Carl Jones touts the lake’s crappie as getting much larger and catches slabs near 3 pounds each season. Leon Mixer, who works at the lake, says another likely spot is the southeast side; heavily wooded, it’s teeming with crappie.

“Care should be exercised when navigating through the thick vegetation,” advised Mixer.

The lake is a fee-use area with prices posted at the entrances. The access fees are pricey, but usually well worth it considering the outstanding fishing found there.

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” and -- because its water is normally muddy year ‘round -- “Dirty Bird.” Although Thunderbird has a healthy population of crappie, the average runs between 6 and 7 inches.

“Most of the fish in the lake are stunted, and as a result many never reach trophy potential,” said Jeff Boxrucker, the ODWC’s senior biologist at the lake. “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.”

Boxrucker suggested that anglers key on Thunderbird in May, and give the area west of the C boat ramp, near the water tower, a try, as it’s a longstanding spawning area. This site can be reached by taking Alameda Street east from I-35 until it dead-ends at the lake. He also speaks highly of Snake Pit Cove, Clear Bay, Duck Blind Cove, and Old River Range Cove, located in the Hog Creek arm of the lake.

One of my favorite methods at Lake Texoma is night-fishing with minnows beneath any of the lake’s bridges. Employing a bright light attracts baitfish, which in turn lure in crappie, all congregating beneath the illumination.

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

The two experts agreed that working small jigs and plastic baits in yellow, chartreuse, white, and shad colors is the way to go; small minnows are the bait of choice for bait-anglers.

LAKE EUFAULA
Eufaula sits two hours’ drive east of Oklahoma City on I-40. It’s hard to talk about crappie fishing in Oklahoma without mentioning this impoundment that’s often called “the Gentle Giant.” Featuring water both turbid or murky and exceptionally clear, its 10,200 surface-acres give it the largest area of any lake in the state.

Most of the boat docks at the lake have weighted cedar trees tied to them, the object being to attract fish. The fishing around those docks can be outstanding; recommended are small minnows, marabou jigs, and Road Runners.

When water temperatures warm, spawning crappie head to the brushy shallows that surround much of the lake. Minnows and artificials will fool even the most discriminating slabs.

Todd Huckabee -- (405) 520-8980 -- makes his living guiding on the lake. In his view, May anglers will find success fishing brushpiles in the Duchess Creek, and Belle Starr areas.

LAKE TEXOMA
Last -- certainly not least -- is big Lake Texoma. Nestled on the Oklahoma/Texas border, it’s celebrated as the “Striped Bass Capital” and known for its annual Sand Bass Festival. But the lake also boasts some pretty darned good crappie fishing. Let me rephrase that: some great crappie fishing!