Crappie University

Monroe-Louisiana Delta Community College is calling all crappie fishermen! Whether you crappie fish with a cane pole and a red and white bobber or use eight $120 graphite crappie rods off a spider rig in the front of your fancy boat, you’ll have an excellent opportunity, or crappietunity, to become better at it in Monroe January 25th at Crappie University. The event will last from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and will include lunch. Mark your calendar and save the date. The location is Louisiana Delta Community College-Monroe Campus-located 7500 Millhaven Road in the Advanced Technology Center. Closest parking space is the lot facing Interstate 20.

Louisiana Delta Community College and Bobby Garland Bait Company have teamed up to bring the popular Crappie University day of instruction to our community for the first time ever! What an opportunity for the people of Ruston, Bastrop, Monroe, West Monroe, Delhi, Columbia, and all points in between to come for a day of fantastic crappie fishing instruction plus a whole lot more! Even if you’re not from this region, this opportunity is available to you. It’s also a great chance to give young anglers a wealth of crappie knowledge all in one day.

Let’s start the New Year with off with the resolution of becoming an even better crappie fisherman. Here’s a brief rundown of the instructors and their topics. Each one is worth the price of admission alone!  

• “Myths, Methods, and Magic of Trolling … Long Lining and More” by Lance Evans of Flora, MS: Full-time crappie guide Lance Evans is considered one of the best at trolling for crappies on Mississippi’s big slab waters of Grenada, Enid, Sardis, and Arkabutla. Learn the gear and the Why, When, Where and How to troll.

• “LiveScope Unwired – A Closer Look at Game-Changing Electronics ” by Josh Jones of Sapulpa, OK: Oklahoma crappie guide Josh Jones is one of the country’s first crappie anglers to master the technology behind Garmin’s LiveScope for targeting the species. He has lots of tips on using and interpreting live scanning sonar.

• “Jig Fishing for Crappies 12 months of the Year” by Barry Morrow of Deepwater, MO: The “Crappie Coach” Barry Morrow matches his educational roots with his crappie-guiding skills to instruct anglers of all skill levels how to master one-pole jig fishing throughout the year, with many examples of personal experiences on local waters in the region.

• “Watch, Listen and Learn … The Fish Will Tell You How to Catch ‘Em” by JB “Blaine” Salter Jr. of Geismar, LA: His legendary fishing dad once wrote that “We are all born not knowing anything.” Blaine paid attention well and proudly shares the old school teachings from his late father on how to keep things simple to catch more crappies in Louisiana waters.

The cost is a mere $99 per person. Registration cost includes a goodie bag of crappie baits that’s well worth a good portion of your registration plus the chance to win fantastic door prizes and more! The instructors are all top-notch crappie experts who can share the basics of crappie fishing as well as all the latest trends and techniques. There will also be extensive instruction on how to use electronics better. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned veteran, you are sure to pick up knowledge and tips during Crappie University that you can use to catch more fish.

You can register through Louisiana Delta Community College by calling: 318-345-9278.

And the good news is, there’s no homework! But, you’ll probably leave ready to hook up the boat and head out to the nearest lake to practice what you’ve learned.