Chris,

Just as a little added info....it's going to be a little while yet before the crappie spawn, typically the first three weeks of May here in NE, remember photoperiod dictates fish spawns as it does things like deer rut etc. Other things like water temperature, wind, and weather fronts dictate diurnal movements and the actual moment females drop their eggs. They're like all other species of females, kinda picky when they're doing their thing. All though, just like myself I would continue checking shallow water periodically for feeding crappie as they will migrate diurnally from deep to shallow finding forage in the warming shallow water and then back to the deep water for refuge. It's in general, that these fish will migrate back and forth for some time, partially due to sporadic spring weather, until the males move shallow for the spawing ritual. You probably know as everyone does spring fishing can be some of the toughest due to the timing of fish coming and going into shallow water to feed. Good luck and I hope this early season treats you well.

My fishing out west has been interesting to say the least, usually this time of year the crappie are still very deep, but as this unusual spring continues I myself am finding fish relatively shallow, 15fow, in the reservoirs I fish. Although, as expected they have broken up from large winter shoals and a person can find small pods to even individual fish spread out. It's great weather, but I feel it makes for some difficult fishing.