Driftmaster Best Advice Contest #1522- Ends end of Aug, 2015 - win 8 Crappie Stalkers

When you say "The fish weren't biting.", what you are really saying is "I gave up before I figured out how to catch them today."

If you approach everyday on the water with the idea that they can be caught if you just figure out what bait to use, how to fish it and where to fish, you will catch more fish. As soon as you say "The fish aren't biting.", you give yourself an excuse not to catch any. Fish bite everyday. They have to eat. Some days it's harder to make them bite, but they are always biting.

Pretty well works for almost anything in life. If you give yourself an excuse for failure, then failure becomes acceptable. If you believe you can succeed, you will.

The fish in the picture was caught drifting Kentucky-rigged minnows into the brush piles on a windy day. Not close to the brush piles or over them, but in them. Lot of snags, but by the time I caught this one almost everybody else was off the lake and we had it to ourselves. Didn't catch a fish until after lunch, but we ended up with 11 keepers between us.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y11...0401001155.jpg

Don't give yourself an excuse to not catch fish. Never say "They aren't biting."

Read everything that you can on CRAPPIE.COM

Attachment 206751

I have never tried to use rod holders on a boat but I would use Driftmasters if I had them.

My advice, keep it simple. Just starting out does not require you to break the bank to catch crappie. I still know plenty of guys that skull a 14' jon boat around with a fiberglass pole and they are still catching crappie. No electronics, no trolling motor, just out fishing and enjoying the day. Obtain the better things of fishing as you can. Most folks that have all the "fancy" stuff, it took them years to acquire that.

If nothing else, start off with a good pole/poles, depending on what type of fishing you are going to do. Buy a few quality baits (your choice) and get started. You can add to your arsenal as money allows (it does get expensive). If money is not a problem, call me, I'll be glad to help you spend it, errr, give you some ideas!! LOL

Join a local crappie club. Even if you don't fish, go to the weigh ins and mingle with the fishermen in that tournament. Those guys in that tournament will gladly share information. And those that you view as "Pros", they can be beat on any given day. Get in there and fish with them. On the water experience with seasoned anglers is extremely valueable.

Become intimate with your home lake. Know every nook and cranny of it. I don't care how good you are, how many tournaments you fish,or how many fish you have caught in your life, it is difficult to pull up to a lake you have never seen and just catch fish. The more you know about a body of water, the quicker the time you will start catching fish. Get your information any way you can. The internet is full of information.

Find a partner!! It will cut your expenses down if the 2 of you share and it will shorten your learning curve (two heads are better than one!). Sometimes your partner will pick up on the particulars of a bite before you do.

And last, but not least, never quit learning. I've been fishing for 45 years and I am learning new things all the time!

If I can help, let me know!! I'd be glad to help!

Attachment 206925

Some good advice on trolling...use as many rods as you can but not too many that you cannot handle all of them at once. You will catch more fish using trolling methods by covering more water.
Attachment 207026

Whether you catch 1 fish or 100 fish always make it fun and enjoy it! Any day fishing beats a day at work!

The best advice you can give anyone starting off Crappie Fishing is Join Crappie.com read as often as you can. Post often and ask questions. There are many great fisherman and fisherwomen that are more than willing to help you. Crappie.com can get you catching some crappie fast.

If you build it they will come. Take the time and effort to improve your favorite lake by adding habitat.

The best crappie fishing advice I can give is:
1. Go crappie fishing anytime you can.
2. Take a youngun crappie fishing and teach them how to fish.
3. Make sure you take those that showed you how to crappie fish out on the water to catch some slabs.
4. Enjoy yourself.

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...9/101_0133.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...1/101_0228.jpg

My best advice is to use crappie.com it is the most Powerful learning tool when it comes to crappie fishing! I'm not just being a homer I truly believe that! I've always love fishing and as I've got older I like challenge myself so it's no surprise I've gravitated to crappie fishing.We all know how difficult it can be to catch crappie on a regular basis and that's probably why I didn't fish for them as much earlier life. Two years ago I made a decision that change that I joined crappie.com!!! I've learned more in the first two months on crappie.com than I did my entire life before joining. Here's why I've read many articles on crappie fishing but never really understood all the different methods like spider rigging, long lining, pulling cranks power trolling and the list goes on. All of this can be overwhelming and quite intimidating to say the least. Crappie.com gives you a unique prospective of what actually goes on by reading the threads seeing the back and forth posting by the members breaking down in detail what to look for in certain situations such as what kind of structure the fish are relating to at what depths at different times of the year when and why they suspend in open water and what baits work best in these situations. As far as equipment goes you will not find a better in site on what to use when to use it and what works best this guy's have put it to the test for you it cuts down on the trial and error aspect of it it's almost like being in the boat with them not to mention you can interact with them in my opinion that's priceless. I started out with learning the tendency of the fish where and how to find them because let's face it if you can't find them you can't catch them. Now I'm on spider rigging my next subject will be pulling cranks there is some of the best reading you'll find anywhere on these subject's right here at Crappie.com Slab has created a real diamond in the rough here so my best advice is to take advantage of this wealth of knowledge you have at your fingertips your just an advanced search away from being on the right track!