Angler Todd Huckabee with two good reasons that he keeps coming back to Lake Hefner. Photo by Mike Lambeth

Oklahoma waters will come alive this month when schools of crappie invade the shallows to spawn. For ardent crappie anglers, April’s warming temperatures signal prime time for slab action. So grab your ultralight tackle and crappie jigs and fetch the minnow bucket -- and don’t forget a fish basket to accommodate your catch!

But before you zoom off into the wild blue yonder, read up on some of the state’s top crappie holes.

LAKE THUNDERBIRD
Lying 30 minutes south of Oklahoma City near Norman is Thunderbird Lake, a 6,070-acre impoundment that locals have nicknamed “T-Bird” or, because its water is normally muddy year ‘round, “Dirty Bird.” Though celebrated in the 1970s as a lunker bass factory, Thunderbird also is well known for its healthy population of crappie. However, the average size of the crappie at T-Bird runs between 6 and 7 inches.

“Most of the fish in the lake are stunted, and as a result many never reach trophy potential,” observed the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s Jeff Boxrucker. “To remedy the problem, we introduced saugeyes into the lake to eat the smallest crappie. And as a result, the average-sized crappie is now getting bigger.”

An expert on Lake Thunderbird, Boxrucker offered some savvy advice based on his biological findings: “Most crappie in Thunderbird spawn in 2 to 3 feet of water due to the prevalent muddy or turbid water, and most crappie tend to move into shallow water and be more active at night. Male crappie are smaller and can usually be caught near the bank, while females, being larger on average, prefer slightly deeper water.”

Boxrucker suggested that anglers key on Thunderbird in mid-to-late April, when spawning activity normally peaks. And give the area west of the C boat ramp, near the water tower, a try, as it’s a longstanding spawning area. That area can be reached by taking Alameda Street east from I-35 until it dead-ends at the lake.

Boxrucker also spoke highly of Snake Pit Cove, Clear Bay, Duck Blind Cove, and Old River Range Cove, all in the Hog Creek arm of the lake.

Small jigs and plastic baits in yellow, chartreuse, white, and shad colors are the way to go; small minnows are the bait of choice for bait-anglers.

LAKE EUFAULA
Although Eufaula’s two hours’ drive east of Oklahoma City on I-40, it’s hard to talk about crappie fishing in Oklahoma without mentioning this impoundment called the “Gentle Giant.” Featuring waters both murky and exceptionally clear, its 102,200 surface-acres give it the largest area of any lake in the state.

I cut my teeth on Eufaula’s slab-crappie action years ago, and it remains my favorite place to fish today. The crappie fishing generally is solid year ‘round. Recently I fished Eufaula with Todd Huckabee, one of the most proficient crappie fishermen I’ve ever met. Huckabee prefers to fish the timbered areas up the lake’s long creeks. His tactics require a long rod -- he uses an 11-foot rod that bears his name -- and dips a soft-plastic Yum Beavertail jig in a swimming motion around every potential crappie haunt. Huckabee’s prowess quickly filled the boat’s livewell with chunky 2-pound slabs.

Other good spots to fish are at any of the lake’s boat docks, which often have weighted cedar trees tied to them to attract fish. Fishing around those docks can be outstanding; recommended are small minnows, marabou jigs, and Road Runners.