Lady Kayaker Holds New Ohoopee River Black Crappie Record

Kaye Driggers, of Claxton, is the proud record holder for the Ohoopee River black crappie. Her 1-lb., 5.28-oz. fish was caught from a kayak in Tattnall County on Aug. 31.

“It’s really too low right now to get a boat and motor in some places, but you can fish out of a kayak just fine,” said Richard Driggers, her husband.

Richard holds the bluegill and shellecracker records on the Ohoopee.

“That’s only the second crappie she’s caught this summer,” said Richard. “Both crappie were caught in the same spot. We’ve been going every Saturday to the Ohoopee since late summer.”

Kaye was fishing with a 4-inch, flat, gold Rapala jerkbait when she caught the slab.

“She was fishing for bass,” said Richard. “The crappie hit that gold Rapala. It was in a real deep hole she was fishing in.”

Richard said that since Kaye has been fishing from a kayak, he’ll likely never get her back in a motorized boat.

“I bought one, and my wife said she’d like to try it, so we found her one. We got it, and it’s hard to keep her out of that river,” said Richard. “I’m talking about from daylight to dark. I have to run her out of the river in the evening.”

On the day Kaye broke the record, they went home with a collection of 39 fish, which included jackfish, shellcracker, bluegill, redbreast and the crappie.

“I fried those things up the next night,” said Richard.