As a musky guide working the lakes in Northern Illinois, I am often asked by my clients while musky fishing, "do you ever fish for anything other than muskies"? I always answer emphatically, "you betcha"! As a father of 4 small children (2 boys & 2 girls) with limited attention spans, there is no better way to get the younger generation "hooked on fishing" than by taking them out for crappies in the early spring. Crappie fishing at this time of year can be fast & furious and the sheer numbers of fish caught can really hold a youngster’s interest. Typical Chain crappies average 7-11 inches with an occasional 13 incher thrown in. There are several lakes that I like to fish on the Chain for spring crappies. We’ll talk about specific lakes later in this article. In recent years we have seen a reduction of the yellow bass population on the Chain and consequently the bluegills & crappies have made a triumphant return. In the early spring, crappies move into the shallow, warm water bays to feed. These areas not only concentrate the baitfish but the crappies as well. I like to target water depths ranging from 20 feet to as shallow as 2 feet, depending on location and structure! As far as terminal tackle is concerned, I like to keep it simple. I use small ultra-light spinning reels, spooled with 4 lb. test. My ultra-light rods vary in length from 5 feet to

6 ½ feet. I use the longer rods (6 ½ feet) for casting and pitching these small jigs. The shorter rods are used for the jig/float combinations. I prefer small Mini-Mite jigs in a variety of color combinations. Typically, a 1/64^th ounce pink jig head with a white plastic body or a 1/64^th ounce chartreuse jig with a white plastic body is all you need. I also like these other Mini-Mite color combo’s; orange/brown, orange/smoke, black/red and black/yellow. Depending on the mood of the crappies, sometimes you’ll get a better bite tipping the Mini-Mites with small minnows, let the fish tell you what they prefer! Some of my other favorite setups include: small tube jigs in a wide array of colors and also a plain #4 gold tru-turn hook with a small split shot under a small slip float. This set-up can be really deadly if the fish are in a neutral to negative mood. Small ice fishing jigs on slip floats are also very productive and should definitely not be overlooked. Rat Finkees, Ratso’s and Shrimpo’s are 3 of my favorite ice jigs to use below a slip float throughout the open water season.

Lake Catherine on the Chain of Lakes has a good crappie population. When fishing Lake Catherine, I launch at Bob’s Marina (847) 395-1173, which is about 1½ miles west of Route 59, right off Route 173 on the south side of the lake. I like this location. The channel coming out of their marina is a hot spot to start fishing for spring crappies. There is a good weed bed out in front that starts in 10-12 feet of water. In addition to the weeds, sunken trees are also part of the bottom structure. This structure holds crappies and is one of my favorite areas for April crappies. Don’t be afraid to move with the fish if the bite slows at this location, and don’t overlook the docks! Another good spot to try is on the north end of Lake Catherine right out in front of Trevor Creek.

This area holds crappies year round. I work the creek channel inward, up to the bridge where the water is very shallow. I like casting small jigs in this spot with my 6-½ foot ultra-light rod. The area right out in front of Trevor Creek has water depths that run from 3-5 feet at the mouth of the creek inlet to 22 feet within 50 yards. Crappies will roam these depths and drop-offs, so a good depthfinder is a must. Be prepared to fish suspended crappies here using a slip float/jig or a slip float/minnow combination. The no-wake buoys on the north end here serve to literally mark the drop off, so keep this in mind as you approach this area. It will save you some time searching for the drop off!

Channel Lake also contains a nice crappie population. A good place to launch here is at McDermit’s Resort (847) 395-9839, which is located on the southwest corner of Channel Lake. From route 59 & route 173, go west to Lake Avenue. Proceed .03 mile north on Lake Avenue to Woodbine. Turn right to the resort. This lake has depths to 45 feet along with creek channels, gravel bars and good weed growth. All of these factors contribute to great crappie fishing! The docks out in front of McDermit’s have a fast dropping shoreline that produce when fished with jig/float combos. The northwest corner is a major spring Crappie hot spot that will be littered with fishermen when the bite is on! This area has a 5-10 foot weed flat that really stacks up the crappies. I work in and out of these depths watching my graph, with my trolling motor set on low. I will cast Mini-Mite jigs and "dead stick" a jig/minnow or #4 hook & minnow combo under a slip float. If the bite is on, I’ll pinch a small spit shot onto my line using my Mini-Mite jig setup. This allows me to get my lure into the strike zone quicker, rather than having to wait to "count down" the jig to the desired depth. If the action is on, it’s not uncommon for 2 anglers to get 50-100 crappies here in a matter of an hour or two. Using two rods in this scenario can sometimes be impossible! The Lake Street channel is also another hot spot. This area has very shallow water so proceed slowly so you don’t spook the fish. I usually cast this area looking for active fish. There is also an 11-foot hole in this channel that can hold some nice suspended "slabs".

Bluff Lake is the final lake on the Chain that I like to target for spring crappies. It has the best current flow of all the lakes on the Chain. You can launch at C. J. Smith’s Resort (847) 395-2753 on Spring Lake. CJ’s is right off Grass Lake Road .8 mile west of route 59. This facility has a bait & tackle shop, rental boats and gas. John always knows how the bite is going and is an excellent source of fishing information. Just a short 5 minute boat ride north of CJ’s puts you on Bluff Lake. On the south side of Bluff Lake you will see Steitz’s Resort. Out in front of Steitz’s are numerous piers that hold some "slabs". I work these docks casting Mini-Mites under the piers. Let me tell you, I have been pleasantly surprised at the quality of Crappies I have caught at this location. The depth here is usually around 3-5 feet depending on lake levels. If the fish are not tight to the piers, don’t be afraid to move out from the piers into deeper water, the fish are there. The bay in the northeast corner of Bluff Lake (Airport Bay) is another good bet for early crappies. Hit this area before it becomes weed choked and the crappie fishing can be stellar! This bay has a shallow tapering weed flat in the 3-5 foot range that drops off dramatically into 20 feet. Use your graph to locate the schools of Crappies, which are usually suspended over this deeper water area. You will need to move frequently, as the schools of fish will continue to move as well.

Greg Dickson’s Triangle Sport & Marine (847) 395-0813 on Grass Lake Road & Route 83 is another great place to contact for the local Crappie bite on the Chain. They have been in business since 1948 and are the cornerstone for the angling community on the Fox Chain of Lakes. They have everything you'll need for a spring Crappie trip including all the bait & tackle you’ll ever need. Give them a call, and they can fill you in on what’s happening on the Chain throughout the year. I hope to see you out on the Fox Chain this spring with a healthy stringer of nice Crappies! Look for my 1900 Pro-V Lund with the Big Goomba logo on the side!

Rich Gallagher owns & operates the Big Goomba Musky Hunter Guide Service. He can be reached at (847) 741-9771 to book a musky trip on a variety of Northern Illinois Lakes. Visit his website at www.biggoomba.com to book a trip or get local fishing reports. You can also and drop him an e-mail while surfing his website!