The more you learn about crappie and their habits the easier it will be for you to find them. Since finding the crappie is over half the challenge it would greatly benefit you to take some time and discover what they eat, where they live and the patterns they follow during the different seasons.
 
Right after ice-out the crappie will move close to the shallow water because they are hungry and searching for food. This is a great time to go crappie fishing because they will be rather aggressive and they will take most any type of bait you offer. Since they are so hungry they follow the baitfish into brush, weeds, docks and fallen trees so this is where you need to be searching for them.
 
The crappies begin spawning around the middle of May through to the middle of
June. This is when the water temperatures reach between 64 to 72 degrees which is the perfect temperature for spawning. In the late summer and fall months the crappie will scatter out more and be found mostly in the deeper parts of the water. In the winter they will gather back together in tight schools again.
 
There are several great techniques that can be used for catching crappie in Minnesota. These include trolling, casting, drifting and still-fishing. Search for the crappie around both natural and artificial structures such as brush, stumps, trees and so forth. Using a depthfinder can help you locate the crappie easier when fishing in an area in which you are not familiar.  

To get the full "Minnesota Crappie Fishing Strategies For All Ages And Anglers" article you'll need to download it here.