Its a little bit of both - old and new. We used to crappie fish a lot when I was 16 - 25 (I'm 48 now) on the Mississippi River - open water. I've always preferred crappie when Ice Fishing for them - I feel that if I can "mark them" I can catch them. Favorite species? That's a tough one - but right now - I am really hooked on crappie!!!!