By Julian Higuera | Reporter
Greg Culverhouse, aka the “Crappie King,” is a fishing guide and premier fishing charter in the Waco area. He has been at it for over 15 years, giving professionals the best tips for fishing in any local body of water, especially for crappie.
According to him, the love for crappie all started with the first bite.
“I have a passion for fishing, no matter what species it is,” Culverhouse said. “Once I tasted a crappie, the catfish, the white bass and any other kind of fish, I just pushed them aside. I focused on the crappie because they are heavenly on the table.”
Ever since then, for anything involving crappie, he’s your guide: what they eat, what eats them, where to find them in a lake.
His fishing guides are available at crappie-king.com. Customers can book the Crappie King for a day on the boat, touring the waters and reeling in crappie or any freshwater fish in the area.
The tour costs vary depending on how many people per party. According to the website, the price for two people is $350, with each trip usually lasting four to five hours. Attendees are asked to bring a cooler for the fish, but the Crappie King provides the equipment.
Most importantly, participants need to bring a valid fishing license.
Overall, according to Culverhouse, the tour is for anyone interested in fishing, whether they are professionals seeking the best spots, newcomers looking to learn the ropes or even families looking to get their kids on the water.
“If you want to catch a lot of fish and want to have a really good adventure and make some memories that’ll last a lifetime, book a trip with me because it is well worth it,” Culverhouse said.
Culverhouse also invented a special kind of fish bait for crappies called “Crappie King Cakes.” According to Culverhouse, the cakes are perfect for catching crappie because good bait is not about the fish eating it, but about attracting them to it.
“What I do is I put the cakes on that location, and it brings the food to them,” Culverhouse said. “It’s the tiny fish, the minnows, they smell that and they actually eat it … it’s kind of like Uber or DoorDash. The cakes bring the food for the crappie to the crappie’s house.”
The “Crappie King Cakes” originated from an old family technique that he used to watch when he was young, before technology like sonars were invented.
“They would put this stuff in a big tote sack and drop it down in the water, and they would fish in that one spot,” Culverhouse said. “They would catch a whole tremendous amount of fish. So, being a guide, I started dabbling with it.”
Now, “Crappie King Cakes” are available on his website, where a five-count pack costs $29.95.
His fishing guides are a big part of the itinerary, but he also works with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, where the Crappie King does weekly fishing reports for Lake Limestone and Lake Waco.
Culverhouse has dedicated his life not only to mastering the art of fishing but also to helping others, with him stating he’s on the water with clients up to five times a week, depending on the time of year. However, he wants more people to fish.
Fairfax Va., freshman James Hunter, a novice fisher whose only been on the water a few times, said that everyone can benefit from a mentor.
“I think I would spend a lot of time with a professional, to gain experience, to do it the right way,” Hunter said.
That’s where the Crappie King comes in; he welcomes beginners like Hunter because he knows how difficult it can be to get on the water.
“I tell people, if you want to go out and catch fish, whether it’s me or somebody else, hire a guide,” Culverhouse said. “You’re going to be a lot more successful, and in the long run, you’re going to save money.”
