I’ve heard a couple of Crappie fishermen use the term “pulling” as opposed to “trolling” what’s the difference?

“Pulling” is a term most often associated with Roger Gant, a well known-member of the B’nM’s Pro Crappie Fishermen Team.  One of the most respected Crappie fishermen in the Southeast and the winner of several association Crappie tournaments, Gant is often called one of the best Crappie guides in the U.S.  Gant’s technique is most suitable for deep water and basically consists of  placing the trolling motor on the side of the boat as opposed to the back of the boat.  He lets the wind or water propel the boat sideways and uses the motor only to hold the boat steady sideways to the current.  With this technique, three fishermen can each run two rods apiece for a total of six in the water. Gant prefers ultra light spinning rods with two 1 ounce jigs about 12 inches apart at the end of each line.  He runs the line until it touches the bottom and then pulls it up about a foot.  Gant continue to move very sideways very slowly until the Crappie start to bite.  This technique works the best on a day with very little or no wind.  On windy days, it’s difficult to keep the boat moving slowly enough to give the fish time to bite.