SOUTHEAST ALABAMA
In the southeast portion of the Cotton State, anglers have a veritable smorgasbord of options to choose from for excellent crappie fishing. With reservoirs such as Eufaula, along with public fishing lakes such as those in Crenshaw, Dale and Pike counties, it's unlikely that your itch to catch crappie cannot be satisfied here. As noted earlier, the most recent sample shows that numbers are likely to be down at Eufaula this year, but fish over 12 inches should be common. But one of the things that makes this 45,180-acre lake so great for crappie is that it receives little angling pressure for the species.

"And really you can catch crappie at Eufaula just about anytime of the year, if you target them," said Ken Weathers.

In spring most anglers on the lake reach the creel limit of 30 fish by trolling minnows and jigs over the lake's abundant brushpiles. Look for areas with water anywhere from 2 to 6 feet in depth. As summer settles in, move to creek channel ledges having brush present in water 20 to 40 feet in depth.

Another southeast Alabama hotspot is Crenshaw County Lake, located near Luverne. It should also be quite good for crappie this year. Though it gets quite a bit of pressure, the 55-acre lake has a good number of 1/2- pound crappie.

The lake really does have all the ingredients needed for good crappie fishing. First, it's actively managed, with biologists liming and fertilizing it to keep both prey and predator numbers balanced. Also, it features a large forage base and lots of wood cover.

The main fishing pier at the lake should be the place you start when fishing the lake. The pier has a fish feeder that serves to attract baitfish and crappie. There are also recycled Christmas trees placed all around the pier.

Other high-percentage locations to try are main-lake points, most of which have a plethora of cover on them. For more information regarding Crenshaw County Lake, call (334) 335-3999.

Dale County Lake is definitely no secret to crappie anglers in this portion of the state. The 90-acre lake, located in Ozark, routinely gives up good numbers of crappie in the 1/4- to 1/2-pound range. According to catch records supplied by the state, in August of 2004 there were 2,900 weighing a collective 900 pounds caught from the lake.

Creel & Size Limits The statewide total creel limit for black or white crappie is 30 fish per day per angler, either individually or in the aggregate. All crappie harvested must be 9 inches long. Exceptions to these rules are found on small State Fishing lakes, which have individually posted creel and size limits. Also, there is no minimum size limits on the waters and impoundments on the Chattahoochee River, on Big Bear Lake in Franklin County, or on Lake Jackson in Florida. Weiss Lake has a special 10-inch minimum size limit for crappie.

Most anglers catch crappie along the edges of the lake, where there is an abundance of cover such as fallen trees and brushpiles. Other very good spots to try include the dam and any brush out from shore.

"They've sunk a lot of lay-downs and Christmas trees for cover," Weathers added.

For more information regarding Dale County Lake, call (334) 744-0588.

Located just 45 miles southwest of Troy, Pike County Lake is well managed for crappie and consistently yields some good-sized fish. Expect to find the crappie there in the 3/4-pound range, with most of the fish being 9 to 10 inches. Unlike some of the other lakes, this one does get a fair amount of pressure, but that does not seem to detrimentally impact the fishing.

One of the best places to start fishing for crappie in spring on the lake is the area near the fishing pier, which is lined with an abundance of brush. Later in the year, however, fish small jigs and minnows along points or in areas with at least 10 feet of water and having some brush.

For more information regarding Pike County Lake, call (334) 484-9610.