The American Crappie

The simplicity and beauty of this little sunfish is amazing. Once it gets a hold on you it will put you in the army of fishermen who pursue one of the greatest fish in America.

The crappie family consists of two different fish. The White crappie and the Black crappie (no PhD scientific names here, just plain-English from an old timer).

These fish are found in most large lakes and reservoirs, ponds and in the sloughs and back waters of larger rivers. The adapt to almost any type of water and are a very hardy fish. The Black crappie likes clearer water while the White crappie prefers stained or off color and sometimes muddy conditions.

Most crappie specialists will consistently take good catches of crappie all year long. We work hard at this great fishing sport and many are quite close-mouthed about the whole affair. However, because crappie are so prolific in the United States, many other crappie fishing sportsmen are willing to tell you all they know if you just take the time to ask.

Crappies love clear, weedy lakes with lots of structure like logs or trees and rocky areas. They feed heavily on larvae, nymphs, flies and they are just crazy in love with live minnows. It is common to see crappie surface feeding on small insects on a warm summer evening. When you see this, just break out the trusty ultra-light fly rod and prepare yourself for a bucket full of crappie!

Crappie's are schooling fish, so if you find one there will generally be many more of them in the same area. Being a schooling fish makes it real easy to bring home a stringer full practically any time of year.

There's nothing quite as satisfying as filleting a string of crappie, firing up the propane fish cooker, whipping up your favorite fish batter recipe and sharing the fish with your friends while sitting around shooting the breeze.

And speaking of outdoor fish cookers, I finally found one that wasn't made of cheap thin aluminium and pot metal that starts rusting right away. It's at Bass Pro Shops. The Bass Pro outdoor fish cooker is made of steel and cast iron and built to last. And it isn't much more than the cheap one's at your local Wal-Mart.

Bass Pro Shops Cast Iron Fish Fryer - Patio Offer by: Bass Pro Shops Price: USD 84.99 Convenience of a portable propane fryer with the performance of cast iron cooking Heavy duty&8212 18'' steel stand with powerful 58,000 BTU cast iron burner Base includes adjustable safety brackets to keep pot in place 6.5 quart cast iron Dutch oven pot&8212 better heat distribution and easier oil temperature regulation Aluminum strainer basket with cool touch plastic-coated handle Also comes with a CSA-approved regulator and hose and a 5'' deep-fry thermometer Enjoy the even heating and temperature regulation of cast iron the next time you fry up a big batch of fish with the Bass Pro Shops Cast Iron Propane Fish Fryer and Cooker. This heavy-duty outdoor cooker is built to last, starting with its powerful 58,000 BTU cast iron burner. This burner is enclosed in a heavy-duty 18'' tall steel base, giving you a portable cooking machine you can use anywhere you're willing to carry the propane (sold separately). Base includes adjustable safety brackets to keep the cooker's 6.5 quart Dutch oven pot safely in place over the burner. This long lasting fry pot makes cooking easier and reduces burned foods with its superior heat distribution and easier oil temperature regulation. Aluminum strainer basket features a coated handle for cool handling. This multi-purpose cooker also comes with a CSA-approved regulator and hose and a 5'' deep-fry thermometer. Convenience of a portable propane fryer with the performance of cast iron cooking Heavy dutyamp 8212 18'' steel stand with powerful 58,000 BTU cast iron burner Base includes adjustable safety brackets to keep pot in place 6.5 quart cast iron Dutch o

Bass Pro Shops® Better Breader Pan - Patio Offer by: Bass Pro Shops Price: USD 14.99 Bread or batter an entire fryer load at once Removable sifter keeps food being breaded out of the mix for less clumping Perfect, even coating Works great for fish, chops, chicken, onion rings, corn dogs or vegetables Great for marinating too Dishwasher safe Now you can bread or batter the entire fryer-load at once, quickly and cleanly, with just a shake of the pan with the Bass Pro Shops Better Breader Pan. This handy breading tool features a removable sifter that keep the food being breaded out of the dry mix to keep it from clumping up. This separation helps ensure a perfect, even coating for fish, chops, chicken, onion rings, corn dogs or vegetables (handy hint: remove the sifter when making onion blossoms). Great for marinating too with no spooning required! Tabbed handle for easy lift-top opening. Made of flexible, durable polypropylene. Pan fits on a refrigerator shelf and is completely dishwasher safe. 16-1/2'' x 7-1/4'' x 5''.Made in USA. Bread or batter an entire fryer load at once Removable sifter keeps food being breaded out of the mix for less clumping Perfect, even coating Works great for fish, chops, chicken, onion rings, corn dogs or vegetables Great for marinating too Dishwash