COLUMBUS, OH -- Mouse ears and dogwoods, harbingers of good crappie fishing? According to the old-timers, if you want to know when to go crappie fishing keep an eye on the trees. When the dogwoods are in bloom or when oak leaves are the size of mouse ears thats when the crappies will be biting. Actually, this isnt as much superstition as some might think, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
Blooming trees coincide with spawning season for the crappies. At this time, they seek out underwater structures where they can find food and lay their eggs with some protection against predators.
Crappie will group together under fallen trees, brush piles, any type of wooden structure thats in the water, says Vince LaConte, a fish management supervisor for the Division of Wildlife.
With schools of hungry crappies readily available in shallow water, its not uncommon to hear of anglers catching more than 50 crappies in one day during the spawning season, which begins in April and lasts three to four weeks.
That doesnt mean you cant fish for crappies all summer long, you just have to be patient and persistent. Theyre not hard to catch during the summer, just difficult to find, LaConte says. They suspend over deep water, so while the water may be 30 feet deep the crappies may be only 10-15 feet down.
Although crappies come in two varieties, black and white, most anglers would be hard pressed to tell them apart. Theyre pretty similar in appearance, says LaConte.
Black crappies thrive in clearer water whereas white crappies are better at surviving in turbid or muddier water. Other than that there is no difference between the two types of crappies and they taste the same. Which is to say mighty tasty, just one reason fishermen find crappies appealing.
Crappies are also prized for their size, some growing to 15 inches in length, and anglers reverently refer to the larger crappies as slabs.
The state record black crappie measured 18 1/8 and weighed 4 pounds, 8 ounces. The largest white crappie on record was 18 1/2 long and weighed 3.904 pounds.
Crappies are also a great species for young anglers learning to fish, according to LaConte. You can use something as simple as a cane pole, a hook, bobber and a few minnows or use a light spinning reel set up with 4 to 6 pound test line and small lures called jigs, he said.
According to the Division of Wildlife some of the best crappie fishing can be found in Atwood Lake in Carroll and Tuscarawas counties, Buckeye Lake in Licking, Perry and Fairfield counties, Charles Mill Lake in Richland County, Deer Creek Lake in Pickaway County, Delaware Lake in Delaware County, East Fork Lake in Clermont County, Findlay Reservoir # 2 in Hancock County, Grand Lake St. Marys in Auglaize and Mercer counties, Griggs Reservoir in Franklin County, Indian Lake in Logan County, Lake Loramie in Shelby County, Mosquito Lake in Trumbull County, Nettle Lake in Williams County, Paint Creek Lake in Highland County, Salt Fork Lake in Guernesey County, Seneca Lake in Noble County, and Tycoon Lake in Gallia County.
Dont overlook Ohios biggest lake either. Ive caught some monstrous crappies up in the marinas of Lake Erie in the spring, LaConte said. Some bodies of water, such as the Ohio River, have bag limits and others, like Delaware, Alum Creek, Deer Creek, Caesar Creek, Tappan, and Seneca lakes have length limits on crappies. Anglers should consult the 2002 fishing regulations available through the Division of Wildlife or at most locations where licenses are sold.
For more information on crappies and other species of fish, contact the Division of Wildlife office in your region and request a copy of this years fishing prospects and the fishing regulations for 2002-03.
Then take a good look at a mouse, memorize the size of those ears and when the leaves on the oak trees look about the same size, its time to start casting for crappie.