Over the past decade or so crappie fishing has been evolving faster than we can learn. All the techniques and tackle, along with advancements in electronics, can make crappie fishing tough to keep up with. Crappie fishing has grown tremendously during this time and many new people have started enjoying it and are just starting out.

This recruitment is nice for the industry and for the many friends and connections made through fishing. For those just joining us in the fun and excitement that crappie fishing brings, welcome. From new anglers that just started fishing to those anglers that have pursued crappie all their lives, there is always something new to learn. Whether it be crappie habits and movements, lure size and color, or how to set up your electronics to find more fish, there’s plenty to learn for everyone these days.

Thankfully there is a new school in town, and it is the perfect way to flatten that learning curve and use the lessons on your home waters. The school is the Brushpile Fishing Academy. Most of you are probably familiar with Brushpile Fishing with Russ Bailey. Brushpile fishing’s mission has always been to educate anglers about crappie fishing through their YouTube videos and website. Now Russ Bailey and the gang have teamed up to take it one step further with their Brushpile Fishing Academy.

I have been fortunate to be a part of Brushpile Fishing media camps since they started them several years ago. I can tell you that there was never a shortage of learning going on at those camps. You can learn plenty just from conversations around the dinner table listening to some of the best crappie anglers around. Now, with the academy, there are even more professional crappie guides and tournament anglers, many that you probably know about, available for questions and lessons for all attendees.

When you attend a Brushpile Fishing Academy you get classroom instructions as well as on the water lessons that can help you catch more crappie. The instructors are avid crappie anglers, and many do it for a living. To have this much knowledge in one room is great. They can help you with anything from how to tie a loop knot to setting up your electronics from the comfort of your recliner before a day of fishing. The focus is not only on the complexities of crappie fishing but also the simple lessons needed to get started and help you catch more crappie.

I was fortunate enough to attend the very first academy last year on Green River Lake and while the fishing was tough the attendees had a blast. The comradery is a big part of getting a group of like-minded people together and hanging out and enjoying a few days of fishing. There is no shortage of laughs great stories and this is a big part of the academy. That and excellent food makes it all worth it.

One of the instructors at the Green River Lake Academy last year was Steve Coleman. Most people interested in crappie fishing has heard of Steve Coleman. Steve has 8 national championships, and more than 75 tournament wins on the crappie trails. As you can imagine Steve had plenty of lessons to share and answers to many questions asked. Steve also had many stories from the past. From being a little boy going fishing and just maybe missing the bus to school on occasion to some of the tactics he and his partner Ronnie Capps used to win so many tournaments. The stories alone were worth the price of admission.

One lesson Steve shared was for tournament anglers. He told us that in order to beat your competition you must work a little harder. Whether staying out there when the weather is tough or getting up earlier than your competition, it always pays to work a little harder. I took Steve’s advice on the getting up a little earlier than your competition in my very first crappie tournament. I was fishing the Old Hickory Shootout on Old Hickory Lake just a few days after the academy and I had a few days of practice before the tournament. I got up that first morning of practice at 3:30am. I wanted to get to the boat ramp before daylight and utilize all of the daylight available for practice.

It was a little bit of a drive to get to a small boat ramp clear up the river probably 30 miles from where the tournament was launching. I parked my truck and was enjoying my cup of coffee with plenty of time before the sun came up. It wasn’t 5 minutes when I was surprised to see a boat pull in behind me this early. I noticed it was Steve Coleman. I hopped out of the truck and Steve said with a laugh “what you doing here?” “Beating my competition to the boat ramp.” I said jokingly. To be honest I thought the drive was going to take a little longer than it did, or I would not have got up that early and Steve would have been long gone.

It is amazing what little things make a big difference. By reading magazine articles and going to classes like the Brushpile Fishing Academy, there can be one sentence or story that might seem obvious but never came to mind until that moment. Time on the water is vital to figuring out any species of fish that you want to pursue. The experience of time on the water is worth a lot, but when coupled with information from others that do it all the time, it becomes priceless.

If you would like to learn more about the Brushpile Fishing Academy check out their website at https://academy.brushpilefishing.com/home and sign up or get on a waiting list. There are two academies, one in the spring and another in the fall. Learn from the best and maybe I’ll meet you there.

Ken McBroom

Ken McBroom is a freelance outdoor writer/ photographer and outdoor columnist for Kentucky Living Magazine. Ken lives in Kentucky. For more outdoors visit Ken’s website, Rambling Angler Outdoors, at www.ramblingangler.com