“Where can you catch crappie near the boat launch at FM 515?” was a recent question posed by a reader. Barbara Stevenson of Mark and Barbara Stevenson Lake Fork Guide Service (903-765-3120) offer the following advice.

“Under the FM 515 bridge, fishing about 22’ deep, with fish probably suspended,” was Stevenson’s answer. “One of the things we do,” she continues, “if they are suspended, is fish next to a bridge pillar, click the bail over, and let it (minnow or jig) fall.” She uses an open face spinning reel. “A lot of times they will hit it on the fall. The important thing is as soon as you make the pitch to the pillar, click the bail over, and let the bait fall.”

Choice of bait or lure depends really on the angler. “Right now is a good time to be using minnows.”

If the minnow makes it all the way to the bottom without being hit, bring the bait up a foot or foot-and-a-half up off the bottom. “Tight line them…don’t use a bobber or anything. Your graph or depth finder will tell you how deep you are. Use the spacing of your guides on your rod for a reference, how many would be a foot and a half, or whatever.”

Minnow size…”large ones you don’t want, but small to medium ones on a #1 or 2, single hook. If you were going to use a jig, what kind, what color would you use? “Chartreuse, black/chartreuse…right now amber/blue feathers, amber/pink. Early morning is the best bite.”

Where to hook a minnow depends on the bite. “If the bite is light, I hook them through the lips. If not I will hook them through the back. Use 10-12 lb. test line on a medium light action rod. To set the hook, just gently raise the rod up…no bass hook set.”

Other good places to catch crappie are off of, or over brush piles and timber close to docks.