As late winter turns into early spring some of our angling thoughts turn to early season crappies.

The water is warming with each week and you can expect the first crappie movement to begin as the water warms to the upper 40’s. As this occurs, crappies begin to follow the creek channels towards the flat areas, adjacent to these channels, in anticipation of the spawn. These fish are the first movers, and, as a result, tend to be the bigger fish. In this regard they act somewhat like black bass. This movement is slow at first but picks up speed as the season progresses. When the prespawn movement picks up, the smaller fish follow in greater numbers.

Prime places to begin looking for slabs are in the flat areas adjacent to the creek channels. The best flats are between 3 and 5 feet deep. The presence of stumps, laydowns, and wood is essential. Some of the most productive places are areas where trees and bushes are growing alongside, or even into the water. The fish use their root system as cover. Low light conditions tend to produce best: Early morning, late evening and overcast or cloudy days. If you are tough, night fishing at this early stage can produce some fine catches.