Life can be pretty complicated a lot of the time, which is why simplicity always holds such enormous appeal. Loafing in front of the TV on a lazy Sunday afternoon, grilling a couple of hot dogs for a quick yet tasty lunch, or just going for a morning walk to clear the cobwebs as you start the day - they're all simple things, but always utterly rewarding. Spring crappie fishing from shore is really no different. light panfish rod spooled with 4lb test mono. (photo courtesy of St. Croix Rod)"> I love my annual spring crappie trips for one main reason - the pure simplicity of it. It's not like ice fishing, where you need to drag mountains of gear and dress up like an astronaut just to keep from freezing to death. And it's not like those first boat trips, where there's even more gear to fuss with as you prepare, then have to sort, clean up and put away at the end of the outing. For spring crappie from shore, you just grab a single light rod, a small bag of gear, and you're on your way, with no muss and no fuss. You can go fish for an hour or two, have a load of fun, and be done with it. In a way, easy spring crappie fishing is a lot like going back in time and being a little kid again. It's simple, it's carefree, and it's always utterly rewarding. Your fishing locations will be pretty simple too since, when fishing from shore, you're invariable looking at easily accessible spots that don't require a lot of fuss to get to. At this time of year, crappie move into very shallow spots along lake and river shorelines to spawn, putting them within easy casting distance of the bank. Because the sun sits to the south of us in spring, look for south-facing locations, which will receive more sun exposure and warm up more quickly. Spots like the mouths of inflowing creeks, where warmer water enters a lake or larger river, are always crappie magnets in spring, as are the edges of shallow flats adjacent to creek channels, or any shoreline structures that can reflect sunlight into the water and speed up that warming process. Marina docks - especially those adjacent to creeks or brushy areas - are one of the best because they provide an appealing combination of cover, shallow water, and structures that contribute to reflecting more light toward the water. Causeways are also dependable crappie spots in spring, as are bridges and other physical structures along the water's edge that abut shallow, calm areas with some kind of protective cover, One of my favorite spring crappie spots is a set of locks on a nearby canal. The stone lock walls absorb sunlight through the day, radiating that heat into the water to such an extent that the water in and around the lock can be as much as three or four degrees warmer than the adjacent bay. While fishing within the lock isn't permitted, the stone shoreline approaching it is fair game, and almost always productive thanks to that temperature differential. Regardless of where you fish, the basic approach is the same - keep it simple with a little crappie jig suspended about below a small bobber, with the depth adjusted so the jig sits just above bottom. Cast this out alongside docks, brush piles, pilings and other obvious forms of cover and if crappie are in the area, you'll know soon enough. The other item I bring with me on my spring crappie jaunts is a small cooler, since a half dozen fish always make for a wonderful dinner. Keeping just enough fish for a meal fits with the whole "keep it simple" approach, so I don't face an extended afternoon at the fillet board after I get home. Simplicity really is a reward in its own. Just for fun, take advantage of one of these nice spring-like afternoons, leave the boat at home and poke around some nearby shore spots for a few spring crappie. Keep it simple and I guarantee you'll have way more fun than you ever expected. In fact, you might even find it so much fun that it becomes an annual tradition. Spring Crappie Gear: St. Croix Panfish Series Rod 4lb test clear fishing line SouthBend Crappie Jigs Lindy Fuzzy-E-Grub Crappie Jigs VMC Marabou Jig Marabou Tinsel Jigs VMC Hot Skirt Glow Jigs Thill Premium Balsa Spring Floats Thill Crappie Cork Mr. Crappie Stick Bobbers