Each year, I shoot hundreds of crappie photos. I use these to illustrate the many crappie-fishing articles I write for magazines, newspapers, blogs and Web sites.

Lake Greeson fishing guide Jerry Blake of Kirby hefts a 2-pound slab from that lake. He says fish this size are fairly common catches there. Photo by Keith Sutton

The subjects of these photos could be crappie of any size, I suppose, but I much prefer photographing the real slabs that weigh at least 2 pounds. A 2-pounder is approaching trophy size, and any crappie weighing more than 2 1/2 pounds is a wallhanger for most folks. Big fish make my photos more attractive to the viewer.

To obtain crappie that size, I must know which bodies of water are top spots for 2-pounders. The fish must be caught on site so they look fresh and lively. And they must be caught quickly to allow more time for setting up and shooting photos.

All that being said, here are some of the lakes I visit when it's time for a spring photo shoot, and some of the techniques I use to catch jumbo crappie in those waters.

LAKE GREESON
Often as not, when it's big crappie I want, I head straight for Lake Greeson, a 7,000-acre U.S. Army Corps of Engineers impoundment near Kirby in west-central Arkansas. The surrounding Ouachita Mountains create a scenic backdrop for my photos, and the lake seldom has much boat traffic, and action for 16-inch-plus crappie -- fish weighing 2 pounds or more -- can be extraordinary, especially in spring when egg-laden females come shallow to spawn.

One of the first things you'll notice when fishing Greeson is the lack of visible cover. Only rarely will you see stumps, treetops, brushpiles or other habitat used by crappie. There are, however, hundreds of manmade fish attractors of cedar and bamboo beneath the water's surface -- all placed here by local guides, anglers and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. And the lack of natural cover means most crappie are apt to be gathered around these easy-to-find "crappie condos."

Use a fishfinder to pinpoint the brushpiles (there usually are several in each cove), keying on those in shallow water during the spring spawning season. Then use a trolling motor to circle near the fish attractors while you present a live minnow, jig or jig/minnow combo right up against the brush. A slip-bobber on the line allows you to position the bait at the proper depth and provides a visual cue when a crappie bites.

On a good day in April, you might catch a 20-fish limit of crappie in just an hour or two. The average fish is about 12 inches long and weighs about 1 pound, but most limit stringers will be anchored with several slabs weighing 2 to 2 1/2 pounds. When crappie are found and a pattern develops, it doesn't take long to catch enough for supper.

Greeson is one of few Arkansas lakes where you can hire a good crappie-fishing guide. Full-service trips are available by contacting Jerry Blake at Action Fishing Trips, (501) 844-9028, www.actionfishingtrips. com; or Darryl Morris at Family Fishing Trips, (501) 844-5418, or www.familyfishingtrips.com. Fishing supplies, food, boat rentals and superb overnight accommodations are available at Self Creek Lodge and Marina, (870) 398-5000, or www.selfcreek.com, on Highway 70 in Kirby. For additional information about the lake, contact the Corps of Engineers' Lake Greeson Field Office, (870) 285-2151, or www.mvk.usace.army.mil/Lakes/ar/greeson.

MILLWOOD LAKE
Southwest of Lake Greeson near the Arkansas/Texas border is another of the Natural State's top crappie hotspots, Millwood Lake. This 29,200-acre Corps of Engineers impoundment has been churning out 2-pound-plus crappie since shortly after it was built in 1966.