Page 3 - Crappie NOW | May 2016

EDITOR/ SR. WRITER Opening Cast
WRITERS
Darl Black I have been fishing and traveling most
Vic Attardo of March and April. Wow…what a weather
Terry Madewell roller coaster ride it has been. Consistency,
Brad Wiegmann size and the locations of fish were affected.
Ron Presley Fishing at Lake Darbonne, Louisiana
Vernon Summerlin was anything but normal. So was Lake
John Neporadny, Jr Washington and Grenada Lake in
Mississippi. Record wind, rain and cold were
© Copyright 2016 experienced at each. Frosty mornings and torrential rains
with periods of lightening kept things interesting. Then in April,
Guide Josh Gowan at I fished Lake Fork in Texas to meet again cold temperatures,
D’Arbonne Lake crappie strong winds and rising and falling water temperatures.
The very wide swings between record highs and lows
factory. have caused late spawns at all the lakes mentioned and I
Tim Huffman photo. would venture to say at your lakes too. We have found fish
at all water depths and most of the fish had not started the
spawn.
During these trips, I have had the pleasure to see and
talk with many fishermen. Some have mentioned they were
worried that the crappie fishing in their lakes is not as good as in
the past years. Many believe fishing pressure has decreased
the numbers and sizes.
While this could be true to some extent, I believe the
weather is the biggest factor to the number and size of fish.
However fishing pressure, if not properly managed, can impact
the fishery. Keep in mind that the number of poles, hooks etc.
used is not really the cause of over fishing but rather the daily
creel limits.
If you believe your fishery is being over fished and
harvested, reach out to your state fish biologist to find out if
they have conducted any recent studies for your lake or river.
The studies should show the harvest rates, sizes and number
of fish estimated in your fishery. If a recent study has not been
completed, petition to request one.
In previous year editions of Crappie Now, we have had
fish biologist articles and question and answers. If you would
like to get copies of the previous year editions of our digital
magazines on a thumb drive, go to our Crappienow.com
website and purchase each previous year edition for $13.99
or all four years for $29.99 plus shipping and handling.
I am ready for the real spring to arrive and the swarms
of Crappie in their spawning grounds! May each of you be
blessed with large slabs!
God Bless and Good Fishing,
Dan,CrappieNow Publisher

3 Crappie NOW May 2016