SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For many people who like to fish, fishing for crappie is one of their favorite pastimes.

People can learn more about how to catch this popular sportfish March 7 at the free Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) program “Learning to Fish: Advanced Crappie Fishing.” This program, which will be from 6-8 p.m., is at MDC’s Springfield Conservation Nature Center and has in-person and virtual options for attending. For those attending in-person, MDC’s Springfield Nature Center is located at 4601 S. Nature Center Way in southeast Springfield. People wishing to attend this program in-person can register at:

https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/198182

Those who wish to attend this program virtually can register at:

https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/198180

At this program, MDC Conservation Educator Lyle Whittaker will discuss some of the advanced techniques and strategies that will help anglers hook this popular sportfish. Topics will include:

• Current regulations (with an emphasis on Stockton, Pomme de Terre, Table Rock, and Fellows lakes)
• Equipment
• Doodle socking
• Spider rigging
• Dock fishing
• Using live bait
• Jigging
• Patterns and associated techniques
• Lure selection for each season
• How to fish a brush pile
• How to fish standing timber
• Locating crappie by analyzing a lake map
• Introduction to modern electronics

Participants attending virtually must include a valid email address when registering for the March 7 program. A WebEx link will be sent to all registered participants 24 hours before the program. This program will not be recorded. For more information about this program, e-mail Whittaker at Lyle.Whittaker@mdc.mo.gov.

Staff at MDC facilities across the state are holding virtual and in-person programs. A listing of these programs can be found at mdc.mo.gov/events.