I do pretty well on black crappie up here in WI. Live bait usually works, but if you don't want to mess around with it, buy some cubby mini mites (1/32 lures). I use these, or tubes on 1/16th oz. The mini-mites, I tie two on the line about 2 ft apart - to cover two water depths _and the double weight helps casting distance. Cast out, count down to your depth (above the crappie on the finder) - and reel as slow as you can. Any time your rod tip moves unexpectedly just sweep the hookset. You will demolish them this way, sometimes 2 at a time.
On live bait, I just rig a minnow on a weighted hook, through the nose or out the gill (for short bites). Put that under a stick bobber. The crappie will take it with as little as 18 inches of line under the bobber. Cast up to structure wood in the water.
The crappie will likely be prespawn in normal lakes, but with the warmer water, they could be anywhere. I'd start by wood in water and work deeper. If you see massive swirls of many fish, cast in and catch some crappie! I have used the troller to chase these fish boils before, usually you catch 2 -3 before the fish stop... then you cast until you see them boil again. Makes fun fishing. There are usually bass under the boils too.
For my best luck, shallow or on wood = live bait but deeper than 8 ft or on weedlines = artificial.
There is a great book on crappie at walmart put out by infisherman group. It is a very handy reference that will put you on fish quickly. I keep a copy in my boat. If I'm getting no bites, I scan the book, change presentation, and usually end up on fish.
Good Luck!