Crappie Fishing

[Crappie Fisherman]

Has anyone tried catching any spawning crappie in the lower lake? The water temps should be about right. I talked to a bass fisherman last year coming out of Empire Park and he said he caught a lot of crappie in the 10-12 inch range last spring on the shoreline. I'd like to try it and see. What are the water temps running in the lower lake? Are the bass up shallow yet? Thanks.

[Trav]

Hey Crappie,

You know I dont do alot of crappie fishing and my old 400 series humminbird doesnt give me water temps. But I did have an interesting conversation with Russel (aka Naru?) yesterday while I was pushing logs off my dock. He was explaining his findings on water temps in the Lower. So if you want exact temps he will be a good guy to ask.

The temps vary so little through out the year on Taney, that it is quite difficult to determine when the crappie( and Bass as pertained to our conversation) will be close to a spawn. It is much easier to factor the number of hours a dayight there is. Wich is the most determining factor on all fish movement on Taneycomo. This includes ALL fish. Even the Brownies run up stream in the months there are few hours of sun. (Brownies are a very nocternal species. The majority of thier movement happens at night. Just ask Leonard and he can probably confirm that.) And the presence of a fall moot-spawn in Bass confirms that the daylight pretty much rules this lake in that regard.

As far as Crappie( to get back to the Topic at hand,) Take what you know about them in other lakes, but keep in mind that water temp is low on the prerequisites for them to spawn. If I am correct, Crappie are equal light/dark spawners wich means they should be done by now. But with all the crazy water, who knows where everything is anymore.

I for one, will be glad when it is 90 degrees everyday and the heat of the summer puts the lake as a whole back into a more recognizable pattern.

[naru70]

Main lake was 54 and bull Creek was 60 yesterday.

[Sam]

I went up Bull Creek yesterday and caught a few short bass and a bunch of bluegills. Water temp in the creek is 60.

I kept some of the bigger bluegills for supper, and they were all males. They're staging getting ready to spawn, and that probably means the crappie spawn is over there.

[Trav]

Typically the bluegill spawn on Lower Taney is a few weeks after the bass spawn. They like to use the old beds of the bass and tend to care less for thier offspring.

Males do make the nest though so they tend to be most aggressive first in the spring. Normally I see the gills stage in early april and then they spread off in mid may.

Not the case this year. As they normally spread they seem to congrigate near cover. Meaning by this time of year they will be infesting my dock. Not the case!

Dont try to judge this lake like others. The cold water pushes warm water species in funny directions. The "cold" hard facts are that all the flood stages timed itself just enough that those warm water fish will be off. Especially after a diluge. I know I am not the only one feeling the reality of that.

It goes for ALL species. As long as the water runs high the upper lake benifits and the lower becomes more difficult to figure. When the generaters shut down then the upper suffers and it will take days before the lower responds. Its a human made oxymoron.

Trust me on this one thing though....In this lake ...Water temps mean nothing.

Fish move according to daylight. And I mean All fish species.

Flood situations hinder for granted but typically it is all about the sun.

[bigredbirdfan]

Trav,

Meaning they try to stay out of the daylight? Either in shade from trees, shade from cover, or a a depth that it is not as bright?

Chad

[Trav]

No,

Meaning that thier spawning seasons are adjusted by the number of hours of daylight in a day. As the seasons change, there is always an increase/decrease in daylight hours. Thier biological clock is timed by those daylight hours. That is the biggest factor in Lower Taney. On other waters the temperature tends to be the key factor. Since Taney has no seasonal temperature changes(not drastic anyway) the fish follow the suns patterns from season to season.