Crappie

For slab-sized crappie, Irmo, SC puts you right on the doorstep of some fantastic fishing on Lake Murray. This large reservoir is well-known for its healthy crappie population. Spring is prime time, as crappie move shallow to spawn. Focus your efforts around brush piles, submerged timber, and docks in the backs of creeks and coves. Minnows and jigs are the go-to baits. As the water warms in summer, crappie will retreat to deeper water near structure. Try spider-rigging or trolling with jigs to cover more ground. Remember to check the depth – crappie often suspend at specific levels. The Lake Murray dam area can also hold good numbers of crappie, especially near submerged structure. A practical tip: use a quality fish finder to locate brush piles and schools of crappie. Lake Murray crappie are generally a mix of black and white crappie, and can reach impressive sizes.