• Whitey Outlaw's 2016 Santee Writers Camp




    I’m on my way to Whitey Outlaws Outdoor Writers Crappie Camp and the above road is the road that Garmin sends me down. Seriously!

    Where the heck does Whitey live! I should have bought an all-wheel-drive truck and not the two-wheel-drive one I got. I never needed all-wheel-drive in all the years I lived in the snow belt but it looks like I may need one now. I knew I was in for an adventure when I seen the big orange sign at the beginning of this road that warned me “Danger When Wet”. I sure am glad it wasn’t wet because I slid around as it was! Sure glad another truck didn't come from the other way cause there was no side of the road, just the WALL!


    Brandi Outlaw met me when I arrived so I know I was at the right place. Billbob was there in spirit as well. Get well soon good buddy.


    After a bit, everyone started to trickle in. I met all the writers and the fishermen. This was a pretty small group for a writers camp, but as far as I’m concerned, these are the best kind of camps. You get to learn more because you get to spend more time with each person, instead of talking to everyone for only a few minutes.


    It was time to eat and Whitey was at the grill. One thing I have to say, no matter where you go, crappie fishermen everywhere know how to eat. I have to change my slogan for Crappie.com. Right now it‘s “Family, Friends, Fishing and Fun”. I’m changing it to “Family, Friends, Food, Fishing and Fun”. Look at those steaks, they melted in your mouth.

    David Baynard, owner of Driftmaster Rod Holders was at the event too. I have to say, he is about the nicest guy you’d ever meet. I've known him for years. He asked how my mom was doing with her recent move to Florida. I told him she was OK but I was trying to find ways to keep her engaged and “doing things”. I told him when we are around she’s very active, but when she’s alone she seems to be slowing down. I’ve bought her some vegetable plants and even blueberry bushes, and she’s let them die. Previously she would always take good care of her plants, so this has me a little concerned. To make a long story short, David keyed on this and went out to his truck. He came back with a bird house to give her that would help provide her some amusement. What a great idea. She really would not have to do anything much, just put bird seed in every two weeks or so (which I would probably do for her anyway). It would give her something to watch and observe. Great idea David. Thank you so much.


    I've given his bird feeders away on the site in contests before. I never had one in my hands. They are awesome. Just look at the thing, it's built like a tank. Something that definitely would last forever. They are Father Nature birdhouses. You can find them here: www.fathernature.org Built like a Sherman Tank, just like David's Driftmaster Rod Holders: www.driftmaster.com

    OK, now on to fishing........


    Lake Marion, what a beautiful place. I like to call it Stump City. We were with fishermen that have been fishing this area for all their lives. They know these waters. Even though they know the waters there's no avoiding the stumps. On our way out we full fledged plowed over the top of no less than 5 stumps. On the way back in we rolled over 6. Whitey says, you don't stop when you hit a stump, you have to roll with it. Hit the gas a little so you don't stop and get stuck on top! Really! I'm thinking, not in my boat. Whitey likes his War Eagle best for "Stump City", check out www.wareagleboats.com. Better his than mine I kept thinking while I was almost tossed out the boat rolling over one of those stumps. I thought hard water meant ice fishing and not "Stump City".


    I can't believe they take their beautifully wrapped boats through "stump city". Here's Mike Parrott piloting the Rockport Rattler boat into the wild, wild and beautiful Lake Marion.



    I fished with Matthew Outlaw (above with a nice one) and David (below with a nice one as well) for the first leg of our trip.





    We spider rigged with Rockport Rattlers and Roadrunners tipped with live minnows. We used BnM Uncle Bucks 14 ft jigging poles (BGJP143-N). I've used these jigging poles for exactly that, jigging. And I learned to love them. I say that because I thought they were too limber at first. I mainly dip pads and deeper brush in Florida, and I truly learned to love those limber rods. That's all I use now when one-poling in the shallower Florida waters. I have two 14 ft long BnM Uncle Bucks Jigging Poles set up in the boat all the time. They are tough as nails and I've put them through heck. I've pushed and pulled hung up jigs off everything you could think of and they've held up. And now I know the secret to why these pro's are using the same rods to spider rig with. They are limber enough to see light bites, and I seen all these guys get hung up on stumps and reel up to the rod tip, then simply push the jigs free. I've not broken any tips, and I've not seen anyone break their tips even with this kind of abuse. But the best part is, if you do break a tip, BnM sells new tips so you don't have to buy a whole new rod. I have to say though, what a great idea to use them for spider rigging. I've got to get myself a few more and set my self up right!

    These rods are super versatile, here's a great video of Kyle Schoenhear setting up a deep water bottom bouncer rig using a BnM Uncle Bucks Jigging Pole.


    And here's Rodney Newhaus using an Uncle Bucks with a slip bobber setup. Another great video.


    More details about the Uncle Bucks Rods can be found here: https://www.bnmpoles.com/p-220-the-o...edesigned.aspx

    Part two coming soon where I tell the story about fishing the Santee Cooper grass mats with Whitey Outlaw.
    Comments 19 Comments
    1. sharphook's Avatar
      sharphook -
      Sweeeeeeeet Glad to see they feed Well!!
    1. NIMROD's Avatar
      NIMROD -
      Looks like a great time by all .
    1. rnvinc's Avatar
      rnvinc -
      What a great write up ...!!

      "Family, Friends, Food, Fishing and Fun" ...

      Can't beat that for a great time ...

      Rickie
    1. Speck's Avatar
      Speck -
      That looks like a great trip. Whitey is a super nice guy and it looks like you were surrounded by some of the best in the business. Those steaks must have been great!!! Thanks for the article
    1. "G"'s Avatar
      "G" -
      Great write up......you might make a writer yet. I met Whitey at the Grizzly Jig show last year , really nice guy. All of the BnM guys there were first class and helpful answering many questions.
    1. shuorc's Avatar
      shuorc -
      Nice pics, now I am hungry, want to go fishing and add more poles to the tracker. Looks like a good trip.
    1. Speck Detector's Avatar
      Speck Detector -
      Looks like you had it all Slab...Fellowship, Fishing, Food, & Fun...topped off with good weather...WOW !!!
    1. BAMA S's Avatar
      BAMA S -
      WTG. Looks like a good time. We rig with the bnm poles and rattlers and really bring the big ones in on the good days. There is nothing like the fellowship of other enthusiast.
    1. scrat's Avatar
      scrat -
      Wow! Those steaks are huge enormous, vast, immense, large, big, great, massive, colossal, prodigious, gigantic, gargantuan, mammoth, monumental and they sure look good. Thanks for sharing the report and pictures.
    1. skeetbum's Avatar
      skeetbum -
      Never mind did you have a good time, I needed to be there!!! I could've learned something there and never wet a line.
      The BGJP's have been my go to rod for over 5 years now, I do everything with them and they do a great job. Lately I have been trolling with the BGJP in 8 thru 12 feet, total of 8, and the roadrunners have made a real difference. With all I hear about the Rockport rattlers, I have to try some real soon. Jeeez, I need to fish tomorrow!
    1. papasage's Avatar
      papasage -
      looks like fun Ed . good videos that is something i like so i don`t have to read . like it when they show how they do it instead of just catching fish and some of the videos is all it is about .
    1. Ketchn's Avatar
      Ketchn -
      Looks like big fun to me
    1. Redge's Avatar
      Redge -
      Wow, you had me hooked just looking at the steaks!!
    1. Grizzly2k1's Avatar
      Grizzly2k1 -
      Looks like lots of FUN Ed! I hope to one day get to go on one of these adventures with you! as always a well written article!
    1. RCC's Avatar
      RCC -
      Great read. Gotta love the Driftmaster crew and those Wareagle boats. I've had my Driftmaster rod holders for years and they still do the job. These guys build for the long term. Just jumped a few logs this morning in the duck woods in the 542 Wareagle. Great gear makes for a great outing. Only wish I could have been there to get in on some of that good eating and slab catching.
    1. RetiredRR's Avatar
      RetiredRR -
      Informative write up. Enjoyed the photos and videos. Looking forward to part 2.
    1. emptycooler's Avatar
      emptycooler -
      Nice article beautiful area. I fish the 10' BGJP vertically jigging in 8 - 14 FOW. My partner thinks I need to go to with a little stiffer rod like he uses as he seems to jerk them out of the water and into the boat easier than I do. The BGJP works just fine for me.
    1. RagflyJigMan's Avatar
      RagflyJigMan -
      No surprise at all about this article being another great one. This article iin my opinion is the best way to show and also teach someone the basics of crappie fishing in a lake covered with stumps. Thank you again for another great crappie fishing article.
    1. StratosFS5's Avatar
      StratosFS5 -
      Sounds like a great time was had by all! Thanks for sharing some great tips also!
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