Spring is here as we all have come to realize from the sleep-robbing time change this past weekend.

Longer, warmer days, bright sunshine, redbuds beginning to bloom. All of this points to one thing: Black Crappie fishing.

Neal and I took advantage of a perfect afternoon Thursday. We drifted lazily on glass-like waters easing in and out of coves on Lake Sinclair, tossing a minnow and cork along sea walls.

Sinclair has a good stain on it from the recent rains, which makes for perfect fishing as the waters begin to warm. By all accounts and purposes, crappies shouldn’t be holing up in shallows yet as they’re not quite into spawn, but nevertheless, that’s where we found them. All 30 of them.

For the complete story and the recipe, see the March 14 edition.