Page 12 - Crappie NOW - April 2017

By Tim Huffman

Part 5 continues with national circuits. This issue looks at taking care of
crappie, the importance of media and the costs of competing. Our series experts
include Darrell Van Vactor, General Manager of Crappie USA; Mike Vallentine,
President and Owner of Crappie Masters; Matt Morgan, Co-Owner of the American
Crappie Trail; and tournament fishermen.
The purpose of this series is to discuss the national trails, inside information
and the future of the sport. Whether you fish tournaments or not, these national
trails and the fishermen who fish them have an impact on the boats, gear and baits.
Tournament fishermen have added volumes of fish-catching information that is used
in everyday fishing.

Conservation, Fish Care & Release days and treat it with the utmost respect. We
“Our first importance is the health and will use a release boat in our tournaments.
well-being of our anglers,” says Darrell Van Our weigh-in will be a two-bag system
Vactor. “We warn them of potential dangers with the inner bag being mesh that will be
and encourage them to be safe. Our second lifted out and put directly on the scales.
most important item is the health of the fish. Fish care is an important issue along with
I’ve put together literature that has tips for other good conservation practices we’ll be
our fishermen to keep fish in good health. encouraging.”
The fish must be alive when they get to the
weigh-in line. Our people have done a great Magazine, Television & Social
job.” Media
Vallentine says the general public’s Van Vactor: “It’s the blood that runs
perception of tournaments is often bad. through the tournament veins. Social
“It can scare them that 60, 80 or over 100 media has given us a way to reach people
teams will come in and wipe out the fish. I immediately. We have jumped our work in
understand that perception but we try to let this area and in 2017 we will be podcasting
the public know that most of these fish are and our weigh-ins will be streamed live. We
being released right back into the lake. Most are also doing video clips. Without all the
of the fishermen have no desire to keep fish media we couldn’t exist.”
while on the road traveling. A few do keep Crappie USA is a charter member of
fish, but in general, I don’t think we see it
much and the majority of our fishermen like
to see the fish go back into the lake.” Kevin Jones pulls a good crappie from
Morgan says, “It’s critical for trails to the livewell on day two of the Crappie
observe the best conservation principles Masters Lake D’Arbonne, Louisiana State
possible. Locals complain that we come in Championship. Keeping fish alive is as
and take fish. We need to look at it like we important as catching them.
are leasing their resources for five or six

12 Crappie NOW April 2017