Crappie Camp this Year

Thanks Shane for organining this and everyone that contributed to an awesome fish fry.
Good to see and meet those that I got around to talk to. Kids had a blast camping at the lake. It got a little hot out there during the day, but for considering August in Kansas you couldn't ask for better weather.

Planned to fish for crappie some, but trolling for whites, wipers, and walleye was pretty productive. Did try crappie fishing for a couple minutes and pulled up one short fish from about 10ft deep.

like to thank shane for getting the ball rollin shane and his sponsers for the door prizes think everyone walked away with 3 or 4 handfuulls of stuff slab for the .com tee shirt for the guiled city jim for the fish frying don't know who was grillin but it looked like health food chicken brats that sort of thing but I stayed away from it got to meet a lot of old names but mostly new faces and especially to don don the ragnar man putting up with me in the boat for 2 days and keepin me in fish bout all the time but mostly for all the work before me and camp and after camp had his boat full of stuff and his truck full of stuffhe boiled corn and boiled corn and boilred soup but the masterful job he did on slicein the fries and fryin them good camp guys keep it up jim

your welcome in my boat anytime Jim. (ofcourse ill fish with anybody willing to put up with me). Even after you outfished me both days!

It was great to see everyone at the Crappie Camp. Good meeting some new faces and also seeing some 'old' faces as well.

Here are a few of the pics I had from the weekend. I probably didn't catch everyone as there was some coming and going all of the time and I likely missed a number of you.

Thanks to everyone that made it happen and to all the sponsors that contributed. A BIG THANKS to Slab as without his work and his website this gathering would not have happened! I hope you all had a great time at El Dorado Reservoir.

Crappie.com !!
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Group shot. Saturday evening before the fry.
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Shane conducting the drawing.
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Frymaster Jim knocking it outta the park!
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Come and get it!!!
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'Maters...
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A hush suddenly fell over the campground...only a subtle munchin' sound could be heard.
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Thanks for the pics Craig!

Thanks, all for the great time. It was great to meet a lot of new folks from the site I'd never met before. Too many to even try to name them all. I was impressed by Don's new boat and his ability to put Springhillwannabe on the crappie even in the wind and heat. Don must be learning the new electronics pretty well. It was also great to meet Brad & Chuck from Fort Riley. Salutes to y'all for your service. America's gettin' to be a mess in a lot of ways, but she's still worth fightin' for !! Where would there be freedom in the world today if not for America?? Enough soapbox, back to the crappie camp subject. I got to fish with Jayfers on Saturday in his superdeluxe Triton, and had a very enjoyable time with a great guy !! I'm looking forward to next time, maybe next spring.

Thanks to all who worked a LOT on this camp event. Shane for coordinating and bringin' the prizes, Don who brought the great corn and fries and did a good deal of cookin'. Special thanks to Jim and his son (Cody?) who jumped right in and cleaned all the fish, Jim and his wife for fryin' the fish to perfection ! Many others who brought so much food for the feast. Springhillwannabe's tomatoes were superb as well. Overall, it was a feast fit for royalty for sure.

Oh, and thanks to slabs for the T-shirts and for keeping Crappie.com going ! As others have said, these events would never be if not for the great website !!

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Crappie Camp Kansas 2013

Location: El Dorado Lake, Kansas
Date: Aug 23rd -25th
Weather: Great
Fun: Awesome!!

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Since I’ve already attended many crappie camps, I knew what was to come for Kansas Crappie Camp 2013. Fun, Friendship, Fun, Entertainment, Fun, Hilarious, Fun, and did I say FUN!


Friday was the day where some came in early and fished and others were on their way to Crappie Camp Kansas 2013. By mid-afternoon, there were several members, friends, and family that showed up to camp and the conversation was fishing, fishing and more fishing. The best topic I could think about for this great event. As the evening set in, there were more event attendees showing up and before I knew it, there were cars, campers, trucks, tents, and people everywhere. As I was bouncing around shaking hands and watching others visit, I tried to do a head count and came up with about 50 people.. As the night went on, I got to eat some stir-fry at one camp ground, steak from another, fish from another, and dessert from another along with refreshments as all camps had an open invitation. Belly was full and the camp fire was going so I attended the liar’s club and listened to several ” TALL TAILS” and stayed up way too late.

Saturday morning came around and more people came in and everyone moved to the lake to catch the big one. As the afternoon came around, everyone came in to camp with their catch or stories of the big one that got away. We gathered in a large circle and announced who we were and where we were from and how tough the fishing was. Door prizes came out and I think we were giving great items out for what seemed like 30 minutes because of great venders like Crappie.com (Slab) Crappie Pro (Larry Russell), Doctor Sonar (“Doc” Bruce Sampson), Lowrance, and Mid Kansas Marine ( Shelly ). Everyone at camp walked away with something great. Bragging rights went to Springhillwantabe, “Guided by Ragnar” caught the biggest crappie “1.39lb” of the day and won the event money for crappie. Shane’s boat caught the biggest wiper and won the side bet with a 25 ½ stud. Brian won a pack of Depends for the smallest fish brought to the scales.

As we were all together, the best fisherman in the country showed up. Capt. Catch-a-Lot!! (Troy) He entertained all of us with his stories but I noticed he didn’t bring any fishing equipment, boat or fish. He said he hooked on to a huge Marlin but after 3 hours it broke his line. Very funny person Catch-a-Lot was. I had the pleasure of fishing with him on Sunday and he sure was funny and fun to fish with.

Capt Catch-a-Lot thought these were crappie.

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Dinner rolled around and I think there was enough food for an Army. Fish, salads, dip, corn-on-the-cob, fries, cookies, chicken for those that didn’t like fish, beans, and a lot more that I can’t think of now. We had Jim and his wife on the fish station, Don on the corn and fries station, Brian on chicken, and many others helping where help needed to be. I can say that things went so smooth and dinner was served on time. That’s easy to do when everyone joins together as a team and man did we have a GREAT TEAM. As the food was being consumed and conversations being held, I tried to join everyone I could as I knew the next day Kansas Crappie Camp 2013 would end as fast as it came. Fire pit lit for the last time and early thank you and good byes were said by some. The moon was shining bright and yes Catch-a Lot was still talking about that record El Dorado Lake Marlin that broke him off.

What was left over
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Two day isn’t enough time to get to know people but that’s why we have camps every year. Some couldn’t make it but in heart they were there. Next years camp will be at another lake and I sure hope I can go as these camps are tons of fun. I want to express a Special Thank You to Slab and CDC. Without him and his great forum, an event like this would be hard to organize. I also want to thank everyone who came to the event and donated food and items for camp. C-ya all on the water soon.

PS. If anyone wants to share pictures, that would be great.

Shane Eustice
Hook’Em!!

Pictures by Craig... Thanks bud..

Well, I have just finally gotten around to posting on here this week. I mirror what everyone else has been saying on here. It was an amazing day, even though fishing we slow, we still caught fish and we caught a variety of them as well. Biggest Crappies we caught were around 12 and back in the lake they went as we we only had two that size.

I wanted to say Thank you to Slab - For the shirt and the site that made this possible. Shane, for taking action and getting this event going as well as the fantastic prizes from him and the sponsors. Jim and Cody for cleaning the fish as well as cooking this fish and everyone else just for being there. I know I got to meet a lot of new folks and I didn't even get to speak with everyone either.

I definitely look foward to the next Crappie Camp and hope that we can make it.

Hope to see everyone on the water soon!

Tyson - CaptainT16

Yall need some trees in that campground. Do I need to send some acorns that way?
Great gathering, thanks for sharing.
Jimmy

wish we would of had some. but the weather was pretty nice for here in augusta.