Some of the year’s best crappie fishing cranks up soon after the ice goes away.

Excellent crappie fishing opportunities are already in place by the time the ice disappears from many northern lakes, according to Minnesota guide Bob Bohland. “Before ice out, the crappies begin moving to shallow green weeds for a couple of reasons,” he explained.

First, they are staging to spawn. Also related to the spawn, the crappie feed heartily during early spring, hoarding calories prior going through spawning rigors. Green weed flats in the shallow water and in middle depths come alive with nymph-stage aquatic insects early in the spring, and the nymphs attract minnows and young-of-the-year bluegills and perch, which provide a feast for the crappie.

Bohland guides primarily on waters around the Twin Cities and in the St. Cloud area; however, he’ll travel far and wide when he hears about a hot crappie bite. Early spring produces excellent action and some seriously big fish, so he spends as many days as possible out on the water. His absolute favorite days are sunny and calm. The sun adds a little bit of warmth to the weed flats and makes the fish more active.

After the Crappie Masters tournament in Millbrook Alabama, I headed East to Lake Blackshear in Georgia for a Crappie.com gathering.  It was only a 3 hour drive or so, and a pleasant drive at that, going through many small towns, and some big Pecan Orchards. 

The campground was right on the lake, a real nice quaint place, with lots of wildlife.  Here's a Fox that came through looking for exactly I don't know what.  I'm sure his campsite was around there somewhere, but please do stay out of mine!  lol