Oxbow lakes along the Black River and Mississippi River can produce astounding numbers of barn-door crappie. Barkley suggests that you approach them from public boat ramps rather than weave your way through private property -- unless you know someone who's very familiar with these areas.

DISTRICT 4: EAST-CENTRAL
This Grand Prairie region includes Woodruff, Cross, Crittenden, St. Francis, Lonoke, Prairie, Monroe, Lee, Arkansas and Phillips counties.

"In years past, one of the better crappie fisheries has been Lake Greenlee here in Brinkley," said biologist Jeff Farwick. "It has lots of good-quality fish. Two years ago, we did a one-day creel survey. The average crappie was 11 inches, and there were three better than 2 pounds. At least half of the boat anglers had a 30-fish limit."

Greenlee covers 320 acres on the eastern edge of Brinkley in Monroe County.

Farwick also recommends 420-acre Storm Creek Lake, atop Crowley's Ridge in the St. Francis National Forest. The soil there has a tendency to erode quickly, enriching the lake with nutrients and causing trees to fall, creating good crappie habitat. The lake is just off the St. Francis Scenic Byway (Forest Service Road 1900) in northeastern Phillips County.

Crittenden County's Horseshoe Lake is among our best crappie waters, but it was 5 to 7 feet low during our interview, so Farwick was wishing for replenishing rains over the winter.

DISTRICT 5: SOUTHEAST
This rambling district extends into Jefferson County and then heads southward into Cleveland, Lincoln, Desha, Bradley, Drew, Ashley and Chicot counties. "We have a few lakes that are always good for crappie," said biologist Diana Andrews.

Perhaps the most reliable is Grand Lake in southeastern Chicot County. "A lot of people fish around piers and docks and up into Cornfield Chute and Meyers' Chute, which were tributaries before it became an oxbow lake," said Andrews.

Piers, docks and a few cypress trees on the edges provide most of the visible cover.