long story / my 60 years of fishing
I just thought I would reflect on how fishing has changed in my lifetime . I started out catching Bluegills sitting on a boat seat next to my dad as he sculled the boat . Most young guys never used a sculling paddle .
We really got into Crappie fishing about 1970 and shortly after moved to Lake Nimrod . Not many kids lived in our small community on the lake . I learned about yoyos and trotlines fishing with old retired commercial fishermen . They used trotlines baited with minnows to catch slab Crappie . Some were outlaws and sold them . When I fished with my dad we used cane poles baited with minnows , hung in a rack. We called it trolling but now people with high tech tackle say spider rigging . I was in tall cotton when I got my first boat for my birthday . No motor just a sculling paddle . Closest thing to a depth finder or marker bouys was a brick, string and chunk of styrofoam . Spent countless hours running lines , trolling and got a few lures to try Bass fishing .
I graduated high school went to trade school and started working part time . This really hurt my fishing . I got into snagging Catfish below the dams on the Arkansas River after working the night shift . I caught a state record at that time off the bank one night . Took it in and only place big enough to hold it till next day was the bath tub !
Finally able to buy a boat with a motor . Started Bass fishing with friends and actually got away from fishing for everything else . I have a 11 lber mounted I caught in 1982 .
Started going back home every weekend fishing mostly for Bass but did some Crappie and Catfishing too . I moved back to the lake about 1992 and stayed through the week out of town . Gradually shifted from fishing mainly for Bass back to Crappie and Catfish .
Once I left work after volunteering for a lay off in 2002 . I started helping my parents as their health was going down . Really got into fishing once again and quit trolling all together . Went to jig only Crappie fishing . Still Catfishing in hot weather . Even did some guiding for Catfish and Crappie . Helped a commercial fisherman with nets for awhile for fun .
This is where fishing really starting changing . I learned about deth finders (100 dollar Cuda with 3'' screen ) and a handheld GPS (Garmin etrex ) . I thought this is all I need . It worked for years as we built and marked hundreds of brushpiles .
Then everyone started using all the new high tech electronics and I said I did not need them . Started fishing with people that had them after getting on Crappie.com . Finally broke down and got Humminbird 570 with 5'' screen down imaging . Went through a few different units . When I decided I had to have sideimaging I got a Humminbird 1199 . I thought it can't get any better . I bought a new boat to replace the Express I got in 1987. I think this Excel will last boat I will ever need .
I bought Helix 10 for the trolling motor next . Then had to up grade to Helix Mega 12'' for console and move 1199 just for maps on the bow . Once again thought this is all I will ever need .
About two years ago I heard about something called livescope . I said no more or atleast wait and see . It really peaked my interest . But I was determined I had spent enough on fishing .
Well more I heard about it the more I wanted one . About a year ago I bought a Garmin 1242xsv with livescope . Took awhile to learn it enough to feel confident in it . After a year , will have to say best thing I ever bought for fishing besides a boat . Never caught so many big strings of big Crappie . Like a friend told me ''with livescope , you will never have another fishless day '' . Still learning and all my fishing buddies that can afford one have gone to livescope . It is something to learn over time not just plug and play for sure .
What does the future hold for Crappie fishing ? Who knows but I have seen some small lakes hammered by livescope . It is all the rage in fishing circles . Our game and fish sitting back with wait and see attitude as far as livescope . Some been hollaring the Crappie will be caught out way back when Humminbird sold the first electronics . It was just the old flasher . The side imaging came along and it was the same . But livescope is so much better , it has me worried . I think we may see lower limits and more size restictions to maintain good fishing in the future . May have to start releasing more but this is debatable . We were releasing some big fish in the spring . I thought this was the thing to do . But a couple biologists said this thinking is backwards . Release the 10 to 12'' fish and keep the big ones . Crappie have a short life span in the south . The big ones are old and will most likely not live much longer .
I tried to condense this . Over 60 years fishing has changed like it did when my grandparents saw changes . I remember an uncle who said that a man on the moon was fake .
long story / my 60 years of fishing
Great read, I really enjoyed it!
I too wish I knew, really knew which crappie you should let go.
I prefer to cook and eat the 10-12 fish. However, if it was better to keep the bigger ones I would.
Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
