A popular destination for crappie anglers is Dreher Island State Park (803/364-4252) for pre-spawn crappie. By motoring upriver, anglers will be able to access miles and miles of structure that attract crappie. Officer Beard told me that most crappie fishermen spider rig and troll for pre-spawn fish. By spider rigging, you can cover vast amounts of water in a relatively short period of time. Some anglers use sideboards to cover an even wider spread with their offerings. Not only can you cover plenty of water, you can present a vast array of jig weights and colors. When the fishing gets tough, it doesn’t hurt to lip-hook a small minnow behind your jig. Most anglers use 1/16- and 1/32-ounce jigs.

Farther upstream from the state park is P&L Campground Restaurant and Landing (803/364-3033) that is convenient to the upper part of Lake Murray -- and it has numerous services to offer. Buffalo Creek runs close to its docks, and is a popular destination for pre-spawn crappie fishermen.

The Little River Marina (803/532-4770) is located just off Highway 391 near the mouth of the Little Saluda River. Where Little Saluda River and the Saluda River join is probably one of the hottest pre-spawn locations on Lake Murray. By trolling the creek channels, anglers can hit action that’s downright sizzling at times even though the weather is cool.

For Lowcountry pre-spawn crappie enthusiasts, the Santee lakes of Moultrie and Marion are by far the best bet. Scott Lamprecht is the regional coordinator for Region 4, which takes in lakes Moultrie and Marion, and he rates this fishery as average for crappie numbers -- but the size is phenomenal. Crappie in the 2- to 3-pound category are somewhat common. Crappie numbers are small, but the average size is huge.

To increase your odds for an outstanding trip, you might want to hire the services of a good guide. Two such guides are Prichard’s Guide Service (803/478-7533) and L.C. Wolfe (843/753-2044). Both of these professional crappie guides primarily use Lake Marion and they both fish basically the same way: Brushpiles throughout the lake are their mainstay.

Wolf said that during February, if the water is high, “I usually fish fairly shallow water, but if the water is low, look for crappie in the 20-foot depths. Sometimes I use minnows, but quite often jigs are my choice. Let the fish tell you what they want that particular day.”

Neither of these guides troll for crappie; they primarily fish brushpiles they have put in the lake. They will motor over brush, and throw out a marker buoy in the top of it. Next, they will motor downwind of the marker, and return using an electric motor. The electric motor is used to keep the boat in position over the brush so that clients can fish straight down over the tree. (The most productive depth for crappie to hold over brush is 10 to 12 feet below the surface in 20 feet of water.) They will continue to fish this brush until the bite slows drastically before moving on to another location.

If a crappie isn’t caught within five minutes after they start fishing, they move on. They don’t sit in one spot and wait for the fish to show up.

Both guides agree that when a person doesn’t have his own brush, all is not lost. Target the channel of the Santee River near the Brickyard, Sixteen Island, Bass Island and Pine Island. Also, check out standing trees and stumps in 20 feet of water, and fish around them. Quite a few such trees will hold a fish or two. Keep your depth recorder on at all times with your eyes glued to it. If you pass over a brush in 20 feet of water, throw a marker in it; circle back, and fish it vertically using your electric motor to keep you in position (or anchor within easy casting range).

Easy access to the upper reaches of Lake Marion can be had from a number of marinas and I won’t attempt to name them all. A couple of the major ones on the north side are Goat Island Resort (803/478-8165) and Randolph’s Landing (803/478-2152). On the south side are Rocks Pond Campground (803/492-7711) and Bell’s Marina (803/492-7924).

The weather might still be a little cold, but the fishing’s not. Bundle up and give Lake Marion a try. If you don’t have conviction on your own as to where and how to fish for February crappie, call one of the guides mentioned above. They will give you your money’s worth, and a trip to remember!