Crappie Luck?

[Keith Hatter]

I know what you saw. And I know what I have observed for the past month also. That is immature eggs in preparation for next years spawn.

I never said a thing about eggs... The color of the males, their weight and the tail conditions are what I was observing... Female crappie carry eggs year round so that is not what to look for. Female crappie come in and drop a portion of their eggs and ditch... The males prepare and fertilize the beds. All species do not carry eggs year round by the way...

[kdan]

I never said a thing about eggs... The color of the males, their weight and the tail conditions are what I was observing... Female crappie carry eggs year round so that is not what to look for. Female crappie come in and drop a portion of their eggs and ditch... The males prepare and fertilize the beds. All species do not carry eggs year round by the way...

I now make reference to the Missouri Conservationist, November 2010 issue, page 5. And I quote.

Q. I recently caught several crappie from LOZ. When I was cleaning them I noticed that some had egg sacs with eggs. Do

crappie spawn in the fall?

A. It is not unusual to find immature eggs in female crappie or other fish this time of year. Although greatly diminished

insize outside of the spawing season, female fish retain their egg sacs (ovaries) that contain eggs that will mature in the future.

In crappie, those eggs will be held until spawning in late March or April of next year. The mature eggs will be located near the center of the ovary, with progressively less mature eggs toward the outside. The spawing will begin with the right combination of day length, temperature, and water level in the lake. End of quote.

This would seem to document what I have been trying to tell you. Which is #1 crappie do not spawn in the fall and #2 female fish carry their eggs from one season to the next.

[Keith Hatter]

Again, I must repeat that I never mentioned anything about eggs... You did.

"The spawing will begin with the right combination of day length, temperature, and water level in the lake."

Surely you know that day length progresses in the spring and diminishes in the fall. So, at what point in the fall does the day length match that of spring?

Temperatures also have to meet that magic point twice a year.

Water levels the same story.

Now I know the "Why don't other species do this then?", is due to surface. Well, most species empty out their egg supply in the spring and don't carry them year round. So, they can't because they don't have that portion of the puzzle to work with.

But, I will agree to disagree with you if you want to accept the same for me.

[laker67]

Again, I must repeat that I never mentioned anything about eggs... You did.

So what gave you the impression they were going about a second spawn?

[fishinwrench]

So what gave you the impression they were going about a second spawn?

Laker, I think the beat up tails and dark spots on the males is what has him believing they are in spawn mode.

Hatter, Have you seen any beds in the shallows with crappie on or around them ? I have no explanation for the vividly colored males with bloody tails, but there is no Fall spawn to my knowledge. Even if they did the hatchlings would probably not find sufficient forage during the winter. I have never witnessed a school of fry in the Fall/Winter, anywhere.

"The spawing will begin with the right combination of day length, temperature, and water level in the lake."

You've misunderstood. It isn't a specific length of daylight hours that trigger spawning activity, it is the LENGTHENING hours of sunlight, and WARMING and STABILIZING water temps.

Night time water temperatures drop drastically in the Fall at depths where there is sufficient sunlight penetration. Crappie don't do it, Bluegill don't do it, snakes, frogs, crawfish and turtles don't do it.

[shaker]

Laker, I think the beat up tails and dark spots on the males is what has him believing they are in spawn mode.

Hatter, Have you seen any beds in the shallows with crappie on or around them ? I have no explanation for the vividly colored males with bloody tails, but there is no Fall spawn to my knowledge. Even if they did the hatchlings would probably not find sufficient forage during the winter. I have never witnessed a school of fry in the Fall/Winter, anywhere.

You've misunderstood. It isn't a specific length of daylight hours that trigger spawning activity, it is the LENGTHENING hours of sunlight, and WARMING and STABILIZING water temps.

Night time water temperatures drop drastically in the Fall at depths where there is sufficient sunlight penetration. Crappie don't do it, Bluegill don't do it, snakes, frogs, crawfish and turtles don't do it.

[shaker]

Dumb question but do shad "do it" in the fall looks like they are spawning. I see them up along the banks sometimes circling and sometimes all bunched up right on the banks in little pockets doesn't look like feeding activities more like spawning action?

[kdan]

I give up!!! I am going fishing!!

Kdan was last seen headed to the lake mumbling some thing about buying books, sending to school.

[laker67]

I give up!!! I am going fishing!!

Kdan was last seen headed to the lake mumbling some thing about buying books, sending to school.

Me too, I'll be there in 30 minutes.

[kdan]

Dumb question but do shad "do it" in the fall looks like they are spawning. I see them up along the banks sometimes circling and sometimes all bunched up right on the banks in little pockets doesn't look like feeding activities more like spawning action?

this is an opinion and not fact filled. I think this is just the nature of how shad live and travel. They are always schooled up, darting to and fro. but since the fry are so small in early summer and don't get to a bait size till late july or aug I would say that the shad are most likely a spring spawner.