LAKE LEWISVILLE
Winter crappie fishermen have been flocking to the Lewisville Fishing Barge -- 956 Sandy Beach Road; (972) 436-9341 -- for years. I remember many productive trips there a couple of decades ago, back when the late Joe Jagoe owned the place. John Kuhn reports that fishermen are still doing very well there, especially during the winter months. The barge sits in water 15 to 30 feet deep on the southwest side of the lake. Bait, tackle and sandwiches are available on site. The barge, heated during the winter, is open 24-7.

JOE POOL
Carl Ponton expects the fishing at Lynn Creek Marina Fishing Barge -- 5700 Lakeridge Parkway; (817) 640-4200 -- to be good, as crappie stack up on the many Christmas trees submerged under the barge in water 15 to 18 feet deep. "We're open 24-7 and have everything the fisherman needs, including an on-site restaurant at Lynn Creek Marina" he said.

This barge hosts an ongoing crappie tournament with prizes paid for big crappie of the day, week and month. On Wednesdays, seniors over 65 fish free.

LAKE BENBROOK
Lying on the west side of the lake, Benbrook Marina -- 302 Lakeview Drive; (817) 249-2696 -- has an excellent indoor heated fishing barge that offers a good assortment of bait and tackle, as well as sandwiches and snacks. According to Jimmy Whelchel, the barge is open 24 hours per day. The lake was low early last fall, but, Whelchel says, late-fall and winter rains often put the lake back at normal pool long before spring. If that holds true, winter crappie fishing can be very rewarding. Just make sure to call ahead to check water conditions before planning your trip.

LAKE TAWAKONI
Duck Cove Fishing Barge -- (903) 356-3240 -- has long been one of my favorite spots for catching winter crappie; it's at the north end of the lake, a little over an hour's drive from Dallas.

Owner Randy Gay feels that we're in prime time for catching big baskets of barn-door crappie. "We're open seven days a week during the winter and have a nice little cafe beside the fishing barge where we serve breakfast and lunch," he stated. "We usually have a couple of briskets on the smoker."

One of the largest indoor fishing spots in the region, the 99-foot barge annually attracts fishermen who pull their RVs to the marina to enjoy a combination of camping and fishing for a few days. Make reservations for RV spots early, because this place gets really busy in winter.

LAKE RAY HUBBARD
Hubbard has two full-service indoor fishing barges. Lakeside Fishing Barge -- Dalrock Road and I-30; (972) 475-3824 -- is open seven days a week, 6:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until midnight on the weekends.

Terry McGhghy anticipates that the excellent crappie fishing that annually begins in late December will be going strong this month. "We sit in 12 to 18 feet of water and keep crappie baited in with plenty of heavy brush," he said. "We have a well-stocked bait shop and welcome calls from fishermen inquiring about the fishing."

Harbor Bay Marina -- (972) 771-0071 -- lies just north of the far-eastern I-30 bridge at the Ridge Road exit. The fishing there is almost a carbon copy of what you'll find at Lakeside Fishing Barge. The old Rockwall Marina Barge used to sit in that exact spot, which many devout crappie anglers have been working for years.

So gather up your crappie-catching equipment and give one or more of these indoor fishing hotspots a try this month. You might find a renewed interest in February fishing!