A cup of coffee or light lunch at any of the dozens of variety stores along the main highways will usually afford an opportunity to gather the information you need. Local tackle shops and sporting goods stores are also great sources of fishing locations and baits. Maine's population of black crappie are the same as found in southern New England and closely related to the crappie found in southern states. However, they are much larger. The first crappie you bring through the ice that makes you wonder if it will fit in a frying pan should get you hooked on these tasty swimmers and forget about the trout and salmon that are swimming around just under your feet.
Maine law offers a generous creel limit on crappie.
In fact there is no creel or minimum size limit. You can keep all you'll eat. The winter season runs from January 1 through March 31 and opens again when the ice leaves the surface, anytime after April 1. The most successful winter bait is the tiny pinhead minnow or shiner. Maine law prohibits persons from bringing live bait into the state or from emptying leftover bait into any waters.