Georgia. We both had emailed each other and Ronnie numerous times with answers to his weekly give-away quiz, and in the midst of all this discovered that Ronnie lived less than 45 miles from my door.

One thing led to another and Jim and I were invited to fish with Ronnie in Lake Wedowee just across the state line in Alabama. The plan was for us to drive to the public boat ramp and meet him there with his boat. At the time, my boat consisted of a 15 foot Lowe’s aluminum Jon boat. Ronnie was fishing out of a 21 foot Stratos.

We met at the ramp, fumbled through some awkward introductions and left the dock to fish.

At the time, Jim was producing and selling jigs and jig heads. His internet business was blossoming and he brought a number of them with us on that trip.

We actually did catch a lot of fish, most of them spotted bass, and most of them on Jims’ small deer hair jigs. I can remember going several casts in a row and hooking a bass on every cast. It was that kind of day.

After that trip we seemed to be closer to Ronnie, and I was still sending him “Fish Tales” to post on his site. And then Ronnie asked me one day a question that would change my life for the next fifteen years. He asked me who I wrote for.

I was flabbergasted! Write for someone? He said I needed to see about doing some writing, and he gave me the name of two editors. One was and still is with Georgia Outdoor News (GON), and one was and still is with Game and Fish publications of Intermedia Outdoors.

I contacted these folks and after a couple of false starts I began writing as a freelance outdoor writer. I had an article in 8 of GON’s next 12 issues and four of Georgia Sportsman’s next 12 issues. And I applied with the Mining Company and was accepted as their Guide to Saltwater Fishing, where my expertise lies.

That was fifteen years ago. In that time the Mining Company changed names to About.com and was bought and sold a number of times. At one point early on they did an IPO that allowed Ronnie and I and all of the dozens of guides to make a chunk of money with stock options. They went private again after the Internet bubble burst and they are currently owned by a group that is changing the basic way all of the older guides operated and wrote. Sad – I had quite a following when I retired form that position earlier this year. And Ronnie had an even larger following. We both, along with numerous other former guides, are convinced the new owners are making a big mistake by changing the format of the About.com experience. But time marches on.

I became a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writers Association (GOWA), Florida Outdoor Writers Association (FOWA) and the Southeast Outdoor Press Association (SEOPA). At one of my first GOWA conference meetings, my wife finally met Ronnie’s wife, and the four of us remain good friends.

At dinner that night Ronnie’s wife related to my wife how she felt about that first fishing trip that Ronnie took me on with my cousin, Jim. She told him to take a handgun because he didn’t know who we were and we might get him out on the lake and knock him in the head. So, Ronnie was packing that day we fished.

My wife and I began laughing when she related that story to us. It seems my wife told me the same thing! I was packing as well!

Ronnie still writes for a number of publications, and I still get some work from time to time with GON and with Florida Game and Fish. We remain friends, united by writing and fishing. I have moved back to my origins in Florida, and I concentrate on Florida fishing now, most of it in saltwater. Through all of these years Ronnie and I have remain friends, meeting up every year at the annual GOWA Spring Conference. And the push he gave me way back when is still there.

Here’s hoping for another fifteen years for you, Ronnie on this new website!

Fishing A Clark’s Hill Club Tournament

I caught this bass in a club tournament in January at Jackson Lake a few years ago

After all the problems, finally my luck changed. As we fished down a wind blown point I picked up a Shadrap and quickly caught two keepers. Then Al got one. We kept working the point and I got my limit by 9:00 and Al had his by 10.

I switched to a jig and pig and got my best keeper of the day, close to 3 pounds, and a couple of fish on a Carolina rigged lizard. We fished some spawning pockets but saw nothing. The water temperature had dropped several degrees and the air was cold – 39 degrees when we took off, so I guess the fish had backed off.

We started hitting different places. On one wind blown point Al got a nice bass on a Carolina rigged lizard It ended up weighing 3.77 pounds and being big fish. In the back of a pocket he got another one almost the same size on a Zoom Fluke. We tried a lot of different things and caught a few fish but they were very scattered. I ended up with 11 keepers, Al had 7, but he had two bigger than my biggest.

At weigh-in Al had right at 13 pounds for first and was tied for big fish. I had 10.09 for third. Second was 11 pounds

We rode back to the boat club to eat supper and get ready for day two. I made sure we parked out of the mud!

Sunday morning was cold when we left before daylight for the 15 minute ride to the tournament blast off, about 39 degrees. There was some breeze so the fog was only back in the creeks and we had ho problem, I was worried about the fog, it would be a long ride in the fog going by my GPS.

When we blasted off we ran straight to the point where we had caught so many the day before and I managed two on the Shad Rap and Al got one but that was it We fished the area and I got one more small keeper on the crank bait but that was it. The wind got stronger and stronger as we hit several places trying to find something.

At about l1 we stopped on a rocky point behind an island where we were protected from the wind and I got another keeper. After working it hard with no more bites I went out in the wind and got a bite and broke my line setting the hook. It broke way up near the rod. I guess a loop in the line had “burned” as I cast and I did not realize it was weak. I use ten pound Sun Line and it is tough. That was two on a jig head worm so I picked up another rod and kept casting. The very next cast I got my fifth keeper on the jig head off the same wind blown point. The wind was so bad we tried to hold and fish it but it was tough.

We hit a couple more places out of the wind and went back behind the island and I got another keeper. That was it for the day. At weigh-in I held on to third with 17 pounds, Al dropped to fourth with 15 pounds. First was 23 pounds, second was 18 pounds. We had 13 people and there were 15 limits in two days. Al’s 3.77 tied for big fish.

We managed to get back to the boat club and get home without any more problems.

Fishing Clark’s Hill

I can catch a bass!

I had a two day club tournament at Clark’s Hill this past weekend and it was fun but frustrating, and several problems about drove me crazy to start.

Went over on Thursday afternoon and got to my place at Raysville Boat Club. Got unloaded and started to get dishes out of dishwasher – i usually start the dishwasher when I leave on the previous trip. It was full of dirty dishes from last summer! The pump had frozen up and tripped the circuit breaker.

Friday morning got up to go out and check some fishing spots and battery was dead in the van. Got my charger I had used the day before and hooked it up, and it had died. Got a battery out of the boat and tried to jump the van off but the van battery was too dead. Took me a couple of hours to do all that and finally get side post van battery out and top post battery from boat hooked up with vice grip pliers to get it started. Let it run an hour to charge the van battery. By then it was raining so didn’t even get out.

Al got to the lake late that afternoon and we got tackle ready. I was worried about the rain, daddy had put gravel down in front of the carport where I parked the boat but mud had washed in over it over the years and it was an uphill pull leaving. Sure enough, we got up the next morning and the van would not move. I had asked Al to bring a chain and we managed to get the van and boat out of the mud after a long scary pull that ended up throwing mud all over the boat.

We launched and made the 15 minute ride down to Mistletoe where the tournament started. We took off and ran to the bridge to see if shad were spawning – no activity. When running to our second stop my butt seat came apart, the seat hit the windshield and went into the lake. The post stayed in the boat, fortunately, and the seat floated. Got it and stopped on a wind blown gravel point.

The fishing story in the next post.

Alabama Walleye

by: Jeff Moss
Alabama DNR

Walleye are cool water fish not often associated with the southern waters, but Alabama’s large rivers all contain walleye. In fact, Alabama is home to two subspecies of walleye and several locations have fishable populations of walleye. That is good news because walleye are one of the tastiest fish found in Alabama.

The walleye is the largest member of the perch family, which includes darters, yellow perch, sauger and log perch. Walleye are usually found in large river systems and associated tributaries and streams. They generally prefer secluded backwaters having an abundance of deep, clear water. In Alabama, walleye live an average of seven years and may reach up to 31 inches in length. The current state record (10 pounds 14 ounces) was caught in 1980 in Weiss Reservoir, an impoundment of the Coosa River.

The northern strain of walleye is found in the Tennessee River and the southern strain is found in the Mobile basin and its tributaries. The northern strain has been stocked in waters with the southern strain, but recent genetic studies conducted by Auburn University indicate that these stockings were generally unsuccessful. The best locations to catch walleye include Hatchet and Weogufka Creeks on Lake Mitchell, North River in Tuscaloosa County, the Cahaba River, Oakmulgee Creek in Perry County and the Tallapoosa River near Thurlow Dam. The best time to catch walleye is when they move upstream to spawn.

Anglers have the best chance of catching walleye in January, February and March, fishing live minnows or jigs adjacent to deep drop-offs or holes during spawning runs. The best time to catch walleye is usually during the worst possible winter weather conditions. Walleye typically move into shallow, fast-water shoal areas to spawn when water temperatures approach 45 û 52 degrees F. Spawning runs may begin in December and continue through early April, depending upon water temperature and water conditions. Male walleye are thought to begin their spawning runs prior to the arrival of the larger females. Females disperse their eggs over gravel or sand bottoms but prefer rocky substrate if available and generally spawn in water 12 û 30 inches deep. Concentrations of fish tend to be higher below dams that prevent migration upstream.

During the summer, the most popular method to catch walleye in large lakes is by trolling in deep open water areas, often at night. Walleye have large eyes, which are sensitive to light, and they prefer dark cool-water havens having maximum summer temperatures no greater than 77 degrees F. Walleye can often be found in springs or streams in large reservoirs that serve as thermal refuge areas, which are also attractive to several coolwater species.

Walleye are rated as excellent table fare whether fried or baked. Among the freshwater fishes, none are considered a better eating fish than the walleye and their close relative, the sauger. Both offer firm white flesh with a sweet flavored meat that is preferred among most anglers. In northern and mid-western states, walleye are considered a delicacy at local restaurants where they are legal to serve commercially.

Anglers in Alabama need to be aware of walleye because they are often mistaken for trash fish. Rare encounters with walleye should be noted by throwing the fish in the cooler and enjoying its delicate flavor while telling tales about the big one that got away.

Note – I have caught a few walleye on my trips to Wisconsin each year but have caught only two in Georgia, both at Lake Russell. At one time a few lakes in Georgia were stocked with walleye but they are not successful except in a few of our norther lakes. Carters Lake is one good lake in Georgia where you can catch walleye.

Fishing Lake Sinclair

Sinclair bass caught on the riprap. This is not Walker Smith but shows the typical size of a Sinclair bass.

Fished Lake Sinclair on Tuesday for a GON magazine article with Walker Smith. Walker is the content manager for Wired2Fish.com,a great bass fishing site. We had a lot of fun and caught some fish.

Sinclair is a good lake but it is known for its small bass – most bass club tournaments are won with five fish limits weighing less than ten pounds. But in March Walker won a big tournament with five weighing an incredible 22 pounds! So there are some quality fish there.

Crappie Fishing In Alabama

by: James J. McHugh

Shooting docks for crappie

District IV Fisheries Supervisor

Alabama’s Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries

http://www.dcnr.state.al.us/agfd/fishsec.html

Crappie are among the most sought-after game fish by Alabama anglers. They are widespread throughout the State, very abundant in many waters and excellent table fare. However, even the most ardent anglers are often confused about the biology of these species.

First, there are two species of crappie, black and white. Both species occur throughout the State but each prefers slightly different habitats. The main difference is that white crappie are more tolerant of muddy water than black crappie. Because of this, white crappie predominate in waters that are seasonally muddy (like the Alabama River and black crappie predominate in lakes that are usually clear (like Lake Martin.

Species identification can be tricky. Don?t assume that dark colored crappie are black crappie and light colored fish are white crappie. Black crappie have dark spots or mottling that occur in a random pattern on the sides of the body. White crappie have spots that form (often faint) vertical bars or bands on the sides of the body. The best way to identify the species is to count the number of spines in the dorsal fin. White crappie have five or six spines and black crappie have seven or eight spines.

Another aspect of coloration that leads to confusion is that during spring some crappie are very dark on the head and throat. That is the breeding coloration of male crappie and occurs in both species in the spring. Females do not exhibit that coloration. Knowing this provides a useful fishing tip. During spring, if you are catching crappie with the dark throat coloration, you are catching nesting males. Take some time to look around for the females, which are often larger than the males. They will be holding offshore, but nearby, at about the same depth as the nesting males.

Other aspects of crappie reproductive behavior should be of interest to anglers, since most crappie are caught in the spring. Black and white crappie are members of the sunfish family, along with bass and bream. In all species of this family, the males hollow out nests and guard the eggs and young fish. Some species, like bream, construct their nests close together in large beds, while other species, such as bass, construct individual nests. Crappie build their nests close together but usually in smaller groups than bream. Crappie also nest earlier than other members of the sunfish family, generally when the water temperature is between 60o and 65oF.

There is a 9-inch minimum size limit on crappie in most Alabama public waters (10-inches in Weiss Lake). This size limit was instituted in October 1993 and has been very well received by anglers. In fact, many crappie anglers have asked why the size limit is not higher because, at about 10-inches crappie really start to put on weight. When the size limit was established, the age and growth rates of crappie were taken into consideration.

Anglers cannot see how old a fish is, but Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division biologists determine fish age on a regular basis. In almost all Alabama waters, crappie reach nine inches by the time they are three years old. However, in most waters 10-inch crappie are four years old. Because crappie are not very long lived fish, it was deemed appropriate to allow their legal harvest at age three. Any benefits of protecting them to age four would be offset by natural mortality. In the few public waters where crappie fail to reach nine inches at age three, no minimum length limit has been established. Therefore, the crappie size limit, as with any fish limit, is as much an age limit as a size limit.

Crappie fishing is a great way to introduce kids to the wonders of Alabama and share some unforgettable times together. For more information on crappie fishing in your area contact any District Fisheries Office or come see us on the web at www.dcnr.state.al.us/agfd.

About Fishing

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