Written by Capt. Ron Presley | 30 January 2016
The games we play – Float-n-fly for crappie
Alabama crappie guide Lee Pitts refers to crappie fishing as a game you play with the fish. He often plays the game on Neely Henry Lake near Gadsden, AL. “Some days you go out there and you can’t do any wrong,” said Pitts. “Other days you get out there and they show you its not that easy. Nevertheless, it is always fun. With crappie fishing I can take someone that’s never even fished and they still catch crappie. They get to enjoy the feel of the fish hitting the line and see the rods load up. I get a kick out of seeing them have fun.”
Neely Henry is a 11,235-acre lake on the Coosa River. It was built in 1966 by Alabama Power Company to provide hydroelectric power and recreation. “Neely is mainly a river system,” explained Pitts. “There are several little rivers that hook up with the Coosa. Canoe Creek and Shoal Creek are good examples. Both are great spawning areas for crappie. Not only spawning spots, but crappie will also summer there too because of the good deep water. Those creeks will hold crappie in the spring and fall, year after year.”
The day I fished with Pitts the weather threw us a curve ball by turning cold and windy. “Don’t worry,” advised Pitts. “One of the benefits of Neely is the wind breaks that exist naturally.” The main body of the lake is narrow and it meanders through the countryside creating numerous areas to hide from windy conditions. Read the rest over on florida-guides.com