Last year, biologists believe, many tiny crappie were able to avoid predation thanks to the excellent cover provided by high water levels.

What he and others know, however, is that good crappie fishing brings people out. “We definitely see many more anglers on the water when crappie prospects are good, like they will be this year,” Austin noted. “I’m sure there are some anglers who don’t want to hear that, because they’d prefer to have those honeyholes to themselves.

“But the fact is that you don’t need a lot of high-tech stuff to catch plenty of crappie,” he continued. “You grab your favorite rod and reel and get some minnows, and you’re on your way to enjoying some great fishing. We like to say that in years during which we have good crappie fishing, the anglers and the fish are coming together, which is good.”

So, yes -- more people buy fishing licenses when the crappie fishing is going to be good. As a result, you’re likely to see more folks trying to get on your favorite spots this season. On Hillsdale and Perry, that won’t be quite so bad, because of the regulations. You should expect to find nice crappie there throughout the season, and most likely more of them than in recent seasons, given the impact the rains had on 2007 fishing pressure.

You also should think about trying your hand at some of the smaller lakes, like Ottawa and Miami state lakes. One advantage you’ll gain at those spots is the access to manmade fish attractors and brushpiles from the shore. If you’re not familiar with these spots, you don’t even have to worry about taking your boat. Just plan to fish from shore.

As the new season unfolds, regardless of where you’ll be fishing, you should start out this month looking for structure in deep water (15 to 25 feet) that is fairly close to the shallow spawning areas crappie use annually. If you’re a regular, you know where those spawning banks are on your favorite waters. Just back off them far enough to locate the nearest deeper-water structure, and it’s a good bet you’ll find crappie this month already beginning to stage.

Minnow-tipped jigs are hard to beat for crappie now, although some anglers also enjoy fishing minnows under slip-bobbers when they can find crappie holding in 10 to 15 feet of water. Either way, the operative word is “minnows.”

This truly is one of the best times of the year to fish for these great-tasting panfish in Kansas. And at Hillsdale and Perry, more “keeper” crappie are available now than you might expect. The other lakes mentioned here also have good numbers, which means good fishing.

No doubt: 2008 will be a good year for Sunflower State slabsides. So it’s time to reflect on that earlier comparison to “bluebird skies in every direction,” put this magazine down -- and head out for some crappie!