Willard today with The Slayer

[TubeDude]

Thanks TD!  I appreciate the help Sir!  Enjoy the info and the pics.  I've heard that a lot of people catch crappie out there in the spring time over on the North East corner by the willows.  Is that true, can anyone confirm?

There are good years and bad years for crappies...depending on water levels during the spawn.  When water levels are up the spawn is better...and there are more crappie two to three years from then.  The past few years have been poor both for crappie catching and spawning.  Water levels will likely not reach the willows this year.  But there will be crappies caught in both marinas...but especially the north marina. 

The crappies start showing up in numbers sometime after about mid April most years...after water temps climb over about 55 degrees.  You can tell when they are in by looking at the east shoreline of the north marina...elbow to elbow of "happy harvesters"...some of whom take home multiple limits each day. 

If you are afloat you can sometimes find pockets of crappies off Eagle Beach and Pelican Beach...as well as a few places around the dikes where there is still flooded structure.  Here is a PDF file with more info.