Mark Bowen took this double handful of crappie from Heath Lake in the Rocky Mountain PFA near Rome. Photo by Kevin Dallmier.

Even the most jaded angler can be a sucker for the pure joy of a sure thing. Although the rest of the year may be spent matching wits with black bass, wily trout, or some other species with the well-earned reputations of being tight-lipped more often than not, when the crappie bite is on, the fishing is easy. When the spawn arrives, most anglers won't hesitate to join in on the fun of catching this tasty species.

Let's take a look at what crappie anglers can expect this year on some of the Peach State's best crappie waters.

Anglers interested in good crappie fishing should focus their efforts on reservoirs and rivers. Small lakes and ponds may have crappie, but the fish usually run small.

Crappie are one of the first fish to spawn in early spring, when they are easily caught around shallow, woody cover. Light spinning or spin-casting gear is well suited for crappie fishing. Six-pound-test monofilament works well, although 4-pound or 8-pound may be more suitable in certain circumstances. Lighter line results in more strikes, but heavier line results in fewer hooks lost to snags.

If you prefer artificial lures, small jigs are the way to go. A 1/16-ounce jig with a small plastic grub or tube body is a good choice. Retrieve the lure slowly around woody cover. If fish are suspended in deep water, count the lure down to the desired depth before beginning a slow retrieve. Small spinners can also be effective crappie lures.

A small minnow fished on a No. 1 light wire hook suspended under a small bobber probably catches more crappie in Georgia every year than any other technique. The float should be small enough to be easily pulled under so the fish on the other end does not feel resistance and drop the bait.

Crappie holding shallow in thick cover offer a perfect setup for a long limber bream pole equipped with a small reel or just a length of line slightly shorter than the pole. The long pole is used to drop the bait vertically right into the middle of the cover. When a fish strikes, a quick lift hooks the fish and brings it straight up out of its snag-infested lair.

Spring is a perfect time for this style of fishing, as the crappie are shallow and the water is usually stained from spring rains. That allows for a closer approach without spooking the fish.

Crappie do well in Georgia because of the temperate climate and plenty of reservoirs with strong shad forage bases, the main ingredient for a strong crappie fishery. Not all lakes are created equally, though, and crappie populations are notoriously cyclic. Numbers often fluctuate up and down on a three- to five-year basis, leading to some years being better than others on any given lake. Fish can be off a little bit on your favorite lake, but just down the road, anglers may be enjoying their best success in recent memory.

Lake Walter F. George is a huge reservoir spanning the Georgia-Alabama state line. The lake's 45,180 acres are managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and cover 85 river miles of the Chattahoochee River drainage between Columbus and Ft. Gaines. There are plenty of public access points, so finding somewhere to launch close to where you intend to fish shouldn't be a problem.

The last several years have been good ones for crappie anglers on this lake in terms of both numbers and size, and this year should offer good fishing, with plenty of 8- to 10-inch fish. Also expect some real slabs that easily go a couple of pounds.

Favorite spots are creek mouths and under bridges. Good areas that are consistent producers are Pataula, White Oak, Rood and Grass creeks. Bank-anglers might want to try the fishing piers at Hardridge Creek and Florence Marina State Park, or the marked fishing areas at East Bank and River Bluff boat ramps.