If you're like me, this is a rough time of the year. Bow hunting is in full swing, trying to get in one more round of golf, and last but not least, fall fishing! While sitting in my tree stand in the morning, I had plenty of time to think. I saw several deer but not the one that would make my trip. I decided that I would stick it out a little longer and then see what was up on my favorite crappie fishing lake. The drive to the lake was short and I couldn't help to think that the crappie would have to be biting. I looked around the lake and did not see another boat. What, was I the only one crazy enough to go fishing... I put the boat in the water anyway and headed for an area in the lake where a creek feed into the lake next to a deep-water drop off. Setting up a slip bobber rig at about 5 foot and putting on a 1/16oz jig with a crappie minnow. I cast out my rig and just as the bobber hit the water it just went under. I first thought that I had too heavy of a jig for the size of my bobber but when I started reeling it in I realized that there was a fish on. To my surprise I pulled in about a 12" crappie. I setup again and just as quickly I had another one. It was a great trip I caught 25 crappie all 12" to 14" in size and did not see another boat the whole time. I was on the lake and I still had time to get back into my tree stand and hunt in the afternoon where I took a nice deer. But that's a story for another time... Fall fishing for crappie, is at times better than in the spring so give it a try.

"Keep your line in the water and good fishing"

Tom J.