Wade Mansfield has had a good year on the Crappie Master Tournament Trail. When fishing or hunting is not on his schedule, you're likely to find him at the Grizzly Jig Company store where he is part owner in his dad's business. His laid-back style mixed with hard work and a burning desire for success gives him an edge whether it's in business, fishing or personal life.
Along with some top-ten finishes this year, he has been tough on big fish having one runner-up fish and two big-fish wins. At this writing, Wade and partner Steve Preuett are in third place in the points race. Sponsors include: MinnKota; Humminbird; Perotti Bilt; Grizzly Jig and MonsterCrappie.com.
Fishin'
Wade is like many other tournament fishermen…he'll do whatever it takes to catch fish. He'll vertical jig at Truman and Rend, fish weeds at Hot Springs and slow-trolls at every lake where water and fish movements allow. His years of experience on Reelfoot Lake and the Mississippi River helped to give him experience at vegetation, trees, shallow/deep waters and current.
What about vertical jigging?
"Depends upon where my partner and I are fishing. When going deeper than ten feet we'll usually start with a jig on the bottom with back-to-back worm weights 12- to 18-inches up from the jig. The two weights will let us go straight up and down with fewer hang-ups. They'll also add a pop that I think helps attract the fish."
"Sometimes it's best to use just a jig without the weights. Using nothing above the jig allows a bass sinker with a clip added to be snapped to the line, dropped down to a hung-up jig and knock it free. That works most of the time to free the jig. It saves having to re-tie or messing up the spot with the disturbance of breaking off."
Wade will tip with Nibbles but also relies heavily on minnows. He believes that when fishing is really tough, a minnow or jig/minnow combination is the way to go.
I've fished with several jig fishermen, but Wade is one the most patient I've seen. He'll work every inch of cover and give the fish plenty of time to bite. He'll work all depths until he finds the right zone. He says that keeping the jig above the fish is critical for the maximum number of bites.
Got any jig tips?
"The bait size depends upon the season and lake. For example, at Lake of the Ozarks, the fish only wanted very large baits. It was Joe Meyer who mentioned during the weigh-in that they, too, went to big baits because they had seen big four inch shad on top of the water. So bait size is important so you've got to change to match what the fish are eating at the time."
"Plastic or feathers is another choice to make. I like plastic when searching because it's easy to change colors until I find what they want. If I find that the fish like a black/chartreuse plastic jig, then I might go to a feather jig of the same color just to see if they like it better."
"I use our 1/32-ounce Grizzly jig a lot in the spring. I'll use a 14-foot pole, pitch the jig to the bank and pull it back to me so it falls really slow. If fish are there I'll soon learn what depth or distance from the bank. This jig works great up to three feet deep."
"The fish were shallow and the water muddy this year at Grenada. I run the small jigs under floats on my trolling poles. It makes it easy to run parallel to the bank mixing jig depths at one, two and three feet deep. To go a little deeper all that's required is to add a split-shot to one of the light jigs."
What about the 20-foot poles you run?
"Those are the BnM Slow Troller poles. They get the baits further away from the boat and you spook fewer fish. Whether by trolling motor noise or by sight, crappie can be easily spooked so the long pole are an advantage. For example, two-foot flats make it difficult to get a boat in without spooking the fish so the poles help you reach out."
"Long poles are not easy to use. They're hard to maneuver. Hang-ups are a pain. Hook sets can be really difficult."
He also will use standard length jigging poles in the Grizzly Elite Signature, BnM and Wally Marshall brands.
Whether trolling or vertical jigging, you're often targeting cover?
"Woods and McIntire are excellent examples of what cover will do. They work hard putting out structure in a lot of different lakes. They can do good in the north or the south. They are consistently good on the lakes where the fish are holding out on the stakebeds. It's the same with Capps and Coleman and several other top teams."
"Earlier we had discussed the O-No Hang plastic structures we sell at the store. I don't think it has anything to do with what type structure it is but rather the fact it is structure. The O-No Hang is no different than placing a brushpile, driving stakes or a Christmas tree. If it is in the right spot in the right season it will work. It's great for the weekend angler and to use around docks. Once the tournament guys figure out how to use it and figure it's worth it to them, then they'll pay for them because they know they are worth the money. Their biggest advantages are that they are easy to carry, quick to assemble and drop, and you won't hang-up hooks like wood does. They are just another tool a fisherman can use."
Tournament Fishing
Why do you fish tournaments?
"The biggest advantage for me is learning a lot of new techniques. Most fishermen use a version of slow trolling or spider rigging. Capps and Coleman always gets credit for perfecting that and a lot of people use some form of their technique."
"Roger Gant runs several jigs per line and trolls sideways. Chains and crankbaits…if I wasn't tournament fishing a lot of those things I would never see. Tournaments allow me to learn."
"Another thing about tournament that's sometimes the weather is bad. It might be snowing or have forty mile-per-hour winds. It can be really tough. I'm a new guy on the circuit so any time I'm in the top 20 I feel that it is a respectable finish. If you can beat fishermen on their home lake you've really done something."
"Everyone studies maps. So when I go to a new lake I've already picked spots to fish. If I pull into a spot I've picked and there are two or three good fishermen on or near the spot that tells me that I'm probably doing something right."
Other advantages Wade says little about is the fact that going to tournaments helps him in his business. Fishermen are seeing that the Grizzly Jig Company not only directly supports the trail as a sponsor but they further support by participating in the tournaments (both Wade and his dad, Louie). Fishermen know they can call their store to get good advice on fishing and fishing products. A fisherman can save a few dollars at an X-Mart but you can't get a salesperson with the experience, knowledge and guideance you'll get by shopping at Grizzly.
Wade is qualified for the Crappie Master Classic with partner Steve Preuett from Union City, TN. They both live near Reelfoot Lake. When Steve has had other obligations, Wade has fished alone in several tournaments and one tournament with another partner.
Final Note
Wade Mansfield is a good example of a class act. He's a Git-r-Done type person who's glad to help others. On the water, he practices what he preaches. But everyone beware, don't let the mild manner and kindness fool you…on tournament day he'll be trying his best to bring the biggest weight to the scales.
