Crappie are not abundant but they can be caught in bunches when a school is found in the spring, fall or winter. It is most common to catch crappie during April when they spawn. Nests will be seen in shallow water close to brush. The dark black crappie are males which guard the nest and insure the survival of the next year class. Please release all males. The lighter green crappie are usually females which are the ones that could be harvested. The crappie population is not large due to the lack of brush in the springtime. Good numbers survive only in years when new desert brush is flooded by rising water during April and May. Catch and release is recommended. Live minnows CANNOT be used.