Donnie Jinkens, the "Crappie King" of Canton Lake, shows two good reasons he's earned that title -- a pair of 2-pounders! Photo courtesy of Donnie Jinkens.

May is a super month for a myriad of outdoor activities in the Sooner State. School-aged kids revel in the fact that their long-awaited summer breaks are near. Campers, boaters and water skiers converge on many of the state's watery venues this month as waters warm to tolerable temperatures. However, if you are an angler, there's some hot crappie angling in the midstate area now as well.

It's true: Even though crappie have spawned in most waters, May is a great month to tangle with feisty papermouths. Many of these post-spawn slabs will be on the prowl looking to gorge themselves on small shad and minnows. Read on to get the rundown on my favorite crappie holes in the central part of the state.

CANTON LAKE
According to crappie expert Donnie Jinkens, Canton Lake is a great place in May to catch a basketful of crappie. Located 75 miles northwest of Oklahoma City and originally built as a water-supply lake for OK City, Canton is best known for the annual Walleye Round Up -- a festive fishing contest indeed. Yet, this prolific 7,910-acre fishery is overlooked by many crappie anglers, according to Jinkens, a 40-year resident there.

Nicknamed the "Crappie King" by Oklahoma fishing legend Don Wallace, Jinkens owns the Canton Motel and operates a guide service. He also believes Canton to be one of the best crappie lakes in the state.

"The lake has some real nice crappie that usually are fairly easy to locate in May," opined Jinkens. "The crappie I'm catching now are 1 1/2 pounds on average, but it is not uncommon to catch crappie over 2 pounds. In fact, my best crappie weighed 3 1/2 pounds."

Jinkens suggested anglers try the Indian Cove area near the southwest part of the lake, or the cattails or "tule area" located on the northwest end of the lake. Another good spot for May slabs lies in the Canadian area of the lake, where there is bank access from a jetty. The dam is 3 1/2 miles long and is a likely spot for casting a pair of jigs or dunking some minnows.

Jinkens advises that there are three pull-off areas by the dam, and these are places where crappie congregate. The ODWC has enhanced the lake's habitat with numerous brushpiles that, although unmarked, can be located with sonar equipment.

Jinkens' favorite artificial bait is a 2-inch Bobby Garland Baby Shad in chartreuse, Red Thunder, pearl and white, and pink and white colors. Minnows and jigs will work well also, and most fish will be caught at depths ranging from 1 to 3 feet. Bigger female crappie will be suspended at depths ranging from 10 to 12 feet.

The drive to Canton is just over an hour from Oklahoma City and well worth the trip. The fishing is exceptional and Jinkens' comfortable motel makes overnight stay superb. To get up-to-the-minute fishing reports or to book a trip with the Crappie King, contact Jinkens at (580) 886-5170.