The dogwoods have already dropped their blooms and the blackberry bushes are flowering out… you know what that means. It’s time to catch some crappie!
Crappie are beautiful, fun, and absolutely delicious fish. Many fishermen, like me, anxiously await spring weather just to fish for them.
In spring, when the water temperature starts into the 50 degree range, crappie start to move to shallow water, to prepare to spawn. This puts them within casting distance of bank fishermen, and in predictable areas for boat fishermen.
They like shallow areas from 2 to 6 feet of water, depending on clarity, to spawn. Rocks, brush, stumps, and other cover make areas even better, and a transition from rocks to sand or mis, makes it even more attractive to spawning crappies.
Wappapello Lake and Clearwater Lake are two of the most popular crappie areas in my area of southeast Missouri. I live in the Wappapello area, and love to fish the lake and spillway for its delicious crappie.
