Whenever I am fishing crappie-spawning areas I always put a minnow on the hook beneath a bobber and trail it 20 feet behind the boat as I move along the shore. This rig often picks up some of the biggest fish of the day because it is fishing slightly deep water where the big female fish may be. Keep this rod well inside the boat, especially if you aren’t using a rod holder. A big crappie could tug your rod overboard, but a big bass surely will and I have had plenty of them whack that struggling minnow.

Don’t be too quick to move away from productive cover. If you have worked over a spawning area and the action drops off, give the place a rest. You haven’t cleaned it out by any means, but you probably spooked the fish just by being there. This is a good time for a snack, a beverage, or to try a nearby spot while you give the fish a chance to settle down. Sneak back in a little later and you might find another bunch of willing biters waiting for you. With these tactics in mind, let’s take a trip through The Land of Lincoln and find some likely places to put the plan into action.

Most are aware of the big crappie waters -- Rend Lake in southern Illinois; Shelbyville, in the center of the state; and the Fox River’s Chain O’ Lakes near the Illinois/Wisconsin border. All three impoundments are noted for their fine spring crappie fishing, but there are some smaller, often overlooked waters we should consider.

In northwest Illinois, the Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area is located along the east side of the Illinois River, just a few miles north of Peoria. More than 2,400 hundred acres of this 2,900-acre site are under water and while much of that is the Illinois River, there are 3,475 feet of manmade channels cut back into dry ground. These channels provide ideal spawning habitat for crappies, and every spring the fish move out of the main river and into the narrow channels.

Shore-fishing will be quite productive here, provided anglers move cautiously along the banks to avoid spooking the wary fish from the shallow water. Dipping a minnow along the shore with a fly rod or cane pole is all it should take to locate and load up on crappies.

I really don’t know if Locks No. 14 and 15 of the I&M Canal should be included with the southern end of northern Illinois or the northern end of central Illinois, but in either case, it is a place you can truly enjoy, and catch some crappies as well. The dam at Lock No. 14 provides five miles of calm, sheltered water between LaSalle and Utica, all the way to Lock No. 15. An easily walked trail parallels the canal, and only canoes and similar watercraft are permitted; no motor boats. It is terrain the disabled can negotiate and a great spot to enjoy a picnic with the family while pursuing crappies and ever-plentiful catfish. Here is a tip: After you have had enough fishing, and worked up a good appetite, drop into Duffy’s Tavern, in Utica, for a great meal.

Without doubt, the largest crappies to be found on a regular basis in Illinois occur within the backwaters of the Mississippi River. Each spring, the river fish leave the main channel to seek sheltered spawning areas within these shallow, tree-filled haunts. To find these elusive fish it is necessary to poke your boat far back into the brush-filled waters, and dip a minnow carefully right into the bushes, over submerged logs, and around the trunks of standing timber.

This is going to be hard work, and the prop on your motor is going to get a workout as it thumps over stumps, and churns through muck and mire. However, believe me, when the bobber goes down, and you haul back on a 14-inch or 15-inch slab crappie, all your labor will be forgotten.

Fishing the backwaters of the Mississippi is not something you do once. You will have to pay your dues here, and learn how and where to catch these big crappies. If you can hitch a ride with a seasoned veteran, by all means do it, and let him show you the ropes.

Without doubt, the largest crappies to be found on a regular basis in Illinois occur within the backwaters of the Mississippi River.

In addition, be careful on that river. Remember, a storm upstream can send a rising gush of debris-filled water into your area without warning. Be aware of weather events that may have occurred upriver in the past several days.