When you say 'lakes' we really don't have one in the west Panhandle. Talquin first and Seminole second are two that hold a lot of crappie, but they are in east Panhandle. In the western part folks depend pretty much on Escambia River and the Choctawhatchee River for half decent crappie fishing.
Across the state line in Alabama are Frank Jackson Park in Opp and Gantt Lake in Andalusia that draw people up there for crappie. Not a long drive at all.
I have a pro crappie friend down in central Florida learning how to fish in mostly in big lakes with 6 ft water and he's struggling. It's a lot different than fishing brush piles in 20 at 25 ft. water back in Kansas.