Name:	dano -	Reply
Subject:	crappie ???
Date:	3/17/2020 1:55:33 PM

anyone know if crappie have staged up in the shallows yet ???

Name:	Kowaliga Pirate -	Reply
Subject:	crappie ???
Date:	3/20/2020 11:08:17 PM

I was out at Elkahatchee Creek on Wednesday morning.  The surface temp was reading 67-68 degrees, but I don't know how deep that warm layer was. I had no action shallow, but caught a few small crappie (8-10 inches) slow trolling jigs along the dropoffs and points. Depth was between 8-12 feet. Added bonus was getting some spots, too. My guess is they are still staging for the move to shallow water.

I am a notoriously bad crappie fisherman,  so my results shouldn't be taken as definitive. 

Name:	Kowaliga Pirate -	Reply
Subject:	crappie ???
Date:	3/22/2020 11:55:17 PM

I fished the Real Island/Parker Creek areas on Saturday. I caught a few crappie in a blowdown in about 5-7 feet of water in a slough that was shielded from the wind. I caught another few near some shallow docks (also somewhat sheltered from the wind). Some nice-sized crappie were in the lights Saturday night (8-10 foot) and they were hitting small jigs pretty consistently. The surface temp was showing between 68-70 degrees. The spots were very active, hitting in shallow, rocky areas. 

I am guessing that the crappie are starting to transition into the shallows. In a couple of places, I experienced the "tap, tap, tap" of bream hitting the jigs, so it looks like they are starting to move shallow, too. It is my understanding that bream/bluegill begin moving shallow around the same time as crappie, so that also leads me to believe the spawn is near.