Crappie University instructors and topics change annually. Even if a Crappie U class was held at the same location last year, an all-new curriculum is slated for this year. Please see current locations, instructors and topics here.
Crappie Fishing’s Newest Insights 2025 consists of 3 course nights, with each class covering a different topic and taught by a different instructor. All instructors are crappie fishing guides and/or crappie fishing experts. Instruction is taught in a classroom setting and includes multimedia presentations and hands-on demonstrations. Sessions are relevant to waters and techniques for in and around the Indiana region. Each class concludes with a Q&A opportunity.
Tom Hankins lives in Mooresville, IN, and considers his home waters to be Monroe Lake, Lake Cataract and Lake Lemon. He developed a passion for fishing at an early age when his family lived in Illinois and traveled every year to Minnesota for two weeks of fishing and where crappie dominated their catches. He spends most of his water time now learning more about the species through use of forward-facing sonar, often fishing-slow from a kayak. He says one thing he’s learned for sure, “crappie are everywhere!”
Doug Sikora of Noblesville, IN, is as good a boat crappie angler as there is in the country, but he's also passionate about fishing through the ice for the species. Whether from the boat or on foot, Doug can do it all, and he’s one of the best crappie fishing communicators in the business as to what works to catch crappie and why. That’s why his nickname to those who know him best is “The Crappie Professor.”
The only thing Eureka, MO, angler Jim Dant likes as much as catching crappie, is teaching other anglers how to catch the species. Although he lives near St. Louis, his passion for crappie fishing has given him several “home” lakes and therefore a treasure chest of fish-catching knowledge for a variety of conditions and waters, including Lake of the Ozarks, Lake of Egypt, Carlyle Lake and Reelfoot. He fishes year-round for the species, but especially likes the winter timeframe. He loves “reading” the water and creek channels, stump beds and lily pads really get him excited.
Advancements in sonar technology prove crappie roam, eat and live in more places than just around brush piles, docks and bridges, and we’re talking big numbers of the species occupying areas elsewhere. So, kick old habits and open your eyes and mind to expand your fishing locations and skills. The 2025 Tulsa Tech Owasso instructor lineup is the perfect combination of expertise to put you on the fast track to this new era of crappie fishing and heightened success.
Brady Coyle has literally observed crappie behavior from every imaginable perspective. Learn from the collective knowledge the angler/diver has acquired over countless hours spent above and below the surface watching the species. See underwater video, hear about big crappie positioning, understand what light penetration does to color and so much more Also get the inside scoop on oft-overlooked crappie hideouts.
New-age electronics are amazing tools for crappie anglers, but only if you know how to use yours. Three longtime anglers team up to help explain the ins and outs of choosing, installing, using and deciphering electronics in understandable explanations and demonstrations. Included is dialing in the use of forward-facing sonar..
One of crappie fishing's true pioneers, Todd Huckabee had an inherit understanding of the species behavior long before affirmation by today's advanced sonar. Every crappie angler will benefit from Todd's presentation on crappie movements through every season, with a focus on Oklahoma's lakes.
