Touring crappie pro Bill Braswell has a lifetime of experience with fishing, hunting and boating. Bill first began acquiring knowledge in boating as a kid in the late 1950’s at the age of eight after he and his father built and successfully launched a 22’ cabin cruiser boat made entirely of wood. This was an era before the introduction of the modern technology of composite materials used in boat construction today.
At the age of nineteen Bill entered and won his first local bass tournament against a 38 boat field. Putting his tournament plans on hold, Bill would go on to serve a distinguished 26 ½ year career with the KY Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources as a fish and wildlife/boating officer. Participating in many ground breaking programs such as the reintroduction of deer and wild turkey in eastern KY, the reintroduction of elk in KY after a 100 year absence and the creation of several new fisheries that include the stocking of walleye, muskie and brook trout just to name a few.
Working closely with the fishery biologists and working many fish population studies during his career, Bill has acquired an incredible knowledge of not only the crappie, but all native fish species found in the waters of Kentucky’s lakes and rivers. Bill would also serve as a public affairs officer, training officer, state boating test instructor and aircraft patrol pilot during his career before retiring in 2002.
Bill first began competitive crappie fishing as an amateur on the Crappie USA tournament trail in Feb of 1999. Joining the KeelShield pro staff in 2002 and turning pro following his retirement, Bill has competed on both the Crappie USA and Crappie Masters tournament trails and has earned 14 regional qualifications and 2 classic births. Bill serves as one of the true ambassadors in the sport of crappie fishing currently serving on the Crappie USA Angler Advisory Board and appearing at events, shows and seminars promoting the sport and his sponsors. Bill also contributes as a freelance writer on the sport and he has played a major role in the KY Fish and Wildlife “Kids Outdoor Crappie Adventure” program held on KY Lake each year. The technique of spider rigging for crappie is Bill’s favorite approach for catching the big slabs.
Bill resides in Hazard, KY with wife Lisa and six year old daughter Katie.
