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Normally in the spring I make a trip to Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma to fill my freezer full of crappie for the year. lol. This is one of the best trips that I go on during the year. I always am looking foward to this trip. I am from Southwest Missouri. However, low lake levels this year has forced me to find somewhere else. Does anyone have any good ideas for a lake to go fish in the early to mid April time frame? Within 8 hrs or so of Springfield, MO.
Regards
Mike
Reelfoot...not sure exactly how far from Spring field...I'ts only 3.5 hours from Fenton (St.Louis), so...I would guess maybe ...eh, just mapquested...looks like about 6.5 hours...that's not TOO bad...but been going there for about 14-15 years in a row, every April....getting ready to head down there in a couple weeks for the weekend....then the next week...I'm down there for the entire week....
I'd have to agree with Bails. Reelfoot is a great lake to fill up your freezer with crappie and nice gills. Or you can try Beaver lake down in Arkansas.
I would say Kentucky lake or Reelfoot Lake if your trying to stock a freezer.
Good call bones forgot about Kentucky lake.
Reelfoot would be my first choice , followed by Reelfoot and then Reelfoot...
Norm:D
Any Lake you happen to fish on! You can ask a dozen guy's and get a dozen different answers. I don't get to fish any of the big name lakes, but I have just as much fun as anyone that fishes on Grenada or Kty or Reel foot.
You might save yourself some driving. I've fished quite a few crappie lakes all over the country, and I won't say we've got the absolute best here in S.W. Missouri, but I think we're pretty close to it.
Best crappie lakes here, in my opinion and in order:
1. Tablerock. The Long Creek, King's River, and James River arms.
2. Stockton. Any spawning coves and flooded timber, especially around State Park and anywhere in the Little Sac arm.
3. Upper Bull Shoals. Best spots are Beaver Creek, Snapp Holler, Mincy Cove, Bee Creek, Bear Creek, and any flooded timber or little spawning coves in between.
4. Pomme de Terre. Both arms, lots of spawning coves and flooded timber throughout the lake.
Local drawbacks, I guess, are the Missouri 15-crappie limit and 10" minimum (I think it's 9" on Pomme de Terre). I LIKE the minimum length rules, but many other states have more generous daily limits. I took a bunch of 15-fish limits that went over 15 lbs. last year, with my biggest crappie 16 3/4", and it's looking good for this year.
Low lake levels probably mean we'll have a poor "recruitment" of crappie hatched this year, but they make the fishing easier. High water in the spring, with the lakes up in the trees on the bank, is when it's tough.
If I lived someplace else in the country, I'd probably be driving to S.W. Missouri to crappie fish.
I used to live on Hickory Creek --A creek off of Grand Lake Just North of Grove, Ok. Not far from Springfield. Any way Hickory Creek was the highest rated bass and crappie spawning cove on Grand Lake. May Check w/OK board to see if anyone help out w/water temp. etc. Red 11 port marina and hotel were on the creek. Don't know if still there.
There are about 3 or 4 members on this board that fish Oologah Lake pretty often. Its usually a solid lake to fish during the spring and winter. A couple of places on the lake that get hot during the spawn are Winganon, Spencer Creek and north of there. Its only about an hour from you and the fishing pressure is normally pretty light.