Best crappie lakes in the West: 12 lakes to fish

The lakes

1. Lake Mead, Nevada

Lake Mead spreads over some 158,000 acres. Crappie, striped bass, largemouth bass and catfish are the draw. At about 532 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and a wind-blown bank: good places to start.

Lake Mead today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Elephant Butte Lake, New Mexico

Elephant Butte Lake covers about 27,300 acres. It holds crappie, largemouth bass, striped bass and catfish. The deepest water is around 197 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and a wind-blown bank worth a first look.

Elephant Butte Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Clear Lake, California

At 43,500 acres of water, Clear Lake is a big lake. Expect crappie, largemouth bass, catfish and bluegill. It goes down to about 60 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three steep ledges and an upper arm: good places to start.

Clear Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Roosevelt Lake, Arizona

At 21,500 acres, Roosevelt Lake is a big lake. It holds crappie, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and catfish. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and a steep ledge worth a first look.

Roosevelt Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. San Carlos Lake, Arizona

San Carlos Lake spreads over 19,500 acres. The lake is about 58 miles west of San Tan Valley. Crappie, largemouth bass, catfish and bluegill are the draw. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. San Carlos Lake sits on the San Carlos Apache Reservation and is managed by the tribe's Recreation and Wildlife Department.

San Carlos Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Navajo Reservoir, Colorado

At 15,600 acres of water, Navajo Reservoir is a big lake. The lake is about 16 miles north of Bayfield. Expect crappie, northern pike, bluegill and catfish. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Navajo Reservoir straddles the Colorado-New Mexico border and was formed by a dam on the San Juan River.

Navajo Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Lake Owyhee, Oregon

At 13,900 acres of water, Lake Owyhee is a big lake. It lies within an easy drive of Caldwell (about 27 miles). It holds crappie, trout, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. The deepest water is around 117 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work.

Lake Owyhee today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Lake Washington, Washington

Lake Washington spreads over some 21,600 acres. You will find it right by Yarrow Point. It holds crappie, trout, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. The deepest water is around 214 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Lake Washington is the second-largest natural lake in Washington state, after Lake Chelan.

Lake Washington today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Riffe Lake, Washington

Riffe Lake is a reservoir of 11,800 acres of water. The lake is near Morton. It holds crappie, trout, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. At about 360 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Riffe Lake is impounded by Mossyrock Dam, the tallest dam in Washington state.

Riffe Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Lahontan Reservoir, Nevada

At some 10,000 acres, Lahontan Reservoir is a big lake. You will find it about 1.7 miles northwest of Silver Springs. It is the Carson River behind Lahontan Dam. Crappie, white bass, walleye and catfish are the draw. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Lahontan Reservoir was formed by Lahontan Dam, completed in 1915 as one of the first U.S. Bureau of Reclamation dams, and is a popular warm-water fishery.

Lahontan Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

11. Bighorn Lake, Wyoming

Bighorn Lake is a reservoir of 17,300 acres of water. You will find it about 9.4 miles west of Lovell. Yellowtail Dam holds it on the Bighorn River. Crappie, walleye, trout and yellow perch are the draw. The deepest water is around 450 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove: good places to start. Bighorn Lake straddles the Wyoming-Montana border within Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, impounded by Yellowtail Dam.

Bighorn Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

12. Conchas Lake, New Mexico

At 9,600 acres, Conchas Lake is a good-sized lake. You will find it near Mosquero. Conchas Dam holds it on the Canadian. It holds crappie, walleye, largemouth bass and white bass. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Conchas Dam, completed in 1939 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, impounds the Canadian River.

Conchas Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

Crappie through the year in the West

The water temperature on the day matters more than the calendar: each lake page on LakeScope shows today's surface temperature and how the fish should react to it.

• Spring: Schooled on deeper brush piles. Fish small jigs slowly.
• Summer: Scattered after the spawn. Try docks and brush at mid depth.
• Fall: Active. Brush piles and docks in 8 to 15 ft.
• Winter: Cold. Tight schools near deep brush and bridges.