Page 3 - Crappie NOW - January 2019

Opening Cast

The competitive bass world
was recently rocked by a new
January 2019 EDITOR/ SR. WRITER tournament trail called Major
League Fishing (MLF). For several
years, MLF has used a unique
IN MEMORIAM format, weighing and releasing
every legal bass, and using
only a handful of pros. MLF also

WRITERS created the number one watched
TV fishing show by filming the
Darl Black fishermen in action from start to
Vic Attardo finish; and without a weigh-in. MLF
Ron Presley made a major expansion and appears to be the biggest,
Vernon Summerlin most impressive bass trail for 2019. It pulled many of the
John Phillips top bass pros away from BASS and FLW. The older trails
Josh Gowan will be in rebuilding years for a while until they create their
Greg McCain new superstars.
John Felsher Crappie circuits come and go, too. Many are formed
to bring bigger money to competitive crappie fishing while
others are primarily a promotion platform for products.
I’ve witnessed Crappiethon USA, US Crappie, NACA and
CAST fade away. We get new trials, too. Two years ago the
American Crappie Trail started and has continually grown.
Fortunately, competitive crappie fishermen are not
restricted to one trail like the bass pros. There is not enough
money in any one trail to make that happen. Nobody I know
has made a full-time career from just crappie tournaments
and sponsorships. However, there are several skilled
crappie tournament fishermen, most with sponsors, who do
make money fishing crappie tournaments.

The New Year is a time of hope for health and
happiness. The older crowd knows the importance of good
health to be able to do things, like go fishing. Happiness is a
© Copyright 2019 choice. Choose to be as happy as possible in good and bad
situations, and that’s what you’ll become. Fishermen have
wealth, too. Maybe or maybe not money, but memories of
beautiful sunrises, fish being brought into the boat, eagles
soring, other wildlife, and just being a part of the outdoors…a
wealth money can’t buy.
Final thoughts: If you knew you would die in a month,
which people and things would be a priority? There are no
guarantees, so make those people and things your priority
Cover Photo: in 2019. Don’t wait to start living or to get your life where
Ice fishing is enjoyed by you want it to be. You may not control how you die but you
thousands of fishermen. can control how you live.
Vic Attardo photo
Crappie Clubs....38 Wishing you many good adventures in 2019,
May God Bless,
Tim Huffman, editor/senior writer

3 Crappie NOW January 2019