If you had told us a year ago that we would be running crappie tournaments today, I highly doubt that any of us would have believed you. Owning a crappie trail was never in our book of plans, nor was it something that we had ever even spoken of. We love to fish recreationally and in tournaments, but running one? No way, not us! And then, less than 30 days ago, something happened….something very big happened. This is our story.
It is no secret that the crappie industry has taken a turn in the past few years that has affected not only the anglers, but the trails and companies that support it (mainly the local tackle shops). At the end of 2023, K & M Coffee, Corks and Camo, the largest tackle shop on Lake D’arbonne (#3 crappie destination in the country) announced that they were closing their sporting goods down due to lack of business. I was floored…I was hurt for them because they have always been so supportive of the crappie industry. How does this happen? This bothered me then and it still bothers me now. We also lost one the only remaining local trails unexpectedly. Between the two, this ignited a fire inside of me that ultimately resulted in the birth of S.H.I.P. Enterprises, LLC.
S.H.I.P. Enterprises, L.L.C. was brought to life for the sole purpose of bringing the competitive crappie anglers of North Louisiana and South Arkansas back together. The foundation of our organization is based on four simple principles: Sportsmanship, Honor, Integrity, and Professionalism. Our mission is to form a trail that welcomes everyone from youth to adult, from professionals to the average everyday angler, and does so in a manner which promotes locally owned businesses as well.
One way that we wanted to be different was to allow the members an opportunity to be a part of the building blocks that formed our base. We held a meeting on January 27th and all members who were present were provided a ballot, and we voted on lakes, dates, rules, and the club name: Pelican Crappie Club. We had 32 members present and as we ate lunch, I sat back and just looked at the crowd…it was awesome! No arguing or bickering, no tension, no complaining…just a bunch of people who love to fish in the same room building something great together. We have members who have placed on the national level, some who have never fished a crappie tournament, and some who don’t even have a Livescope. We are truly a club for everyone. We hope that you will join us, either as a member, sponsor, or just a spectator.
