Before he was a full‑time guide or a tournament hammer, Daniel Goldman Jr. was an Army Ranger — and the discipline, mental toughness, and decision‑making he learned in the military now shape every moment he spends on the water. In this episode, Daniel breaks down how Ranger training prepared him for guiding, tournament pressure, and the chaos of big‑water crappie fishing.

JD sits down with Daniel, the owner of Drop Down Fishing in Norfolk, Virginia, to unpack his journey from military service to becoming one of the most respected guides on the East Coast. Daniel shares how he teaches clients, how he reads fish behavior, and how he stays calm and analytical when conditions shift.

We also dive deep into his 6th‑place finish at Crappie Masters on Kentucky Lake, including how he broke down one of the largest lakes in the country, what patterns he unlocked, and the key decisions that separated him from the field.

From Livescope mastery to seasonal behavior, from guiding stories to tournament strategy, this episode is packed with insight — but it’s Daniel’s Ranger mindset that ties it all together.

On this show young Pro Crappie Fisherman Matthew Rogers talks the pressures of tournament fishing and how to strategize going out there to catch the Big crappie. He also talks a few techniques he uses and gives out some great crappie tips using livescope as a tool and how to combine your instincts to become a better fisherman.

From the Archives we re-released an awesome episode with Crappie Pro Angler Lamar Bunting who really shared a wealth of information In this episode he talked Garmin Live-scope and settings in great detail. Lamar is a very successful pro crappie fisherman on the tournament trail competing at the highest levels.