The Crappie spawn typically takes place in 2 to 6 feet of water, in areas with dark/soft bottoms and often around structure like pencil reeds, timber, emergent vegetation, etc. The males will be the first ones to push up shallow and will start assembling the nest. Once the females find the nest to their liking they will move up, lay their eggs and move out in a short amount of time. The males will then stay near the nest for a week or more to feed and protect the fry.
Crappie tend to be very aggressive and feeding heavily during pre and post spawning activities. Spawning will often take place on the warmest bay of the lake so make sure to check the Northern shoreline as it receives the most sun during the Spring. Understanding a bit more about the Crappie spawn, as well as where they will be holding before, during and after the spawn will help your outings become more successful this Spring.
Here is a video from last season of me catching post spawn Crappies in shallow water:
