Mike.. I spend more time fishing than I do scouting when it comes to spring crappies. Most years(unlike this year), the shallows tend to warm up quickly while the main lake basin often is still very cold. Sometimes, the main lake temp will be in the upper 30’s to low 40’s when I am targeting crappies. The backwaters can be considerably warmer. Yu are correct with the wind playing a huge factor. The wind blowing into any area pushing in cooler water can drasticly change a bite in a hurry. I generally have the best luck on the calm side of the lake, or areas that havent recieved any major temperture fluxuatons(stable or warming). 90% of my very shallow water fishing(1′-3′) is usually reserved to back bays and channels, for some reason I dont get much luck on main lake shorelines in very shallow water. When fishing larger waters, I focus most of my energy in 4′-10′ depths.
Fishing the river is a whole different ball game. Water level and current hs much to do with the productivity, and murky water is tough no matter what you try until the temps are up(around 50). Deeper cut banks in slack water, or very slow moving water are usually best. I have never had luck for crappies in the main current. Often times culverts and tiny pools off the main river can hold a bunch of fish. Many of these areas are easiest to be fished from shore. Pulling your boat up to these areas will most often shut the fish down temporarily.. it can be 15 minutes before they will hit a bait.
A prime example of a “good” river crappie structure is the Minnehaha Creek confluence as it is now with the water levels(its no secret spot). The creek flow is minimal, the river is very high creating a backwash into the creek. The areas downstream of the bridge is very deep slack, or slow moving water. The banks are steep cut banks into the creek bed and is a maze of roots. The crappies tend to sit very tight to these banks in the deeper water, and occasinaly come up along the trees and root balls. They are always close to the structure, never in the middle of the creek. This same concept holds true with many culverts along the river, back bays, larger slow moving eddys.. etc. These key types of areas, the fish will hold very tight to the structure whether its a log, root ball(better), cut bank full of small tree roots(they love these), or even the concrete wall of a culvert.
Some of these areas are so small, its best to beach the boat if possible, and walk the shore to pinpint your bait presentations, and figure out changes in the bottom contour. In areas where anchoring is possible upstream of a structure, or still water.. If you have current, cast towards the likely areas and let our bait drift to the structures and hold your bait in key positions. If its slack water… make extra effort to cover evey foot of water. Most often, you need to get your bait to within a few foot radious of the position of the fish, if you can put it in their face, even better.
Just remember, location is key on the river… You can fish a mile of river with no results, and hit a 100′ section with key habitat and have 100’s of crappies.
ok, im done rambling 
in chartruse.
I’m always up for some 
