Winter's are finally winding down: time to start thinking about spring fishing -- crappie fishing in particular. Papermouth anglers have a lot to look forward to this year, and the annual crappie spawn is the excuse needed to grab that fishing tackle.

A lot's going on across the state with our crappie fisheries and the fishing locations that are historically the best. The Mississippi Department Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks is looking at both crappie angling in general and the major fisheries in particular to help determine the best management strategies to both protect the resources and provide the greatest degree of fishing opportunity to Magnolia State anglers.

Approximately half the state's top crappie waters are in the northwest's large flood-control reservoirs, so, naturally, a large amount of both anglers' and the MDWFP's attention is focused on those. In fact, along with the usual creel surveys and such, a research project for those impoundments is also in the works.

At present, the research is still in the proposal stage. If implemented, it will be a joint project of the MDFWP and Mississippi State University. The focus would be on the upper reaches of the reservoirs and their tributaries. The fisheries personnel would like to know the percentage of the crappie population in these areas and what can be done to protect and enhance the habitat found there.

The studies would involve sampling of larval fish, telemetry studies of adult fish, and movement studies of the crappie as they progress through the year and seasonal changes. The project would be flexible, and could involve different lakes in the northwest.

In other areas of the state, conventional management and surveys are yielding insight into our crappie fisheries -- which are peaking, for example, and which are on a down cycle. Because crappie populations are typically cyclical, a lake may provide great fishing for several years and then have a downturn for a year or two until the population rebounds.

GETTING THEM IN THE BOAT

Crappie can be very easy to catch -- at times; at other times, they're nearly impossible to get. They can seem to bite everything thrown at them, or they can be extremely finicky. Obviously, weather, water conditions, and the time of year play a part in the papermouths' interest in the angler's offerings.

It's in the spring that crappie are most vulnerable and anglers have the greatest variety of tactics at their disposal. Widely used in the spring, that old standby the live minnow is a favorite bait of many papermouth enthusiasts. In fact, it's all but universally used throughout the year.

Proponents of artificial baits also have their favorites, and these, being able to cover more water in less time, can sometimes outfish minnows. Various hair jigs, inline spinners and curly-tailed grubs are the best.

So let's cut to the chase and take a look at some of the top spots around the state for wetting a line and tangling with some hefty papermouths.

NORTHWEST FLOOD-CONTROL RESERVOIRS

Normally, one has to look at the fishing on an individual basis for each lake covered. However, to leave plenty of room to cover other areas of the state -- and because they've all had some similar changes in regulations -- we're looking at lakes Arkabutla, Grenada, Sardis, and Enid as a group this time.