I am fortunate in that years ago I discovered a lake in my home state of South Carolina that is immune to the elements of rain, cold, ice or even drought. It is a deep, clear mountain lake with a bottom that’s some 300 feet below the surface. The lake is named Jocassee after the legend of a Cherokee Indian maiden. There may be a crappie or two in Jocassee but I’ve never seen one. What does swim in Jocassee’s gin clear waters are schools of hefty rainbow and brown trout-some of which may weigh upwards to 6 or 8 pounds. The caveat to this winter weather-immune fishery is that any mono line greater than 6 pound test looks like anchor rope to these fish.

So here’s the alternative. When other lakes close by are inhospitable due to cold, muddy water, I crappie fish for trout. Obviously there are some variations that have to take place to catch a 17 inch trout in a 300 foot deep lake but not many.

One of the great things about B’n’M rods, especially our Pro Staff Trolling Rods or the  new Buck’s Gold Jig Poles, is that they can handle a 2 ounce weight with no problem. Another benefit is that these rods are designed to be fished with light line so 6 pound test is standard fare. Simply replace the 2 – 2 1/2 inch shiner minnows that you’d normally put on your crappie hooks with a 3 ½ to 4 inch minnow and you’re in business. A few years ago, B’n’M pro staff manager Kent Driscoll introduced me to the utility of line counter baitcast reels for trolling crankbaits for crappie. These same line counter reels are invaluable for placing live baits at depths of 40, 60, or even 80 feet deep when “tightlining” for trout.

At first and last light, especially near the hydro station where overnight power generation turns baitfish into chop suey, long line trolling live bait with our redesigned Buck’s Graphite jig poles can produce some really big trout that move to within 20 or 30 feet of the surface to feed until daylight sends them back to the depths. It’s hard to describe the exhilaration of having a 5 pound brown trout bend a 12 foot ultra-lite crappie pole double in your hands and then swim back and forth 60 feet below you in water clear enough to see the fish grinning back at you.

There is even a night fishing version of crappie fishing for trout that takes place on the harshest and coldest nights. A trout’s backward wiring makes it giddy with hunger late at night during the winter. Using Hydro-Glow lights, baitfish are drawn to the surface on moonless nights and are followed by packs of trout. By staggering live and cut baits below an anchored boat, the B’n’M rods with the new flourescent replacement tips can fill a limit in a hurry.

This winter when things seem their worst as far as weather and water conditions go, consider the alternative. While B’n’M makes the best crappie poles on the market, we also make some of the most versatile rods available, especially when light line or shock absorbing power, or night time visibility are needed in order for you to do your version of crappie fishing for your alternative fish species.

To try B’nM new products for 2010, including Buck’s Gold Jig Pole, our fluorescent replacement tip sections, or the redesigned Original Buck’s Graphite Jig Pole, contact your local B’n’M dealer or visit our website at www.bnmpoles.com