The seemingly simple objective of catching a limit of crappies is high on the list of the majority of people who call themselves anglers in northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

Simple, right? Crappies are numerous. They live in locations that most anglers can easily access. They aren’t difficult to tease into biting and they do not put up a big battle when they are hooked.

But despite the seeming simplicity of crappie fishing, a whole bunch of fishers go home with no need to sharpen their fillet knives. Hope springs eternal, however, and the gang is looking forward to warm March days on local crappie hotspots at Mosquito, Pymatuning, Milton and other reservoirs.

Tyler Woak, a young man from Niles with a veteran’s resume when it comes to crappie fishing, says anglers can focus on the three L’s to increase their odds of filling out their limit more often in 2021. They are line, lure and location.

Woak is spending a lot of time on the ice this winter, where he’s using his talents to catch bunches of crappies. As good as his fortunes have been recently, he’s looking ahead to open water and schools of slabs.

Line size is critical when the water is cold and the fish are just getting active.

He recommends anglers to go light — even very light. He has been using 1-pound-test fluorocarbon recently and advises no heavier than 4-pound-test when spring arrives. He said crappies can be very line shy and he has experienced times when super-light line outfished the more standard choices of his fishing buddies.

Lures get special attention from Woak.

He prefers tiny hair jigs tipped with plastics and says his cold-water color choices are white, blue and pink. He works them under a slip bobber which allows quick adjustment to set the jig at the depth where the fish are hanging out.

Location is key.

“Right after the ice is gone, I look to the flooded trees and bushes in the bays at lakes like Mosquito and Pymatuning,” Woak said. “If they aren’t in the trees, you can probably find them near the bays, usually in the mouths.”

He recommends anglers avoid the temptation to sit tight on spots when the fish are not cooperating.

“I keep moving until I find them and I recommend anglers adjust their floats to play around with the depth to find exactly where the crappies want the bait,” he said.

The three L’s may seem to be basic Crappie 101 tactics. But that’s exactly the point. The basics work well on all crappie waters.

Woak and other crappie experts are quick to acknowledge there are no top-secret special tricks. Their freezers bear proof that the real “trick” is doing the basics well and fishing with confidence.

Jack Wollitz is a writer and angler who has fished up great memories on the waters of northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania. He also appreciates emails from readers. Send a note to Jack at jackbbaass@gmail.com.