Missouri anglers who aren’t acquainted with yo-yos might want to take a pointer from Skipper Antley.

Antley used one to land a black crappie so hefty it brushed aside the former state record.

Antley landed the 3-pound, 3.4-ounce fish Feb. 25 at a private lake in southwestern Cass County, about 25 miles south of Kansas City.

The previous record of 3 pounds, 1 ounce had been on the books for nearly 10 years.

The type of yo-yo Antley was using wasn’t a child’s toy, but a bona fide fishing device. It consists of a spring-loaded reel in a circular housing. After tying the device to a tree or other anchor, the angler pulls out enough line to reach the water, then baits the hook and leaves the yo-yo in place, returning periodically to check for fish and replace stolen bait.

The idea is similar to a bank line or limb line. However, a yo-yo has an advantage on these other methods. When a fish snaps up the bait, the yo-yo’s spring-loaded reel snaps back like a window shade.

The mechanical jerk sets the hook in the fish’s mouth, and the spring mechanism provides enough play to prevent the hook from tearing loose.

“I moved here from Louisiana, and down there everybody uses yo-yos,” Antley said.

Earlier this year, Antley learned that yo-yos are legal in Missouri.