Thread: Fall Locations

Good job!

Originally Posted by Pantastic

I appreciate your comment Dickie especially coming from a notorious crappie guy like yourself.
Certainly I wish I were a great fisherman but looking back to the start of this addiction are fond memories of CFF (chattanoogafishingforum).
In those days CFF seemed to be booming and I could not read enough of the crappie reports. Not so much these days on that site though.
I gained a lot of knowledge back then from e-mail correspondence to Drumking and Polo-dog who took the time to give lengthy answers to questions asked. I still have those saved.
Guys like Labman, BassERT, M17Glock, including Polo-dog, and Drumking who took the time to take me out on the water and show me exactly what you were doing to catch fish on lake chickamauga. I have been able to successfully replicate these outings/teachings on my own home lake of Tellico (at times) and I thank you all for the education that has been so rewarding since. I have thoroughly enjoyed the enhanced years on the water since then and hope one day to be a truly great fisherman.

My passion is to teach people who want to know how to catch crappie the techniques that I use and the way that I think about fishing in general. I remember when I first began to fish, I had a great mentor who taught me to bass fish, but no one knew anything about crappie fishing or were reluctant to teach anyone else how to catch fish. I understand the fear that fishermen have about showing someone their "secret" spot, but with today's electronics, our "secret" spots are only known to about 1000 fishermen. Grin. There is no way to hide a brush pile or crappie hotel that I have placed as a lot of people know where the best spots is to place such cover. They know how to find it. But I have had what I call crappie students, who just couldn't grasp the what or why of what I try to teach in order for them to become a successful fisherman. I remember one man that I fished with a lot for about 2-3 years before he was finally able to catch fish on his own without resorting to minnows or trolling. (Nothing wrong with minnows or trolling). Grin. Some people I have only had to take out a couple of times before the light went off in their heads and they could go do it on their own.

I don't consider myself to be a great crappie fisherman. I do believe that I can teach pretty good though. Why am I not a great crappie fisherman? Because I refuse to use live bait or troll to catch crappie and I don't fish docks much anymore and those are good techniques to use at times. I just don't want to do that. I had rather catch 5 crappie with a single pole in hand using artificial lures and then scout a lot than to troll and let the boat catch 100 crappie. Trolling is for meat eaters who don't mind the boat doing the catching and those who don't know how to catch fish on a jig with a rod in hand. I hope this doesn't offend anyone, because it isn't my intent to offend those who like to fish this way. Just fish the way that makes you happy. Detecting the crappie bite is the hardest thing that I have to do to teach someone how to single pole fish. I have said it many times and it bears repeating: About 90% of the time, I never "feel" a crappie bite until I set the hook. They take the lure so softly so much that most never know when the fish had taken it in its mouth. Line watching is a must in order to become a successful crappie fisherman. Thank you for your comments, Gene. I still remember our times together and hopefully, we can do it again. I will come to Tellico lake to fish with you sometime if you want to.