Mar 17, 2018 4 min read

We’re being teased.

One day the weather is warm and sunny. The next day it either rains or temperatures plummet and it snows. Oh well, after all, it is March, a totally unpredictable month.

This also is the month that offers good crappie fishing in local lakes like Cross Creek. At least it offers good crappie fishing – sometimes. Even on March days when the fish are hitting one cannot predict they will be doing the same thing tomorrow. As the March days change so does the fishing. Not only does the location of the fish need to be found but one needs to determine the depth of their location. In the chilly water of spring they won’t move far to catch a meal, and that includes moving up and down.

Since the chilly days of spring find the crappie in certain places while ignoring other spots, I travel light and search. A light action rod and reel with four-pound line is the tool of the day. The terminal rig will consist of a 1/32 or 1/16 size jig and small and various colored plastic grub. I will take with me a small box containing extra jigs and grubs in various colors. This gives me the freedom to move along the shoreline and attempt to locate the fish. It would also be wise to take along a fish bag just in case the method works. Remember, crappie kept from Cross Creek Lake must be at least nine inches and there is a bag limit of 20 fish total, even mixed with the ever-present bluegill

Another good spot to fish for crappie is the local water dams. Nos 1 and 2 are near Canonsburg and Nos. 3 and 4 are near Washington. They all hold crappie but No. 1 is privately owned and requires a permit to fish. No. 2 lies on the line separating North Strabane Township and Peters Township. There is parking available on both sides and a port-a-john on the Peters Township side. This is a great place for walking the trail. Of course, the angler must share the trail with those who just want to walk or take their pet for a walk. I have seen little problem with this arraignment. While not as productive as the Washington Reservoirs, it is an easy place to get to and also easy to fish. Locate the fish and you will catch a good meal but locating them is not always easy. A good place to start is near both parking lots or along the breast of the dam. Unfortunately, the breastwork requires a bit of a walk. On the other hand, fortunately, there is a good trail completely around the lake and this trail crosses the dam itself.

Dams Nos. 3 and 4 are more productive but also more difficult to fish. Most of the shoreline on each dam is covered with blowdowns making casting difficult, and in some places impossible. Probably the easiest place to fish is along the structure of the dam, or just along the open area that is along the road, or the open area right above the dam.

No. 3 offers a unique problem in that the best way to get to the water is to park in the Trinity Middle School parking lot. From there, a path leads down to the water. When fishing this lake and parking on this property the angler must remember he or she is in a gun-free zone. Leave your handgun at home. They will arrest you for packing your best defensive tool here.

Now, go out and catch some fine eating crappie and let me know where you find them.