Where
Brush piles, weed edges and suspended over deeper water.
When
Dusk and after dark; spring in shallow bays.
How
Small minnows or tube jigs under a slip bobber.
Best lakes for crappie
From DNR data| # | Lake | Abundance | Acres | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delavan LakeWalworth County | Panfish, abundant · stocked | 1,906 | 9.3 |
| 2 | Whitewater LakeWalworth County | Panfish, abundant · stocked | 625 | 9.1 |
| 3 | Horsehead LakeOneida County | Panfish, abundant · stocked | 377 | 9.1 |
| 4 | Lake HuronWaushara County | Panfish, abundant · stocked | 41 | 8.7 |
| 5 | Lake WinnebagoFond du Lac County | Panfish, abundant | 131,939 | 8.4 |
| 6 | Lake PoyganWaushara County | Panfish, abundant | 14,024 | 8.4 |
| 7 | Lake MendotaDane County | Panfish, abundant | 9,781 | 8.4 |
| 8 | Lake Butte des MortsWinnebago County | Panfish, abundant | 8,581 | 8.4 |
| 9 | Lake WinneconneWinnebago County | Panfish, abundant | 4,553 | 8.4 |
| 10 | Willow FlowageOneida County | Panfish, abundant | 4,217 | 8.4 |
| 11 | Pelican LakeOneida County | Panfish, abundant | 3,545 | 8.4 |
| 12 | Lake MononaDane County | Panfish, abundant | 3,359 | 8.4 |
| 13 | Lake KegonsaDane County | Panfish, abundant | 3,200 | 8.4 |
| 14 | Rainbow FlowageOneida County | Panfish, abundant | 3,153 | 8.4 |
| 15 | Lake ChetacSawyer County | Panfish, abundant | 2,400 | 8.3 |
| 16 | Chequamegon Waters FlowageTaylor County | Panfish, abundant | 2,366 | 8.3 |
| 17 | Lake WaubesaDane County | Panfish, abundant | 2,074 | 8.3 |
| 18 | Lake WausauMarathon County | Panfish, abundant | 1,851 | 8.3 |
| 19 | Pine LakeForest County | Panfish, abundant | 1,673 | 8.3 |
| 20 | Big Sand LakeVilas County | Panfish, abundant | 1,427 | 8.3 |
| 21 | Pickerel LakeLanglade County | Panfish, abundant | 1,272 | 8.2 |
| 22 | Little Lake Butte Des MortsWinnebago County | Panfish, abundant | 1,200 | 8.2 |
| 23 | Spooner LakeWashburn County | Panfish, abundant | 1,132 | 8.2 |
| 24 | Big Round LakePolk County | Panfish, abundant | 1,014 | 8.2 |
| 25 | Solberg LakePrice County | Panfish, abundant | 844 | 8.2 |
| 26 | Webb LakeBurnett County | Panfish, abundant | 756 | 8.2 |
| 27 | Two Sisters LakeOneida County | Panfish, abundant | 719 | 8.1 |
| 28 | Black Oak LakeVilas County | Panfish, abundant | 564 | 8.1 |
| 29 | Lost LakeVilas County | Panfish, abundant | 539 | 8.1 |
| 30 | Wood LakeBurnett County | Panfish, abundant | 521 | 8.1 |
| 31 | Gull LakeWashburn County | Panfish, abundant | 518 | 8.1 |
| 32 | Yellowstone LakeLafayette County | Panfish, abundant | 453 | 8.1 |
| 33 | Townsend FlowageOconto County | Panfish, abundant | 445 | 8.1 |
| 34 | George LakeOneida County | Panfish, abundant | 443 | 8.1 |
| 35 | Stella LakeOneida County | Panfish, abundant | 415 | 8.1 |
| 36 | Willow LakeOneida County | Panfish, abundant | 410 | 8.1 |
| 37 | Allequash LakeVilas County | Panfish, abundant | 406 | 8.1 |
| 38 | Lake ThompsonOneida County | Panfish, abundant | 401 | 8.1 |
| 39 | Trego LakeWashburn County | Panfish, abundant | 383 | 8.1 |
| 40 | Lake ColumbiaColumbia County | Panfish, abundant | 378 | 8.1 |
| 41 | Bass LakeSt Croix County | Panfish, abundant | 370 | 8.0 |
| 42 | Boom LakeOneida County | Panfish, abundant | 365 | 8.0 |
| 43 | Upper Gresham LakeVilas County | Panfish, abundant | 362 | 8.0 |
| 44 | Crane LakeForest County | Panfish, abundant | 355 | 8.0 |
| 45 | Indian LakeOneida County | Panfish, abundant | 354 | 8.0 |
| 46 | Lake WingraDane County | Panfish, abundant | 336 | 8.0 |
| 47 | Found LakeVilas County | Panfish, abundant | 336 | 8.0 |
| 48 | Bishop LakeForest County | Panfish, abundant | 288 | 8.0 |
| 49 | Boot LakeVilas County | Panfish, abundant | 286 | 8.0 |
| 50 | Chippewa LakeBayfield County | Panfish, abundant | 274 | 8.0 |
Only lakes with finished pages are ranked. Score: how common the DNR says the fish is, recent stocking and lake size.