Crankbait Crappie… Push, Pull or Plane - by Tim Huffman

Nobody questions that crankbaits catch summer crappie located in open water. However, there are questions about which technique is best and there is no one clear answer because each lake and situation is different. The following are what some experts say about trolling.
Long-line Trolling
“I’m the guy in the back of the boat,” says Brad Chappell. “My main job is to find the depth and right color. Bo controls the boat, speed, watches the locator to see where we’re going.”
Brad Chappell and partner Bo Hudson are tough competitors in the Magnolia Crappie Club. They are known as fast trollers usually fishing plastics but when the bite is on crankbaits they have Bandit 300 series or Wiggle Warts on the end of their lines.

Chappell says they usually search for deep water that goes up onto a flat. Fish hold along the ledge and move up on the flat to feed. He says they always try to find fish others aren’t catching.
A key for longline trolling is an autopilot trolling motor so you can worry about fishing instead of controlling the boat. Chappell says, “When things aren’t going good keep trying dif*ferent things and never give up. Try different depths, areas, baits and colors.”

This team will do whatever it takes to catch fish but longline trolling is their specialty and they love it.





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