Haidusek & Howard Win
National Crappie League Tournament at Toledo Bend
The National Crappie League visited Toledo Bend, Many, Louisiana, for an Open Division, two-day national qualifier tournament on June 24 & 25, 2023. The fishermen faced 104-degree, humid, extreme heat and bright sunshine but found plenty of cooperative fish, allowing a five-fish limit each day.
The HH Rods and Reels Team of Frank Haidusek of Kansas, and Eric Howard of Florida, took the first-day lead and continued the good fishing into day two of the competition to win by 1.73 pounds. Day one weight for five fish was 9.84 pounds, day two 9.46, for a ten-fish total of 19.30 pounds to win $7,400. They also had big fish of the tournament with a 2.43-pound slab worth $2000. They earned a total of $9,400.
Haidusek and Howard fished mid-lake using Pro Tuff and other baits. During pre-fishing wthey were targeting black crappie but had no success, so they switched to white crappie. Sometimes luck is luck, and sometimes luck comes from hard work. They got lucky and found their fish on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. They decided to focus all their efforts on that one area. Most of their fish came from 15 to 20 feet of water on a creek channel. The key was being in the right place at the right time. Day one fish were caught from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and day two crappie were caught by 7:30 a.m.
Hayden Jeffries and Dan Jeffries of Brandon, Mississippi, took second place with 17.57 pounds to win $3,200. This team pre-fished 15 to 35 feet deep water, looking for big white crappie but didn’t find them. They said the fish they caught weren’t pressured, but there weren’t enough big fish there to win.
Second Place Winners
Fourth Place Winners
