Depending on the weather, it's possible that crappie could already be up in the shallows on some Kentucky reservoirs, and after you finish reading this magazine, you may want to make a call or two and find out.

One of the toughest things to do when fishing for a species like crappie, where it's best to do it during their spawning period, is judging when, exactly, to get out there. Often you just have to take your best shot.

"Sometimes you can miss it by two days," said Paul Rister, western district fishing biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR). "And it can be pretty frustrating."

Rister noted that crappie anglers have to be flexible to hit the timing just right. It could be anywhere from mid-March to early May, if you're trying to catch crappie on the banks and in full feeding and spawning mode.

KENTUCKY & BARKLEY LAKES
On the two major crappie lakes in his region, Rister suggests anglers should be ready to go when three things happen. One is when water temperatures hit the upper 50s and low 60s. Most crappie will spawn within that temperature range. Second, if the water is rising slowly on Kentucky and Barkley, in this case, and expanding the territory where crappie like to spawn, you'll have a "line" up. Third, try to catch a period when the water isn't overly muddy. One note anglers should keep in mind is now that Kentucky Lake, and Barkley to a lesser extent, has more black crappie than white crappie in the overall population. Black crappie tend to come shallow sooner, and stay there longer, before returning to deeper ledges and dropoffs. This fairly new development over the last few years in the makeup of the population has extended the better spring fishing, especially earlier than the traditional mid-April time frame. Some fishermen haven't quite caught on to that yet.

If weather conditions like a mild winter occur, it's much more likely crappie fishing will come on sooner than you might expect. So you have to watch for those kinds of things closely to be there in the "heat" of the fray.

"Last year, our trap-netting activities showed a decisive switch to black crappie as the dominant species, and that was confirmed by creel studies we conducted with anglers as well," Rister said.

"We believe that there is still a better than average number of crappie in Kentucky Lake that are over the minimum size limit. Anglers should find plenty of keepers this spring assuming good weather," he said.

Over on Barkley, the outlook is very good as well, with good size distribution in the crappie population and several strong year-classes available to maintain quality fishing.

"The fish are there, we just need a little luck with normal weather patterns to create the best fishing conditions for success," the biologist said.

For anglers who may not be too familiar with these two large reservoirs, Rister recommends saving up $100 or $150, and hiring a guide for the first day of your trip.

"We get several calls each spring from anglers about their experiences, and invariably there are some who come to fish these lakes, stay three or four days and still have a very difficult time catching fish.

"On the other line, one of our staff will be talking to someone else who has slayed them over the same weekend, and is telling us about who their guide was and how great their trip was.

"Those who get someone to show them how to do it, what to look for and familiarize them with the water usually have a much better experience. And once you learn, you can do it on your own and come out on top most of the time," Rister said.