One of the best post I've seen in a long time, Mr. Gaby.

My personal experience, without going into story my own story mode, is that the fish will chase the shad and completely gorge themselves right before the spawn, in a last minute attempt to pack on the calories to hold them over when they have other urges on their minds.

When the water and moon line up (mid to upper 50s and full moon building) they will begin spawning in large numbers, switching from eating bait to killing bait in order to protect their eggs. Do they still eat? Yes, but not like they will pre spawn and post spawn.

I want to continue on this subject, but I don't want to get fired for typing a fishing novel


As for people needing pictures of three to four inch shad in a crappie's belly, I'll take a few and post them this spring. Til then, here is an example that was sent to me from Mr. Muschalek out of Lubbock, Tx.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=...e=3&theater

Laner, when you get time, come on back and give us that novel. I know it will be enlightening. Especially since you have extensive experience with black and white crappie.

When they feed and when they don't during spawn cycle is also something I've changed my mind about. I've come to the conclusion that once that urge to build nests and lay eggs really takes hold, eating is secondary till the task is finished. If we have cold fronts every 2-3 days as we did about two years ago, the fish really take a beating trying to finish the spawn cycle.

Here we go again,
This is what SheCrappieKilla is referring to I think. Please excuse my copy and paste as I want to quote you correctly.


" It has nothing to do with whether they feed more in winter or spring or summer or fall. Everything has to do with the ease of obtaining a meal. I often hear guys say.. THE CRAPPIE WERE STUFFED WITH SHAD.. Really,, so you cut them open an 10, shad fell out of thier stomach, 7, 5 , 2 ?? MALARKY,, Ive never caught a crappie with more than one shad or minnow in its belly, and some partially digested goop in the intesines. The fact is, crappie will eat one or 2 minnow or shad every couple days. I know this because I had one in a tank for close to a year, and observed how often it fed. I actually counted the minnows daily."


Now that being said I have been in contact with an Arkansas Wildlife official that makes the same claim as Laner, and also has no pictures. He says it is so common as to not raise an eyebrow. I would tend to believe him before some anecdotal evidence. Although I would like to see that picture. I've personally caught a 16" bass with an 8" crappie hanging out of his mouth. Still trying to eat. I would think any predator fish would try to feed at any opportunity. JMO.
Great write up Ken. And Laner I'm looking forward to the novel!

Ken, you comment above just made me think of how skinny the fish were post spawn a couple of years ago. The bigger fish didn't weigh what they normally would and had no bellies on them. You could really tell they had been deprived of their 1 minnow per meal during the spawn.

Excellent post and that brings up a good question,at least for me. What types of bottom do crappie prefer?