Crappie

Crappie fishing near Williamsburg, New Mexico, means focusing your efforts on Elephant Butte Reservoir. While not as renowned as some other crappie hotspots, Elephant Butte offers a decent population of these panfish, especially for anglers willing to put in the time to locate them. Spring is the peak season, as crappie move into shallower waters to spawn. Look for them around submerged brush, rock piles, and standing timber in coves and along the edges of the reservoir. Small jigs, either tipped with live minnows or fished plain, are a staple crappie bait. Try varying your presentation, experimenting with different colors and jigging techniques. Another productive method is spider-rigging, using multiple rods with jigs at different depths. Be aware that water levels in Elephant Butte can fluctuate, impacting crappie location and accessibility. Check lake levels before you go and adjust your strategy accordingly. The northern end of the lake, near the Rio Grande inlet, often holds good numbers of crappie.