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| Prostaff
Team Member Overview : Johnny Crain |
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| Email
Address - johnniecrain@machlink.com |
Vital
Stats: 54 years old. Married to Mary, for 35 years.
Two Daughters, Lisa Jane and Kellie and one Grandson (fishin'
buddy) Trayven Wayne Howard (6). |
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 Johnnie
was fortunate to grow up in the Missouri Ozarks where
he learned to fish the deep clear lakes along the Missouri,
Arkansas border. His favorites include, Bull Shoals,
Table Rock, Norfork, Truman and Lake of the Ozarks.
After a tour in the U.S. Army during the Viet Nam Conflict
Johnnie moved to Muscatine, Iowa where he learned to
fish the Mississippi River and surrounding lakes.
Johnnie feels that the great contrast between very deep
clear lakes and the shallow, muddy Mississippi river
has made him a much more versatile angler. Johnnie is
confident he can locate and catch fish under most circumstances,
be it low clear water or massive flooding.
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 Johnnie
has been fortunate in his outdoor endeavors which include,
some television work "Dan's Fish-N-Tales" and
the "Virgil Ward Documentary", a twice weekly
radio show, "Outdoors With Johnnie Crain" writing
for Midwest Outdoors, BIg River Outdoors, Hawkeye Outdoors,
AnglerSport and Pro Bass News and has a weekly page in
the Muscatine Journal "Johnnie Crain Outside."
Johnnie's sponsors include, Poe's/Yakima Lures, Creme
Lures, Creative Concepts, Ranger Boats, Gambler Baits,
Uncle Josh Products, Aqua-Vu Cameras, Techsonic Industries,
Crooked Creek Tackle, Berkley/Pure Fishing, South Bend
and sixty companies that supply baits and tackle.
 Johnnie
is a Pro Staff Member of Poe's/Yakima Bait Company, Techsonic/Humminbird
Electronics, Tru-Turn/Diiachi Hooks, Ranger Boats and
Bassin' USA.
Johnnie's "Oh No's". Once caught 38 bass during
a tournamnet and not one reached the minimum size limit!
Came to the second Great Plains Tournament of Champions
weigh in with 14# of bass, but was one hour late due to
a faulty wrist watch. Nine pounds, won the event. The
watch is at the bottom of Saylorville Lake.
Once sunk a boat in a lock and dam of the MIssissippi
river at LaCrosse Wisconsin, a barge towed the boat upside
down three miles down the river to the nearest landing
and completely leveled everything right down to the fishing
deck.
Johnnie's hopes for the future is to be the oldest angler
ever to win the BassMaster's Classic and to catch a ten
pound bass from the MIdwest lakes.
He also hopes to fish with legendary angler, Virgil Ward,
which should occur this summer.
 Largest
bass caught, 8# 2 ounces, Poe's crankbait, Bull Shoals
Lake. Largest Smallmouth, 4# Bryant Creek in southern
Missouri, minnow. Largest spotted bass, 4# Lake MacBride,
Iowa, spinnerbait. Largest white bass 4# 8 ounces tailwaters
of Taneycomo Lake, Missouri.
Johnnie's favorite lures include, the Poe's Super Cedar
crankbaits, Storm Wiggle Wart, any spinnerbait, Gambler
Paddle Tail worms, Arkie JIgs with an Uncle Josh #1 pork
frog and he coats everything with Original Fish Formula
products. Favorite line, 12# Stren clear blue. Favorite
rod, South Bend, Black Beauty, reel, South Bend Gemini. |
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| Field
Test & Pro Staff Affiliations |
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Bassin
USA - http://www.bassinusa.com/
Bass fishing information about largemouth bass, smallmouth
bass, tournament bass fishing, fishing tackle and equipment,
and fishing destinations, reports, guides, techniques,
magazines and books and a whole lot more.
Poe's/Yakima Lures,
Creme Lures,
Creative Concepts,
Ranger Boats,
Gambler Baits,
Uncle Josh Products,
Aqua-Vu Cameras,
Techsonic Industries,
Crooked Creek Tackle,
Berkley/Pure Fishing,
South Bend and sixty companies that supply baits and tackle. |
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Articles and "Hot" Tips can be found with the
links below: |
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| 2007 |
| Johnnie has been field testing and evaluating Berkley fishing products and continues to write for all the magazines and newspapers listed below. He was selected by the Quad Cities Conservation Alliance to take five youth fishing contest winners on a one day fishing trip during the "Fish With A Pro Day" determined by drawing winners at the QCCA Sports Show. For the first time in 15 years Johnnie failed to weigh in a fish during the Great River Day Tournament held on the Mississippi river and offers no excuses, win some- lose some. Johnnie was honored to be selected to be a Moderator on the Bassin' USA Web pages and will help keep posts clean and delete blatant advertisements. Johnnie is dedicated to keeping Bassin' USA a good, safe web site for bass enthusiasts. Johnnie is a monthly guest on cable tv's River Ramblings TV Show and takes live-call-ins to answer fishing or hunting related questions as well as give demontrations of new or existing products. |
| 2006 |
| Johnnie's articles in Midwest Outdoors have been moved from the Iowa/ Illinois section to the main section which will allow his articles to be read nationally. Johnnie will remain the Iowa/ Illinois Editor. He was awarded the Reader's Choice Award from Midwest Outdoors Magazine for the third time in three years. Johnnie also joined the V&M/ Cyclone Pro Staff as a field tester and product review writer. Johnnie has been promoted to a field test position with Humminbird Electronics. He has been instrumental in fine tuning the new 997C SI, 995C color/sonar-GPS units and the new Digital in dash depth finders. He worked with the Iowa DNR and State Representative, Nathan Reichert to establish a state record status for Kentucky Spotted Bass. Johnnie also worked with Reichert to establish an in-town deer hunt to help reduce the deer population in Muscatine, Iowa. |
| 2005 |
| Johnnie Turned over control of the Muscatine Junior Bass Anglers club to the Muscatine Bass Club due to having too many members and for insurance purposes. The club is now the Muscatine Junior Bass Club and has over 30 anglers ranging from 3 to 15 years of age. Johnnie won the Burning Island Tournament of Champions for the third straight year. Placed third in the Great River Days tournament held on the Mississippi river. Continues twice weekly column in Muscatine Journal newspaper- "Johnnie Crain Fishing The Midwest". His talk radio show, "Outdoors With Johnnie Crain" has been renewed for another year. On air for five years, twice weekly, live-call in show. Johnnie's Grandson, Trayven Howard, (9)become the first Iowa youth angler to be accepted into the Youth Freshwater Hall of Fame for his efforts at helping establish and teach the Muscatine Junior Anglers Club. Johnnie was accepted to the Pro Staff of B&D Custom Lures and was asked to name their crankbait series. He named them the Dredge'r and Ledge'R crankbaits. The company experimented with having a Johnnie Crain Signature series of baits but the name engraving was too difficult. Johnnie began writing articles for the Great Lakes Division of Fishing and Hunting News which covers 13 states and continues to write for Midwest Outdoors, Adventure Sports Outdoors, Fishing Facts and American Bass Anglers Magazines. |
2002 |
Was
accepted as Bassin'USA Pro Staff Member.
Was the Special Guest Speaker at the Wapello, Iowa, High
School's Career Day. Gave lecture on being a professional
angler, including, pro tournament angler, radio show host,
outdoor writer and seminar speaker. Over 230 students
and teachers attended.
Had radio show "Outdoors With Johnnie Crain"
renewed indefinately. |
| 2001 |
Was
elected "Eagle of The Year" by the Muscatine
Fraternal Order of Eagles due to my work with area youth
and adults through outdoor related events and for donating
time and equipment for live country music provided by
Johnnie's band, the ALIBI BAND which performed for senior
and disabled citizens.
Had radio show " Outdoors With Johnnie Crain"
renewed for six months.
Performed a tips segment for Dan Galusha's, "World
of Virgil Ward" documentary for nationwide television
distribution.
Won and placed in several local bass tournaments including
a sixth place finish in the largest event held on the
Mississippi river, during the Great River Days Celebration.
Purchased Ranger Bass Boat originally owned by legendary
anglers Virgil Ward and Dan Galusha.
Presented walleye seminar to the Quad Cities largest angling
group, the QC In-Fisherman's Club. |
| 2000 |
Received
"Reader's Choice Award" from Midwest Outdoors
Magazine.
Was featured on the cover of Midwest Outdoors Magazine.
Was hired as host of "Outdoors With Johnnie Crain"
on KWPC and KWCC radio stations for a three month trial
period. ( The show is now entering it's third year)
Was accepted as a Pro Staff Member with Techsonic Industries,
performing field tests on Humminbird and Zercom products.
Was featured on cover of Midwest Outdoors Illinois Section.
Won first place and largest bass at the Bad Boys Hawg
Hunt Tournament Grand Finale'. Won or placed in all of
the Wednesday Night Hawg Hunt Events. |
| 1999 |
Was
featured on the cover of Big River Outdoors Magazine with
feature story.
Placed third in the Mississippi River, Great River Days-D.A.R.E.
bass tournament held on pool 17 of the river. Also took
big fish award with a three pound, eight ounce bass.
Was guest angler on Dan Galusha's, "Dan's Fish-N-Tales"
television show. Gave tips on using crankbaits in deep
water and how to tune crankbaits to be the most effective.
Was featured on cover of Midwest Outdoors Iowa Section.
First year of performing seminars with Dan's Fish-N-Tales
seminar team throughout Iowa and Illinois. |
| 1998 |
Performed
seminars with Dan's Fish-N-Tales seminar team.
Was appointed to the Bass Wrangler Management Staff.
Began writing for the national publication, AnglerSport
Magazine and Pro Bass News. |
| 1997 |
Began
writing articles for Southeast Iowa Outdoors, which later
grew into Big River Outdoors Magazine.
Won Muscatine BassMasters' Tournament of Champions held
on Coralville Lake.
Featured on cover of Midwest Outdoors, Iowa and Illinois
Sections with feature stories.
Won the Lake Geode Open Buddy Bass Tournament.
Won The Muscatine BassMaster's Lake Geode and Lake Odessa
tournaments.
Won the Muscatine BassMaster's pool 17 bass tournament
on the Mississippi river.
Began writing for Adventure Sports Outdoors Magazine. |
| 1996 |
Joined
the field test staff of Blakemore Road Runner Lures, Creme
Lures, Original Fish Formula Scents and Plano Molding.
Began writing for Hawkeye Outdoors Magazine and Iowa/Illinois
Fish and Game Finder Magazines. |
| 1995 |
Won
the Poe's/Yakima Fishing Team Bass Tournament held on
Truman Lake. Took third place in the Yakima/Roostertail
white bass tournament.
Won several local bass tournaments or placed high. |
| 1994 |
Competed
in the Mid-America Bass Association Championship held
on Lake of the Ozarks, but failed to place.
Won second place in the Mid-America, Lake Saylorville
Tournament.
Placed third in the Mid-America Olympia Invitational held
on Rathbun Lake. |
| 1993 |
Fished with B.A.S.S. Classic Champion and B.A.S.S. Angler
of the Year, Davis Fritts, and caught the largest bass
at 4#-12 ounces.
Began writing articles for the Muscatine Journal newspaper.
This later evolved into a full page called "Outside
With Johnnie Crain, which is still published every week.
Placed first in the Great Plains Lake Rathbun Tournament.
Placed second in the Great Plains Red Rock Tournament.
Placed second and big bass in the Great Plains, Mississippi
river pool 13 tournamnet
Won first place and big bass award at the Great Plains
Tournament of Champions held on Saylorville Lake.. |
| 1992 |
Began
writing for midwest Outdoors Magazine for the Iowa and
Illinois Sections.
Began writing for the Missouri Outdoorsman.
Caught my two largest bass at eight pounds even and eight
pounds, two ounces on the same bait a Poe's 300 series
crankbait from Bull
Shoals Lake.
Won the Poe's Biggest Bass Contest worth over $1000.00
in prizes.
Was accepted as a Pro Staff Member of the Poe's Lures
Fishing Team. Been with Poe's ever since. |
| 1991 |
Competed
in the Bull Shoals Lake Chamber of Commerce Tournament
and placed third and second largest bass.
Won the Muscatine Basmaster's Coralville Lake Tournament. |
| 1982 |
| Won
the Muscatine BassMaster's Tournament of Champions held
on Coralville Lake. This was tough, my steering wheel
broke off and I had to steer the boat with vice grips,
stayed close to the take-off area. |
| 1974 |
Joined
the Muscatine Bass Club.
Won First place at the Muscatine Bass Club's Lake Geode
Event.
Won First place in the Muscatine Bass Club Mississippi
river pool 13 tournamnet.
Took second place in the Muscatine Bass Club Lake Darling
and Lake Wapello tournaments.
Was elected President of the Muscatine Bass Club.
Won the Muscatine Bass Club BassMaster of the Year Award. |
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