Veteran crappie angler and fishing guide Todd Huckabee hefts a pair of slabs -- one black crappie and one white -- from Lake Thunderbird. Photo by Jeff Samsel.

Spring in the Sooner State is generally punctuated by unpredictable weather. This month, the state's storm trackers hit the roads, keeping a watchful eye on ominous skies. You can bet that legions of turkey hunters will also take to the woods this month, in hopes of matching wits with a spring gobbler. But if fishing suits your fancy, this a great month to head to your favorite crappie hole to sack up a mess of some of the tastiest fillets God ever made.

It's true: We live in a time of economic uncertainty. Though we enjoyed low gasoline prices last fall, experts predict gasoline will again rise to the $4 range. Hunters and anglers must learn to economize so they can afford their recreational pastimes.

If you live near the Oklahoma City area as I do, there are several crappie venues within a short drive. That's right, you can save gas and catch crappie too! So, read on as I give you my picks of the best crappie spots.

LAKE THUNDERBIRD
Lying 30 minutes south of Oklahoma City near Norman, my top pick is Thunderbird Lake, a 6,070-acre impoundment that locals have nicknamed "T-Bird" and -- because its water is normally muddy year 'round -- "Dirty Bird." Thunderbird is well known for its healthy population of crappie, and according to Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's Kurt Kuklinski, the crappie recently sampled are showing a marked difference in quality. "In past samplings, the average crappie at T-Bird ran between 6 and 7 inches, but now we are consistently seeing crappie over 12 inches," said the senior fisheries biologist.

Past samplings confirmed that most of the lake's crappie were stunted, and as a result, many never reach trophy potential. To remedy the problem, the ODWC introduced saugeyes into the lake to eat the smallest crappie, and as a result, the average-sized crappie is now getting bigger -- much bigger!

Working from the ODWC Fisheries Lab in Norman, Kuklinski spends a fair amount of time at nearby Lake Thunderbird, and offers some savvy advice based on his biological findings. "Thunderbird's crappie spawn in 2 to 3 feet of water due to the prevalent muddy or turbid water," he said. "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."

Kuklinski suggests that anglers key on Thunderbird in mid to late April, when spawning activity normally peaks, and give the South Dam a try where marked brushpiles can be accessed by bank-anglers. Another area the fish expert suggested is Sailboat Marina off Alameda Road where there's room for bank-anglers.

Traditional favorite crappie areas include Snake Pit Cove, Clear Bay, Duck Blind Cove and Old River Range Cove, located in the Hog Creek arm of the lake. Those are Kuklinski's picks for sacking up a limit of specks.

T-Bird regular Russ Horton is partial to the Calypso Cove area, and notes that the action around boat docks is very worthwhile. But he adds a warning that the many private boat docks may well allow no fishing within 100 feet. Anglers can also fish numerous brushpiles, which are marked by buoys.

The experts all agreed that 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.

One of my favorite tactics for T-Bird crappie involves using a float tube to access the stickup areas in the south end of the lake. The water there is shallow, usually ranging from 2 to 3 feet, so you simply swim a jig around each stickup. The results can be phenomenal; I've caught several crappie using that technique.

As an added bonus, crappie anglers fishing the gravel piles near Clear Bay or fishing near the Little Axe swim beach will have an opportunity to catch saugeyes, which are very common and, according to Kuklinski, a tasty surprise!

LAKE HEFNER
Next on my list of crappie holes is Lake Hefner, one of the most neglected lakes in central Oklahoma. This small 2,500-acre water supply lake is contoured like a bowl, and tucked away in the heart of Oklahoma City. The lake is known as a great wintertime crappie lake, and Kuklinski says the crappie fishing there is good year 'round. Used heavily during the spring and summer months by sail boaters, Hefner receives very little fishing pressure at that time.