"The northern rivers are coming back. It looks like most of the fish were moved by the water rather than killed by it. Crappie numbers are up, although the size is still not what we'd like to see," said Chad Thomas, coastal fisheries research biologist for the NCWRC. "But they grow fast. We're positive about the next few years.

"If we continue to go without any hurricane damage for another couple of years, the fisheries will be as good as before. We have an 8-inch minimum size limit and a 20-fish creel limit in place throughout the region as a precaution, though."

Two of his top picks for hot crappie action are the Chowan and Perquimans rivers, along with their tributaries. Both are in the northeast corner of the state, just above the Albemarle Sound. Thomas reports that hurricane damage to these systems was minimal. Little damage was done to the fisheries.

Most anglers have their best luck drifting minnows in the current near wood or weeds. "It's a great way to fish, very relaxing and rewarding," is Thomas' description of the time-honored Tar Heel technique.

In the same corner of the state, the Yeopim River comes highly recommended. The hurricane damage was slight. It's thriving as a result. Savvy anglers fish the deeper holes and channel drops where they can find some stumps, laydowns or drift. Again, live minnows are the bait of choice with local anglers.

Farther south, near the middle of the coast, anglers seeking bigger crappie may want to look at the Neuse and Tar rivers. According to Thomas, both rivers support high populations of 10- to 12-inch crappie. "They can be shallow in places, so anglers should be careful, but the holes and cuts hold good numbers of good crappie. They're great places to fish."

Thomas specifically recommends Turkey Quarter Creek, Pitchkettle Creek and Pine Tree Creek off the Neuse for numbers. Tranter's Creek, a tributary of the Tar River, is also good if you're looking for a limit.

"The southern rivers aren't so good," Thomas said. "They haven't produced, historically at least, as well as those in the north or even the middle part of the state."

Still, there's a decent fishing spot or two around. The Cape Fear River may be the best. It's 200 miles long, flows past Fayetteville, Elizabethtown and Wilmington, and then finally empties into the Atlantic Ocean.

The inland stretches of Cape Fear usually produce the best fishing. Look for holes, cuts, tributaries and inflows that are not affected by tidal movements. Areas with heavy weed growth and wood are normally considered prime. Early spring, immediately before the spawn, is the best time to fish it. Fall is probably your next best opportunity.

Like his colleague in the Mountain Region, Thomas suggested anglers look closely at municipal water supply ponds and lakes. Often they are underappreciated and underfished. In many of them, the crappie grow to gigantic proportions and then die of old age. Access is tightly restricted at many of them. Ask before you fish -- but do ask, and do fish.

A technique that has proved effective in these small bodies of water is suspending a tiny jig under a bobber. Toss this rig out, let the jig settle, and then pull it back with repeated soft twitches. Make sure you allow the jig to drop down in the water column from time to time. You don't want to pull the jig along the surface. That's almost always a waste of time.

There's an 8-inch minimum size limit and a 20-fish creel limit in the Coastal Plains Region. It's enforced.

No matter where you live in North Carolina, there are plenty of crappie waiting to claim a spot on your supper plate. Don't disappoint them.