Crappie Spawn

[Crappie5]

Any theories on what is going to happen with the Crappie spawn after all this water and debris?

[Phil Lilley]

I fear the worse.

The Corp is going to try to drop the lake and get it back below 920 as fast as possible. Dropping water levels are death to fish that spawn close to the banks. Fish spawn, water drops and leaves the nest high and dry.

So when these fish spawn- or when the weather turns warm, warming up the water and triggering the move to the banks- the timing will dictate if any of these lakes have a successful spawn, bass, crappie, goggleye, even blue gill and shad.

If the spawn holds off for another 3 weeks and we don't get any more big rains, we might salvage the spawn. Good thing is the water temp is still real cold.

Back in 85 when Table Rock rose to 928.5 (I think it was 85), the Corp was able to drop Table Rock's level 6 inches a day with flood gates. We'll see how fast it starts dropping.

Any other thoughts?

[Dutch]

With a constant dropping the fish may relate to that and spawn deeper than normal.

[Don House]

I agree with lilley, I fear the worst.. I know last year at Easter when that big cold front came through it really hurt the crappie. I was catching them in 2 - 3 feet of water then after the snows and cold came through they went back out and stayed in the 30 - 40 feet range on the bluffs.. We were still catching them but they were full of eggs and the egg stacks were very hard and that is not good. I even spoke with a MDC agent he told me they would just go back out deep and drop there eggs and that was it.. So I hope that does not happen again this year.

If we can hold off any more rain I think we will be ok, I agree again lilley everything will be atleast 3 - 4 weeks away from spawning, Crappie, Bass all of them everything will be behind from normal times. If that holds true we will make it, if not they will spawn in the high water and the nest are toast!

So let's just hope for the best and hope the lake comes back down in a reasonable time before everything starts the spawn.

Good Fishing

Capt. Don

[Crappie5]

Don, I agree. I was all over crappie last year until the cold front hit and then that was it. March was full of 60-70 degree days and then three days of temps in the upper teens. It also killed most all fruit because everything was blooming. And with the water so high it will make it impossible to visually find standing trees. Where is Babbler in all of this. I would like to hear what he thinks about the small mouth spawn. Grandad always told me that crappie and smallmouth of any two fish tend to follow the same spawning patterns.

[Bill Babler]

Guy's I frankly don't feel I have the expertise to speak on this.

I know you probably find that strange.

As for the most part my knowing about anything and then speaking about it most generally don't come into play.

I have never seen water at this level, nor do I know what the weather has instore.

What I do know is that this lake is still very much chilled running between 46 and 49 degree.

Our normal spawing banks are roughly 20 ft. behind what is now the shoreline.

My biggest fear is for a quick water warm-up and the fish to start making beds.

As was previously mentioned they are trying to drop the lake 6 inches per day, and are having to move plenty of water to do that.

I believe as long as the water stays cool and they can get within 3 to 5 ft. of powerpool prior to Mid-April, we will be ok.

I previously read a post stating the SmJ's and the K's Spawn first followed by the LM. That is not a correct post. We have caught K's spawning and full of eggs here as late as the last week of May, 1st. week of June. It is not uncommon at all. SmJ's and LM earlier.

The K's and SmJ's usually spawn a bit deeper than the LM and that will also help. The hardest hit, as usually will be the LM.

As far as the Crappie, I believe Don to be right on and the Whites will be in on the same game, as they are notoriously poor spawners, willing to absorb their spawn, if conditions are unfavorable.

This is a wait and see game. Lets give it about three weeks and then see what's up.

As far as where I have been, this is Taney time, lots of Corp. trips and Spring breakers to take trouting. Taneycomo is very good and trouting has been going great. It is also a saviour for some of our bass fisherman as they can still catch lots of fish on Taney.

Reports for the Rock are again a mirror of what Capt. Don said. Mostly a big ZERO. I have gotten several trips from Table Rock guides that don't guide on Taney and thank them for letting me trout fish with their clients. Big thanks to Pete Wenners.

Again lets hold our breath and be patient for a few weeks, its still early. It has however, blew this years stickbait bite.

[edyer]

Won't the stickbait bite still be possible if the water is as cold as it is? On Lake of the Ozarks this past weekend a big bag was weighed in on stick baits. Has anyone found any water on Table Rock that is starting to clear up yet? Should the wiggle wart bite be the next thing, or will everything be coming into the bushes? I'm driving down from Michigan for spring break(April 5-12), and I'm a little anxious as to what I will find when I get there.

Capt. Don, I hear you are a friend of Dan Shine from up here in Michigan? He has a cottage in the Baldwin area, but lives near Grand Rapids. His wife and I each in the same school system. He said you are a good guy, but I already had that opinion from reading your posts.

[Tightline]

There are alot of (ifs) involved with high water,yes if they drop the water drastically right when most of the bass are spawning we'll lose some nest.but I have always thought flood years were the best for spawners.Some of the best years on Bullshoals were always 2-3 years after a big flooded spring time.They have more cover to spawn in,and the fry can hide from predators.The whites are usually so scattered in all the big water that not as many are caught which in turn produces more fry.

Of course when Bullshoals floods big in the spring it takes a long time to draw it down,unlike Tablerock.

Now if it turns off cold right in the middle of the spawn like last year,I think that is worse.

All we can do is just hope for the best.

[Don House]

Won't the stickbait bite still be possible if the water is as cold as it is? On Lake of the Ozarks this past weekend a big bag was weighed in on stick baits. Has anyone found any water on Table Rock that is starting to clear up yet? Should the wiggle wart bite be the next thing, or will everything be coming into the bushes? I'm driving down from Michigan for spring break(April 5-12), and I'm a little anxious as to what I will find when I get there.

Capt. Don, I hear you are a friend of Dan Shine from up here in Michigan? He has a cottage in the Baldwin area, but lives near Grand Rapids. His wife and I each in the same school system. He said you are a good guy, but I already had that opinion from reading your posts.

Edyer, hello

Well the stickbait bite may still be there but I think it is slowly going away. And yes Lake of the Ozarks has always been a great stickbait lake, I have had some great tournament there doing just that! Table rock has it's time for the stickbait when temps are around the low 40's to Mid 40's. This year I think the rain and muddy waters in some areas have slowed this down for this year. But it is still a bait I throw alot. Eric Prey and Bill Babler wrote some really good articles on the stick bait bite down here they are posted on the front page of this site, just look through the articles and you will find it, alot of good information worth the read. And Yes the wiggle wart bite will still be there just before the big rain we were starting to get some really big small mouth catches on the wart and a swimming grub, so I hope it will still be around, but you will need some wind and alittle cleaner water to really make that work well. I fished for 6 hours yesterday flipping a small jig's in the flooded trees around the DAM area had only one bite, but it about ripped my arm off, made a run and that was it, broke off had to be a good fish, never even seen it, but boy what a bite! Some going into the bushes well some will. I hope they are just looking for crawfish to eat and not to spawn, that all depends on how fast they drop the lake, But I would think in some areas of the lake yes they will.

As far as the clear water, there are certain areas of the lake that are clear and more that are dirty right now. From Long Creek at the state line to State Park there is a really big mud line and most of the creeks and coves on the East side of the dam area really muddy, but in my creek Beardsley creek which is right across from state park it is clear. Also you can see the mud moving down the lake from Kimberling City to just about point 6 and it is also moving towards the DAM. It will clean itself out here soon, I have been watching it everyday.

And Yes Tell Dan I said hello and thanks for the kind words from him and you also. I just try to help anyone I can, I remember when I first started fishing this lake I came down from Truman Lake up north of here, large dirty water lake had no clue how to fish this clear deep water and I could never find any information on this lake or anyone to tell me anything, so I try to help everyone for what it is worth.

Have a good trip down here hope all goes well and you can find some good fish. Keep looking on this site we will keep posting information as it comes to be.

Good Fishing

Capt. Don

[edyer]

Capt. Don,

I'll tell Dan Shine you said HI. Did you see on his Blog that he is going fishing on Ray Scott's private Lake next month? I'm staying at Oak Hill Resort on Little Aunt's Creek. Should the water up that way be starting to clear, unless you get more rain? Does anyone have the latest Lake levels? So it sounds like I should be looking for clear water and throwing warts, if there is wind, and swimming grubs if it's calmer? Anybody down here try throwing swimbaits at all? what about drop shots this time of year?

Thanks,

Ed

Edyer, hello

Well the stickbait bite may still be there but I think it is slowly going away. And yes Lake of the Ozarks has always been a great stickbait lake, I have had some great tournament there doing just that! Table rock has it's time for the stickbait when temps are around the low 40's to Mid 40's. This year I think the rain and muddy waters in some areas have slowed this down for this year. But it is still a bait I throw alot. Eric Prey and Bill Babler wrote some really good articles on the stick bait bite down here they are posted on the front page of this site, just look through the articles and you will find it, alot of good information worth the read. And Yes the wiggle wart bite will still be there just before the big rain we were starting to get some really big small mouth catches on the wart and a swimming grub, so I hope it will still be around, but you will need some wind and alittle cleaner water to really make that work well. I fished for 6 hours yesterday flipping a small jig's in the flooded trees around the DAM area had only one bite, but it about ripped my arm off, made a run and that was it, broke off had to be a good fish, never even seen it, but boy what a bite! Some going into the bushes well some will. I hope they are just looking for crawfish to eat and not to spawn, that all depends on how fast they drop the lake, But I would think in some areas of the lake yes they will.

As far as the clear water, there are certain areas of the lake that are clear and more that are dirty right now. From Long Creek at the state line to State Park there is a really big mud line and most of the creeks and coves on the East side of the dam area really muddy, but in my creek Beardsley creek which is right across from state park it is clear. Also you can see the mud moving down the lake from Kimberling City to just about point 6 and it is also moving towards the DAM. It will clean itself out here soon, I have been watching it everyday.

And Yes Tell Dan I said hello and thanks for the kind words from him and you also. I just try to help anyone I can, I remember when I first started fishing this lake I came down from Truman Lake up north of here, large dirty water lake had no clue how to fish this clear deep water and I could never find any information on this lake or anyone to tell me anything, so I try to help everyone for what it is worth.

Have a good trip down here hope all goes well and you can find some good fish. Keep looking on this site we will keep posting information as it comes to be.

Good Fishing

Capt. Don