Crappie

Crappie fishing near French Settlement, Louisiana, can be incredibly rewarding, especially if you know where to look within the Amite River Basin. The maze of canals, backwaters, and cypress-filled swamps provides the perfect environment for these tasty panfish. Spring is undoubtedly the best time to target crappie here, as they move into the shallows to spawn. Focus your efforts around submerged structure like brush piles, fallen trees, and cypress knees. A simple jig tipped with a minnow or a crappie nibble is often all you need. During the cooler months of late fall and winter, crappie tend to school up in deeper holes and channels. A local tip is to use your electronics to locate these schools, and then vertically jig for them. The crappie in this region are known for their good size, so you might just catch a few slabs. Be sure to check local regulations regarding creel limits and size restrictions.