Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 24, 1991 TAG: 9102250387
SECTION: BOAT SHOW PAGE: 13 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bill Cochran
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
The unpretentious crappie finally is getting some attention. Crappie tournaments. Crappie boats. Respect.
The boat show will spotlight several boats rigged especially for crappie fishermen. Call them "speck specials" if you wish.
Like their big-brother bass boats, they have features that make it easier and more comfortable to locate and catch crappie. What they don't have is a bass boat price tag.
Examples will include the Spectrum 1509 Crappie in the Bay Roc Marina and Yacht Club display. The up-front console, which affords excellent visibility when looking for crappie cover, folds under to become part of the casting platform once you reach your fishing hole.
Advantage Marine will show the Crappie Pro 150 and Crappie Pro 160 by MonArk. The 15-foot 150 is tiller-steered while the 16-foot 160 has a now-you-see-it, now-you-don't console that folds into a casting platform.
Naturally these craft have no aversion to chasing species other than crappie.
"I think they will be attractive to the weekend fisherman, the family fisherman, the guy and his son, people who fish Carvins Cove," said Bay Roc's George Welch.
"I think people in our area are buying them because of their deep-bottom style," said Mike Fielder of Advantage Marine. "People feel stable when they are sitting down in them."
Advantage will sponsor a Zebco U.S. Crappie tournament on Smith Mountain Lake April 27-June 10. One tagged crappie will be worth $25,000, Fielder said.
by CNB