Crappie

For crappie anglers visiting Branson West, Table Rock Lake and Bull Shoals Lake offer excellent opportunities. These large reservoirs are teeming with crappie, especially around submerged timber, brush piles, and bridge pilings. Spring is the peak season, when crappie move into shallow coves and creek arms to spawn. Minnows and jigs are the go-to baits. A local tip for Table Rock: focus on the James River arm; it tends to warm up faster in the spring, attracting spawning crappie earlier than other parts of the lake. For Bull Shoals, try fishing around the numerous cedar trees that have fallen into the lake. These provide excellent cover for crappie. The crappie in these lakes are known for their good size, with many exceeding the one-pound mark. Remember to check the local regulations for creel limits and size restrictions, as they can vary.