Just south of Chicot lies another famous Mississippi River oxbow, Grand Lake, which has such a strong reputation for growing crappie that in 2002 the AGFC and a citizen committee defined Chicot's crappie management plan to match Grand's production of the tasty fish. Many anglers troll black, white or chartreuse jigs at various depths, then anchor when they get a bite. Minnows on yo-yos set near brushpiles also produce the makings of many a spring fish fry. A levee on the Mississippi protects Grand from seasonal flooding, so water levels are usually reliable at this time of year.

"Grand usually has good crappie recruitment," Risley said. "There should be plenty of keeper fish there (this) year. It's an extremely fertile oxbow." The healthy year-class of crappie from 2006 should fuel the fishery this year with "plenty of 10-inch-plus fish available," he added.

Grand Lake is in extreme southeastern Chicot County, three miles southeast of Eudora along state Route 8 (known locally as Grand Lake Loop). You can launch from a concrete AGFC ramp at the north end of the lake off U.S. Route 65.

Morgan Point Lake on the Arkansas River is an even smaller oxbow, but it's capable of growing crappie that weigh 2 pounds and up. After decades of unpredictable water levels, anglers have enjoyed years of stable water and good fishing in the lake thanks to extensive construction and water management projects on the old river channel known as Morgan Point Bendway.

The AGFC maintains the Buzzard Beach access in Jarvis Point Park on the north side of the lake near Wilbur D. Mills Dam. Facilities include 49 truck-and-trailer parking slots and a loading platform to put wheelchairs safely aboard boats. Morgan Point Lake is in northern Desha County, northeast of Dumas, off state Route 212.

Cane Creek Lake is yet another popular crappie fishery in his district, but Risley warned, "People who know how to fish it do well." He described the 1,675-acre lake as "shallow, stumpy" and "hard to get around for some people." The lake forms the eastern border of Cane Creek State Park, five miles east of Star City in Lincoln County, off state routes 11 and 293. Call the park at (870) 628-4714 for more information.

Finally, Risley noted that 1,520-acre Lake Monticello, the state's premier lunker bass fishery, is an outstanding winter crappie lake, attracting 100 to 150 boats in the cold, probably because trophy-seeking bass anglers overrun the lake in the spring. Monticello is off state Route 35, five miles northwest of Monticello in northwestern Drew County.

GO EAST, YOUNG MAN!
At press time, no one could predict spring water levels in eastern Arkansas, which suffered some of the heaviest flooding in multiple storm events last year. However, Brinkley-based fisheries biologist Jeff Farwick said it could be late spring before anglers can get into lower White River oxbow lakes for their legendary crappie fishing. Based on his observations, though, we can only say "go" as soon as you can!

"We should have two year-classes of fish that have been protected and scattered hither and yon by the flooding," Farwick explained. "If the water ever recedes (Bull Shoals Lake, which feeds the White, was 30 feet above normal during our interview), any of the oxbows along the White should be phenomenal. You're looking at thousands of fish receding back into those lakes."