Recent drought conditions have resulted in low water levels for all of the flood control reservoirs. The initial impact of low water is a boom for anglers. The same number of fish in less water makes locating and catching crappie easier. However, the long-term effect has negative implications for the fishery. Low water means prime spawning grounds that are normally accessible to fish in the spring are high and dry, and crappie have to resort to spawning on more barren ground. Less-than-ideal spawning grounds makes for poor recruitment. Add in the fact that short run catch rates go up during low water conditions and the result is often a busted year-class to follow. With an average harvest life of three years, two or three sub-par year-classes can severely impact an entire decade of fishing.

While little can be done about the lack of rainfall, Mississippi managers have attempted to improve the deep-water habitat that crappie are forced to use for spawning grounds during low water conditions. With the help of volunteers from organizations such as the Magnolia Crappie Club, habitat improvements were established in each reservoir. These are created by sinking Christmas trees and setting out wooden stakebeds. According to the 2007 edition of the “State of the State” freshwater fisheries report, Arkabutla received 360 habitat improvements, while 400 were placed in Sardis, 850 at Grenada, and 950 at Enid. Those projects on the latter consisted of 830 Christmas tree shelters and 120 stakebeds.

One additional factor that’s been addressed by fisheries managers has to do with success rates by anglers. Creel surveys showed that a large percentage of anglers who caught limits of crappie on the most consistent basis were trolling.

“It’s not an issue of exceeding the established creel limit,” Garavelli explained, “but a situation where anglers who troll multiple rods -- often a dozen or more at a time -- are consistently catching limits of fish, especially during the summer and fall when most of the single pole angling for crappie has subsided.”

Garavelli went on to say that the introduction of pole limits brings regulations on these heavily pressured Mississippi waters on par with regulations in neighboring states.

“Our survey found that many anglers travel to our state to crappie fish not only for better fish, but without the pole restrictions that apply to their home states.”

Newly established regulations place a five pole per angler limit on Arkabutla, Sardis, and Enid, and a three pole per angler limit for Grenada.

DEEPER INTO THE LINEUP
Having Mississippi’s big “I-55 corridor” lakes on their roster would be enough to make any state a crappie powerhouse. But looking deeper in the lineup reveals several crappie fisheries that make the Magnolia State a contender for top crappie destination in the country.

Kent Driscoll is a crappie tournament champion and Pro Staff manager for West Point based B’n’M Poles, a leader in the crappie tackle industry. Driscoll confirmed that Mississippi crappie fishing spreads over a number of locations across the state. When asked about his picks for some of the best, Driscoll also went deep in the lineup.

Bay Springs
In a state containing so many good crappie fisheries, Bay Springs is a relative unknown. This impoundment also differs significantly than other Mississippi crappie reservoirs in that it is a deep, clear lake, while most of the others are shallow, murky, intensely fertile bodies of water.

“Bay Springs is off the beaten path,” Driscoll added, “but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great crappie lake.”

According to the pro, crappie spawn deeper in Bay Springs -- 15 to 20 feet is not unusual. Typical spawning grounds include deep flats littered with stumps and standing timber. Because crappie relate deeper in the clear water, Driscoll prefers to spider-rig rods around his boat and slow troll with a near vertical presentation. He fishes several 12-foot poles rigged with a 1/2-ounce egg sinker to hold a 1/16-ounce jig head straight down. Driscoll’s choice of bait is a jig-and-minnow combination.

Favorite locations at which to target Bay Springs’ crappie are large stump clusters in the McDougall and Piney Creek arms as well as Gin Branch near the dam.

“In the spring, a big stump will hold several big males and a couple of females,” Driscoll explained. “Anglers need to make sure they’re fishing tight to the stumps to target all of these fish.”