After ice-out, crappies aren’t yet in the mood to make little crappies, Harvey said. Water temperatures are still in the 40- to 50-degree range and crappies are just beginning to move into the warming shallows. After the water temperatures reach the low 60s, the spawn begins especially when the water warms to 66 to 68 degrees. When the water reaches 70, the late spawners are finishing up.

Tonello recommends anglers check online at www.pilgrimvillagefishing.com/fishingreport.html for the report that is published by the Pilgrim’s Village Bait Shop.

Lake Cadillac covers 1,150 acres in Wexford County. Boat launches are found on the west side of the lake near Hwy. M-55, the north side off North Boulevard and the east side off Lake Street.

Call the Central Lake Michigan Management Unit at (231) 775-9727 for additional information. Lake Mitchell

No more than a stone’s throw from Lake Cadillac, crappie anglers may easily overlook this lake. According to Tonello, Lake Mitchell is just as good as its neighbor.

“Crappies are caught throughout the year,” Tonello said. “The best times are through the first ice, last ice and the early-spring open-water season.”

The crappies in both Lake Cadillac and Lake Mitchell are good eaters and usually range in size from 8 to 12 inches. Occasionally, some larger fish are caught.

Crappie anglers will find several spring hotspots. Near Mitchell State Park on the lake’s eastern shoreline off M-115 is a good place to start. Little Cove on the northern shore is also a best-bet spring hotspot. Plenty of spawning takes place along the eastern shoreline in various locations and is a great backup if the other spots aren’t producing.

“Most crappie fishing is done from a boat,” Tonello said. “There isn’t a lot of public access from the shoreline.”

Boat launches are found at Mitchell State Park and the Selma Township boat launch on Little Cove.

Call the Central Lake Michigan Management Unit at (231) 775-9727 for more information, or visit www.pilgrimvillagefishing.com and click on “Fishing Report.”

Tippy Dam Pond
“Another top crappie water is Tippy Dam Pond,” Tonello said. “Crappies can be caught all over the lake.”

Pink and white are standard colors for experts like Curt Harvey, though a little experimenting is always in order.

According to Harvey, Northland Tackle makes outstanding crappie jigs that work well under a bobber. The Gypsy Jig has a tinsel-type body construction, while the Firefly jig has a feather body, and both should be in the tackle box. When Harvey feels the need to add a little flash in stained water, he ties on a Whistler Jig with a Power Grub or even a time-honored Beetle Spin. Small tube jigs and tiny plastic tails that quiver in the water round out Harvey’s arsenal.