Angler Earns Black Crappie Specialist Badge in One Afternoon

Congratulations to Angelina Paterson! Her Master Angler black crappie action photo was selected as the winner of the May edition of the 12 Months of Master Angler photo contest.

She has won a $1000 gift card to Cabela’s along with a pile of awesome HuntFishMB gear.

Birds of a feather flock together. The old adage can be appropriately applied to Master Angler-sized black crappie in Manitoba. On several bodies of water, particularly in the Eastern Region of the province, anglers can target these scrappy schooling fish to great success. If you are fortunate to hook into a slab 12 inch plus specimen, chances are there are several more trophy fish swimming around nearby that are ready to take your offering as well.

Angler Angelina Paterson experienced one of these such outings recently targeting black crappie on South Cross Lake. “We caught quite a few crappies that day actually. I used a slip bobber and a small pink Fuzz-e-grub to catch all of them.” When I mentioned that earning a Specialist Badge (five Master Angler fish of the same species) in one day was a commendable achievement, Angelina beamed that it was an incredible trip. She did mention however that it was quite possibly a feat that she had already accomplished a few times before but had never entered catches into the program before now.

“My boyfriend, who is an avid Master Angler, finally convinced me to submit my next qualifying catches into the program.” Her and regular fishing partner Chris Benias (who has 33 MA black crappie to his name) target crappie on the Caddy Lake chain quite often. “They are a fun fish to catch and small enough that I can take the hook out myself,” Angelina laughed.

The couple take the #ExploreMB motto to heart camping and fishing at new places every summer across the province. They along with their one-year-old sidekick Ernie visited Paint Lake and Wekusko Falls Provincial Parks in the Northern Region last season. “We have a trip planned to camp at Clearwater Provincial Park in a yurt this year. Hopefully I can catch a Master Angler lake trout while we’re up there.”

When asked what she had planned for the $1000 Cabela’s gift card, Angelina said that she’s had her eye on a big Yeti cooler, “They are quite expensive, but now with this prize I think I’m finally going to get one. And Chris of course will get a cut… just a small cut to buy some more fishing gear.”