As you fish areas, also remember what Austin said about finding fish: If you fool one crappie, there are more where it came from waiting for your next cast. You also should note the kind of structure you caught the fish near, and its depth. This is important because you're just as likely to find more crappie around the lake you're at if and when you do finally decide to move. If you're on your home lake, you probably ought to concentrate on the spots that have been known producers of crappie, especially during the spawn.

If you think of your favorite lake as a fish's home, then the following analogy should help you to understand the differences between crappie and the state's other popular game fish species.

As Austin described crappie and their habits, it occurred to me that the fish use their homes as if they were condominiums: They live on about the same fairly small footprint but move vertically -- just like a two- or three-story condo.

Walleyes and white bass, on the other hand, tend to treat the lakes they live in as sprawling ranch houses, moving all over the place as if going from one wing of a huge home to another. Black bass tend to be more like crappie than like walleyes or white bass, but you might think of them as inhabiting the water as if it were a split-level -- they'll move around a bit more than do crappie, but they also tend to move vertically quite a bit.

In the end, the diversity is fascinating -- and as it relates to your crappie fishing this month, it betokens that you might really have it easier than will those after other species. If you know where crappie spawn on the lake(s) you like to fish, you're already really close to finding them. They're just not on the top level of that home. They're one floor down, or maybe two.

Another word about the weather: April can be one of the most dynamic months of all in Kansas. Lovely afternoons can give way to viciously stormy evenings without much warning. Tornadoes definitely spawn in strong Sunflower State storms this month.

That said, always let friends and family know which lake you'll be fishing, and the general area you'll be in. With today's technology, having a cell phone along almost goes without saying; remember to carry yours.

You also should carry a weather radio and check it often for updates. If you don't have a fishfinder with GPS technology in your boat, consider investing in a handheld GPS unit, the prices of which continue to become more reasonable, and they can be invaluable -- especially when you're on a new lake. You can not only mark spots at which you find and catch fish but also register the location of the ramp you launched from and use the GPS to help you find your way back if necessary.