I envy you crappie.com folks.

[lol11]

I know most of you on this forum are from the Mid West to Eastern states. I live in North California and before you tell me to, I have already posted an invitation on the California forum. If you check the CA forum, you’ll see that it has been quiet for a while. I’m nearing my forty and have fished crappie most my life in Nor Cal. I’ve had the opportunity to spend a few summers in the Midwest chasing crappies and had a fun time doing so. While out there, every crappie angler we bumped into has been very kind and nice. There are the usual grumpy old men who think’s the hole belongs to him but that’s everywhere. As a matter of fact, my wife believes I’ll become one of those grumpy old men. Please do not be offended, as this is just my opinion of my personal experiences in California. California does not seem to have dedicated crappie anglers. The majority of fishermen here are what I call, “gold rush fisherman”. They chase after whatever the rumor or season is. However, there is a lot of dedicated bass and trout fisherman, but that’s pretty common in all the states. In the past four months, I have crappie fished in four different popular crappie lakes and was the ONLY boat fishing crappie. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the quietness, but this tells me there are no other solid crappie anglers. Last week, I had a bass guy asked me what I was fishing for because I was parked in the middle of the lake jigging and he had never seen that. I told him crappie and he was shocked! He even laughed a little and gave me a cocky “are you sure there are crappies”. He never even knew we had big crappies in NorCal. I showed him a few of my 13 inchers in the live well and he went on his way. I later saw him jigging in a flooded tree area that I know had no crappies. Hum, I wonder what he is now fishing for? Could it be a tasty fillet dinner? I would have kindly showed him how and where to fish crappie but he was too hardcore to ask.

Salmon and sturgeon are running right now and so many people are fighting on the river. It’s shoulder to shoulder on the shoreline and boats everywhere on the water. That’s just too stressful for me.

[Cray]

I have noticed on the California board when some folks that have gotten on there with no response. The only thing I can say is you need to try to contact some of the few people that have posted. That way maybe you can get the word out and start to build the sport out there.

[DRPEPPER]

Our forum participation has exploded from Crappie Camps and the post with advice from our more talented fishermen. DP

["D"]

Also, post pictures. They add interest. In the mean time, keep at it. Sounds like you are on your game.

[lol11]

Thank you for the advice. I'll give that a try.

[NIMROD]

Be carefull what you seek , too much information has led to crowds on some fishing holes here in Arkansas!

[skeetbum]

As already said, be careful how you generate interest and take pics at the dock. Be yourself, and share techniques, and be friendly. It will come along on it's own. Good luck with it.

[shipahoy41]

Welcome from Alabama

[keeferfish]

Give it time. I was s lurker for a while before joining and posting and look at me now??? Really some great people I consider friends now met from this site and would stay friends if we quit posting today. Maybe because I'm from Missouri!

[lol11]

Thank you all for the kind advice and hopeful remarks. Whether CA people want to chime in or not, I love reading all your stories from the other side of the state. Fall is finally here and I wish you all a fun, safe, and successful trips chasing crappies because I know they are begining to transition and bite hard out here in the west.