Master Power Trolling for Crappie with the Master

September 11, 2026

Through the years, the tactic of using crankbaits to catch crappie on Mississippi reservoirs has stood the test of time. What started out as old timers using sawed off bamboo poles to swim wooden plugs in front of hungry fish has evolved into a complex array that incorporates planer boards, heavy metal sinkers, and high-density graphite rods and power trolling for crappie was born.

In the modern era, no one has put more thought, and more time into the art of power trolling than B’n’M ambassador Les Smith. Some may know Smith from our  insider’s view of his crappie fishing compound. This time we’ll get into the nuts and bolts of his fishing system for crappie.

“Power trolling is a great tactic that has stood the test of time,” said Smith. “It’s pretty much all I do from May to October, but it really shines during the late summer months of August, September and October when crappie gather in big schools out in open water on our lakes.”

Smith has honed the power trolling technique into two schools. Pushing crankbaits off the front of the boat and pulling another set out to the side of the boat using planer boards to provide a wider spread. Interestingly, Smith runs both of these set-ups at the same time from his 23-foot Skeeter center-console bay boat.

POWER TROLLING CRAPPIE TACKLE

On the bow of the boat, his set-up resembles the more traditional facets of power trolling. He deploys up to six 20-foot B’n’M Pro Staff Trolling Rods rigged with 3-ounce weights to keep the lines as close to perpendicular as possible in the water while trolling at 1.7 miles per hour.

The rods are held firmly in place under the pressure using adjustable Driftmaster rod holders. On the business end of the line, he alternates baits between a variety of baits, including sometimes double jig combinations of Crappie Magnet products line Fin Spins with Slab Curly tails as well as his crankbaits. A 36-volt trolling motor provides the propulsion.

“I’ll troll Picos, Bandits, Strike King crankbaits as well as a whole host of custom-made crankbaits painted in colors specifically targeted for crappie,” he said.

POWER TROLLING APPLICATION

Smith uses the log B’n’M Poles to adjust his power trolling depth. He prefers to target fish just off the bottom, so if he’s fishing in 18 feet of water, he’ll pull off 18 feet from the rod tip to the weight. Behind the weight is a length of leader with either the jig combo or a crankbait. In this fashion, he ensures the baits stay in the strike zone.

Smith’s back-of-the-boat tactics have seen more renovation over time than the front. In recent years and through his close association with Church Tackle, he’s begun using the manufacturer’s planer boards in conjunction with Pico crankbaits to target fish that didn’t go for any of the front offerings. He’s also applied some walleye fishing tactics he’s learned from his friend Jim Churchill of Church’s Tackle.

At the base of his rear configuration are rod trees manufactured by Millenium Marine for just such occasion.

“These rod trees are game changers for me,” said Smith. “I run the planer boards from the B’n’M Gunner rod. It’s actually a catfish rod, but it’s got the right blend of strength and backbone for this kind of fishing. The rods are 7 feet which is great for controlling the boards.”

For the crankbaits on the rear of the boat, he’ll let out 120 and 140 feet of line respectively from his Okuma line counter reels. The diving depths will vary based on the type of crankbait he’s using, but that’s generally where he wants to be, and the fish will often make some last second depth adjustments to intercept the baits when the cranks pass by.

WHERE TO POWER TROLL FOR CRAPPIE

As far as where he’s at on the lakes, Smith said he targets mostly points and ledges that stick out into the deep water flats of Sardis, Enid , and Grenada Lakes, but he’s seen the same tactics work on other big crappie lakes around the country.

“There’s no timber to speak of where I’m fishing, which is the deeper end of the lakes towards the dam. I do have to dodge a few brush piles,” he said, “but the whole time I’m in the front, I’m using forward-facing sonar to both watch for obstacles that could potentially hang the lines and for schools of fish to steer into.”

Smith said on any given day, there’s a definite zone. When he runs out of fish on the sonar, he simply hauls the boat around and heads back the other way. This system allows him to not only search through a lot of water, but also hone in on the best areas and make repeated passes through the higher percentage zones, making for consist crappie fishing with power trolling even at times when crappie fishing seems hit or miss to others.

Article written by Phillip Gentry

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