BREAKIN' UP IS HARD TO DO

Neil Sedaka and the Carpenters sang about it decades ago.  Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston made a movie about it in 2006.  And 7th graders do it about every other week.  What is it?  Breakin' up.  And unfortunately this is the time of year when crappie do it, too.

Gone for many waters (some are still hanging on, but not likely for long) are the days when Kansas crappie were predictable.  They'd be found in the same locations, often in big numbers, for weeks on end.  Brush piles, river channels and other habitats often held plenty of hungry slabs. Pickin's were easy and sometimes fast and furious. 

But as water temperatures warm (many into the mid-40's now) crappie bug out and scatter.  They can still be caught but major concentrations aren't as likely.  Successful anglers often drift or slow troll jigs for suspended fish, covering much more water than in recent months.  There are still plenty of opportunities but it may be a little more difficult to locate these scattered fish.  Keen electronics, and more importantly the ability to interpret them, is of utmost importance finding these fish.  They're often scattered over coves or down rocky breaks and rip-rap.  Shad schools can help congregate fish but they don't tend to stay in one place too long.

But if you can't catch them now, don't fret.  In another month or two crappie will be accessible to bank and boat anglers alike.  This action can be good as well, oftentimes some of the best fishing of the year for many anglers.  More crappie are caught during the spawn than any other time of year.  And anglers will be out in full force as spring is a great time to celebrate Kansas' great outdoors.