Question:  Brad Whitehead, top notch crappie guide from Muscle Shoals, AL is known for catching loads of crappie year round. Brad, do you have any New Year’s resolutions for your crappie fishing next year?

Whitehead: My New Year’s resolution is to work on my versatility and not go to the lake with preconceived ideas about how I’m going to catch fish. I’ve always been a deep water fisherman and I used to go to the lake with the intention that I was only going to fish in my regular pattern. Sometimes I’d go home with less fish or smaller fish than I would if I had fished a different pattern.

This year I’ve swapped boat brands and the War Eagle that I have now is more versatile than any other boat I’ve owned. I can still fish deep when I need to but I can also pull crankbaits, long line troll, shoot docks and also use a single pole to jig for shallow fish. My resolution is to become better at all these different tactics. B’n’M plays a big part in that too because they make over a dozen different types of fishing rods to fit all of these different crappie fishing tactics. I’m going to work on being more proficient with all of these tactics.

Question: From behind the counter at Grizzly Jig Company, Caruthersville, MO native and crappie pro Wade Mansfield sees the latest and greatest innovations for the crappie angler and has two of them at the top of his Christmas wish list. Wade, what’s on your Christmas list this year?

Mansfield: At the top the list would have to be one of the Humminbird 1197 Side Imaging units.  These things are awesome in the detail that they can show you in one pass through an area. There’s been a lot of guys learning to use these units and it is becoming tough to out-fish somebody who knows how to use one.

The other thing would be one of Minn Kota’s new i-Pilot wireless GPS trolling accessories. The Minn Kota reps were in the store this fall doing some demonstrations and these things are pretty cool as well. The i-Pilot ties into your GPS unit and will control the trolling motor to keep you right on top of a brushpile, channel break, or any other point that you have programmed into your GPS unit. All you have to do is lock it onto a GPS waypoint and it will take care of the boat positioning for you.

Question: Whitey Outlaw of St. Matthews, SC is a longtime B’n’M pro staffer and fishes all across the country on the Crappie Masters and Crappie USA trails. Whitey, what would you like to see happen in the upcoming season?

Outlaw:  I wish more people could be a part of the camaraderie and fellowship that we have on these crappie trails. I thank God for the year we’ve had and I’m looking forward to another good year. It looks like we’re going to have lots of water to fish in this spring with all the rains we’ve had across the country. We’ve gotten a good bit of water here at Santee and that has really helped us out. I really like high, muddy water for crappie fishing, I guess just because I’ve always done well fishing in those conditions. Hopefully, we won’t get too many cold fronts this spring and that will make for some great crappie fishing and we’ll have some big stringers of fish to weigh in.

Question:  Ronnie Capps from Tiptonville, TN is a well known crappie fisherman and together with his partner Steve Coleman has won a number of National titles. Ronnie has a knack for catching big fish using innovative tactics. Ronnie, what could you do in 2010 to catch any bigger fish than you already have?

Capps:  I put this on my Christmas wish list and gave it to my wife Kelly. I want to mount one of those big saltwater fighting chairs to the rear deck of my boat. Last March, Kelly and I and Brad Whitehead hooked up with the biggest crappie I have ever laid eyes on. It was at least ten feet long and weighed probably 800 pounds. We fought it to a draw last spring down at Lake Weiss, Alabama on one of B’n’M’s pro staff trolling rods with 8 pound test Vicious line but the hook pulled loose right at the boat. I figure I’m going to need a fighting chair to get that monster in. (A big smile spreads across his face and you get the impression he’s seriously considering the chair.) Hey, ya’ll have a Merry Christmas and come see us !!!