Page 9 - Crappie NOW | January 2015
P. 9
Crappie for Christmas
Long Lining Eberly and Parker have several
Long lining (also known as pulling) as
Parker and Eberly means using up to ten suggestions for January Florida
Wally Marshall Crappie Rods. Parker runs the crappie. Try their suggestions below
trolling motor from his bow seat position while and catch some Crappie Now.
fishing three poles out each side of the boat In January the Lake Talquin
with his back to the trolling motor. crappie will be pre-spawn. Parker
He staggers the length of his poles from says, “Most of the fish will be in the
front to back to give separation to the trolling river channels or on the edges of
baits. There is an 18-foot rod in the most
forward position, a 14-foot rod in the middle the channel in deeper water. Water
and an 11-foot rod in the back rod holder. temperatures will be 47 up to 54
Parker s rods are deployed furthest from the degrees that time of the year. The
boat, covering the outside range of the water crappies tend to stack up out there
they are fishing. on the river channel where long lining
Eberly is pulling from the back of the will catch them.
boat where it is not necessary for the poles to Crescent Lake crappie will be
be as long. He deploys two 8-foot Mr. Crappie
Rods, set at angles on each side of the big staged on the North end of the lake
motor. These rods fish the middle of the range in January. “These fish on Crescent
they are covering. Given that the beam of the start gathering on the north end and
boat is about 8 feet wide, the crappie duo is slowly, as we approach February,
trolling a swath of water roughly 42 feet wide. they migrate towards the south end
The team is always looking for a pattern. of the lake, comments Parker. Lots
Their style of fishing starts by experimenting of them make their way into a place
with different things. They use the information
gathered through trial and error to improve their called Dead Lake where they spawn
catch rate by adjusting to current conditions. before working their way back out.
About the only thing constant is the 4-pound The crappie-fishing duo suggests
test mono. long line trolling using jigs and curly
According to Parker, Spawning tails. They favor AWD Baits, Charlie
conditions are consistent and predictable, but Brewer Sliders, and K-baits.
real-time knowledge is needed to determine January fishing on the St. Johns
where and how to fish.” That’s what practice
fishing days are all about to the tournament River and the Harris Chain Lakes
pros. present a different opportunity. This
Crappies return to the same area year after area is far enough south that the fish
year to spawn. Experienced anglers will have will be in full spawn up on the flats in
those good spots from previous years marked the lakes and on brush piles of the
on their electronics as a place to start looking St. Johns River. This time of year they
in the new year. will also move up into the lily pads.
We typically cover water, says Eberly.
As tournament anglers we are looking for the When the crappie get in the lily pads
larger female fish that are pre-spawn. Typically in places like Lake Woodriff, Lake
the bigger females will be staged outside of Griffin and the St. Johns River those
the males that are making beds. We will look pads present really good jigging
for some different habitat, something different opportunities in January, advises
that will hold those spawning females. Grass Eberly.
roots off the bottom or areas with small brush
are a good example of where the big ones will
9 Cr
9 Crappie NOW January 2015appie NOW January 2015
Long Lining Eberly and Parker have several
Long lining (also known as pulling) as
Parker and Eberly means using up to ten suggestions for January Florida
Wally Marshall Crappie Rods. Parker runs the crappie. Try their suggestions below
trolling motor from his bow seat position while and catch some Crappie Now.
fishing three poles out each side of the boat In January the Lake Talquin
with his back to the trolling motor. crappie will be pre-spawn. Parker
He staggers the length of his poles from says, “Most of the fish will be in the
front to back to give separation to the trolling river channels or on the edges of
baits. There is an 18-foot rod in the most
forward position, a 14-foot rod in the middle the channel in deeper water. Water
and an 11-foot rod in the back rod holder. temperatures will be 47 up to 54
Parker s rods are deployed furthest from the degrees that time of the year. The
boat, covering the outside range of the water crappies tend to stack up out there
they are fishing. on the river channel where long lining
Eberly is pulling from the back of the will catch them.
boat where it is not necessary for the poles to Crescent Lake crappie will be
be as long. He deploys two 8-foot Mr. Crappie
Rods, set at angles on each side of the big staged on the North end of the lake
motor. These rods fish the middle of the range in January. “These fish on Crescent
they are covering. Given that the beam of the start gathering on the north end and
boat is about 8 feet wide, the crappie duo is slowly, as we approach February,
trolling a swath of water roughly 42 feet wide. they migrate towards the south end
The team is always looking for a pattern. of the lake, comments Parker. Lots
Their style of fishing starts by experimenting of them make their way into a place
with different things. They use the information
gathered through trial and error to improve their called Dead Lake where they spawn
catch rate by adjusting to current conditions. before working their way back out.
About the only thing constant is the 4-pound The crappie-fishing duo suggests
test mono. long line trolling using jigs and curly
According to Parker, Spawning tails. They favor AWD Baits, Charlie
conditions are consistent and predictable, but Brewer Sliders, and K-baits.
real-time knowledge is needed to determine January fishing on the St. Johns
where and how to fish.” That’s what practice
fishing days are all about to the tournament River and the Harris Chain Lakes
pros. present a different opportunity. This
Crappies return to the same area year after area is far enough south that the fish
year to spawn. Experienced anglers will have will be in full spawn up on the flats in
those good spots from previous years marked the lakes and on brush piles of the
on their electronics as a place to start looking St. Johns River. This time of year they
in the new year. will also move up into the lily pads.
We typically cover water, says Eberly.
As tournament anglers we are looking for the When the crappie get in the lily pads
larger female fish that are pre-spawn. Typically in places like Lake Woodriff, Lake
the bigger females will be staged outside of Griffin and the St. Johns River those
the males that are making beds. We will look pads present really good jigging
for some different habitat, something different opportunities in January, advises
that will hold those spawning females. Grass Eberly.
roots off the bottom or areas with small brush
are a good example of where the big ones will
9 Cr
9 Crappie NOW January 2015appie NOW January 2015
