"Bankin" .... you are most likely just picking up the Crappie that are "local" to that area. They don't travel anywhere near as far as White Bass, and they don't have to head "up river" to the shallows to spawn, nor do they need a certain amount of current to lay their eggs in (as White Bass do). In fact, they prefer/need as little current as possible wherever they lay their eggs.

Dogwoods bloom when the ground temp reaches/maintains a certain degree range ... and that sometimes coincides with the temperature of the upper level of the water column in nearby waters. Best bet is to start searching for spawning banks/spots well before the Dogwood blooms appear. Crappie will be in a pre-spawn feeding mode, at that time, trying to fatten up before the rigors of spawning start. Any bank with lots of downed trees, root wads, or stumps ... and especially on banks that have an eddy water situation ... are the most likely places for Crappie to spawn in a creek with constantly flowing water. And yes, Crappie will come out of the main river and up into creeks to spawn, due to less current & clearer water in the creeks.

... cp