Crappie

Crappie fishing near Morganza, Louisiana, centers around the rich ecosystem of the Atchafalaya Basin. This sprawling network of rivers, swamps, and lakes provides ideal habitat for crappie to thrive. Spring is the peak season, when crappie move shallow to spawn. Focus your efforts around submerged structure like cypress trees, brush piles, and fallen logs. Minnows and jigs are the go-to baits. Try suspending a minnow under a cork or slowly retrieving a jig around structure. The fall can also be productive as crappie school up before winter. The water clarity can vary greatly depending on recent rainfall and river levels, so be prepared to adjust your lure colors accordingly. A local tip: Check the local bait shops for the latest information on where the crappie are biting and what they're hitting. Many locals use side imaging sonar to locate submerged structure and crappie schools. The crappie here are known to be good-sized, offering a tasty reward for your efforts.