Thread: Ohio State Record Crappie

Back in 1969 I witnessed the largest crappie I ever seen caught in Ohio waters. This place I was fishing was the outlet of a creek into the lake. Each side of the bridge had concrete steps going right down into the water. It was a well known real early spring hot spot. What was not real known was the best fishing there usually occurred between 12:30AM till about 4:30 AM. The crappies averaged between 12 and 14 inches and were usually pretty co-operative. The best time of year was soon as ice was off lake to about 2nd week of April.

Most nights friend and I had the whole bridge to ourselves. This one particular night my friend did not want to go. It was misting rain and was a little on the chilly side. When I pulled onto the road I seen one lantern light already there.
To my relief he was on the shallow north side of bridge. It ran about 3-4 deep that side. I favored the 6' deep side as the creek channel hugged that south side.

I was running a little late that night. Spent too much time trying to convince friend to go. Lit the lantern and them crappies made it difficult to get my second pole in water. Finally they slow down a little and the guy that was there came up to talk. He tells me he has about 6 fish. But was getting ready to leave until he seen me go nuts on my side.
I tell him he can move in beside me as there is room for two to fish this place. I can see by the lantern light this guy has got quite a few years on him. He says thanks but I never crowd a fella when he is fishing. Goes back and starts to fish his side again.

Later on that morning just before daylight. I get the biggest crappie of my life. It is a white crappie and measured exactly 18 inches. At first I thought I had a shot at the state record but mine fell short by a 1/4". I had it officially measured that morning just to be sure. But that is not the fish the story is about. As I was starting to get ready to go about 4:15 that morning. I see the old guy reel in a real nice one himself. I ask him that was a real nice one wasn't it. He replied biggest I ever caught. Anyway put my tackle and load my stuff in car and go to see for myself.

I ask him to hold it up . He reaches into his sack and hauls up this crappie that has my 18 incher beat. I said holy crap you ought to take that to Danny's ( same place that measured mine ) this morning. Told him I was almost sure it would be a state record. That it was bigger than my 18 I could tell easily. Anyway old guy just shakes his head and says " Don't care about no records. Just care about taste. I figure he will taste just as good as them other 9 or so I got. "

Been fishing another 48 years and that 18" crappie still the biggest crappie I have caught. My second best to this day was 15 and 3/8 " or so. That was my last excellent night at that spot. Shortly after I left for the service and was away 4 years overseas. First place I go fishing when I returned home. Only to find everything was changed there. All uniform depth and fish don't run it like before I left. Out of the hundreds of nights I fished that place. That was the night I remember best.

Records can end up being a bad thing when new people invade your area. It happens with whitetail deer too.