While most of the attention in the freshwater fishing world goes to the bass fishing community, another group is filling up local waterways just the same.
During most weekday mornings, you'll find a group of retirees at Great American Coffee Roasters on Magnolia Avenue talking shop about their favorite hobby — speck fishing. You'll hear words like "spider rigging" and "skipper jigs."
Specks, also known as speckled perch, or maybe more commonly known as crappie, rarely bring in the trophy catch like a bass does. The record black crappie in Florida weighed in at just 3.83 pounds, while a big catch is considered 14 inches or 2 pounds.
Vernon Hopkins, 78, John Blackstock, 68, John Townsend, 70, and Larry Wood, 74, are four from the group of seven or eight who meet at the coffee shop who venture out on local waterways a couple times a week in search of the delicious speck. "There is not a better tasting freshwater fish," Hopkins said.
The group spider rigs Crescent Lake, Lake George, Lake Lochloosa and the St. Johns River among others. Like the legs of a spider, sometimes as many as four poles on each side are cast into the water — each at different lengths — with jigs, minnows and other baits to try and lure in a school of specks. Pushing refers to casting in front of the boat, while pulling refers to casting in the rear and trolling forward so the bait makes its way over a school of active crappie.
"Both (pushing and pulling) are a lot more fun than working," Hopkins joked.
An angler is allowed to have 25 specks on board in a day. The group rarely goes home without their limit.
While the group of retirees fish specks for pleasure, statewide tournaments have become popular in recent years as the Florida Crappie Club has grown since its inception three years ago.
"The elusiveness of the fish is what makes it so fun," FCC secretary Harold McGhee said. "I believe the speck is tougher to find than a bass."
The FCC holds 20 tournaments a year culminating with the Crescent Lake Classic in December. In order to qualify for the Classic, anglers must attend at least four other events throughout the year.
The last tournament was held at Lake Okeechobee on April 27. Leesburg's Darryl and Terri Cole finished first with a seven-fish bag weighing an even 8 pounds. Darryl Cole is the president of the FCC. McGhee reported that the Coles spider rigged in 12- to 15-foot waters with Wally Marshall rods and orange, chartreuse skipper jigs tipped with minnows.
The next tournament is Saturday at Lake Monroe. Registration starts at 5:45 a.m. with poles in the water at 7. Lake Monroe is located north of Orlando. Take exit 104 off I-4 to get to the ramp. The cost is $60 per boat of two anglers or $50 if fishing alone. Call McGhee at 813-215-9759 for more information.
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Contact Ted Beck at ted.beck@starbanner.com to contribute story ideas for this weekly column.
Speck fishing becoming increasingly popularBy Ted Beck Ocala.comMay 8, 2013 12:34 PMWhile most of the attention in the freshwater fishing world goes to the bass fishing community, another group is filling up local waterways just the same.
During most weekday mornings, you'll find a group of retirees at Great American Coffee Roasters on Magnolia Avenue talking shop about their favorite hobby — speck fishing. You'll hear words like "spider rigging" and "skipper jigs."
Specks, also known as speckled perch, or maybe more commonly known as crappie, rarely bring in the trophy catch like a bass does. The record black crappie in Florida weighed in at just 3.83 pounds, while a big catch is considered 14 inches or 2 pounds.
Vernon Hopkins, 78, John Blackstock, 68, John Townsend, 70, and Larry Wood, 74, are four from the group of seven or eight who meet at the coffee shop who venture out on local waterways a couple times a week in search of the delicious speck. "There is not a better tasting freshwater fish," Hopkins said.
The group spider rigs Crescent Lake, Lake George, Lake Lochloosa and the St. Johns River among others. Like the legs of a spider, sometimes as many as four poles on each side are cast into the water — each at different lengths — with jigs, minnows and other baits to try and lure in a school of specks. Pushing refers to casting in front of the boat, while pulling refers to casting in the rear and trolling forward so the bait makes its way over a school of active crappie.
"Both (pushing and pulling) are a lot more fun than working," Hopkins joked.
An angler is allowed to have 25 specks on board in a day. The group rarely goes home without their limit.
While the group of retirees fish specks for pleasure, statewide tournaments have become popular in recent years as the Florida Crappie Club has grown since its inception three years ago.
"The elusiveness of the fish is what makes it so fun," FCC secretary Harold McGhee said. "I believe the speck is tougher to find than a bass."
The FCC holds 20 tournaments a year culminating with the Crescent Lake Classic in December. In order to qualify for the Classic, anglers must attend at least four other events throughout the year.
The last tournament was held at Lake Okeechobee on April 27. Leesburg's Darryl and Terri Cole finished first with a seven-fish bag weighing an even 8 pounds. Darryl Cole is the president of the FCC. McGhee reported that the Coles spider rigged in 12- to 15-foot waters with Wally Marshall rods and orange, chartreuse skipper jigs tipped with minnows.
The next tournament is Saturday at Lake Monroe. Registration starts at 5:45 a.m. with poles in the water at 7. Lake Monroe is located north of Orlando. Take exit 104 off I-4 to get to the ramp. The cost is $60 per boat of two anglers or $50 if fishing alone. Call McGhee at 813-215-9759 for more information.
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Contact Ted Beck at ted.beck@starbanner.com to contribute story ideas for this weekly column.
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