Water temp is everything?

The spawn this year has started off with a bang for me so far and it has got me thinking about the things that make fish move up. In the past I have always thought the length of day (along with water temp) triggers the fish to move up. This year I have came to the conclusion that the water temp is the most important factor. I caught spawning fish on February 16th this year (earliest I have ever done so) and think the warm February played the biggest role from what it seems. These fish acted like they have been there for a while (dark and very aggressive bites). Taking this year into consideration I would have to say that water temp is the main factor in order to have fish move up. I know that there are several other factors that come into play but it seems that he water temp is more important. Thoughts?

my thought is if the temp was the primary governing factor, we could pattern spawning crappie like clockwork during the spawn, and I dont know anyone who can do it every year, on every lake. water temps up north rarely reach the water our temps do,,, yet they spawn.
Maybe conditions that occur in the fall, when eggs start to develop, actually has something to do with the timing of the spawn.
I have played the temp game way too many times, to have any confidence in it.
Natural biological triggers, moon phase, plankton availability, water stain, currents, and uv light penetration are what I have more confidence in. just my opinion.
A couple years back, we had this same discussion, the consesus was 59-60 degrees.
Bud Baker started catching spawners consistently on cedar creek, with water temps at 54-55 degrees. there just doesnt seem to be a hard consistancy to the temps.

I'm pretty sure the lakes up north get to 60-70 degrees in the spring.. it just happens later. I'm also not saying that one temp means that they will be spawning on every lake. I do think that the temp to move them shallow is different for every lake. Just seeing what I have this year makes me think that the fish can't just ignore the warming water. The water temps also fluctuate up and down with fronts which is partly why the fish pull out deeper after them and thus harder to pattern.

I agree, there are allot of factors to the spawn.

The amount of daylight seems to trigger everything in nature to flourish or diminish. I have to lean towards light penetration more so than temp. However, you have to keep in mind that longer hours of light will increase water temps and maybe this is where the confusion starts. This topic is debated every year about this time. Anymore, I just don't concern myself with it. I just go fish and if I catch...good, if I don't catch...it's still good.

Was Bud catching primarily black crappie in the 55 degree water temp?

You do know black crappie spawn at different starting water temps, right?

The best temp is also different for white and black crappie. Whites seem to start with temps in the 60's and blacks in the 50's.

Very true!

I am very interested to see what everyone's viewpoint is.

Temp is a big part of it, but how deep the water is has to do with that, and also the color of the water. I think the fish will spawn in deeper water than most years. Here in N-E Texas what most years is a hard bottom has 5-6 inch's of mud on it and the grass line from 2 years ago and last years are both out in the water and adding to the mud. Don't think they will try to clean it out.

Crappie like cool water it is not unusual to find crappie in the shallows early in the year before the spawn especially with all the high water we have had this year.

they dont always spawn in the warmest water. Look at this from a different angle. I used to believe that crappie were mostly found along northern banks of lakes , coves, river bends ect, due to being protected from a north wind. I now believe that the reason they spawn there, is because of a primarily south blow, most of the year, including late winter months. If you watch the winds, you know that they primarily blow out of the south most of summer and into fall. in late winter, fronts come thru, but then the winds go south again . Its like clockwork, NES.. north, east , south, and then sometimes a short westie, then back to south, until another small northern front comes thru. It blowsa for a day or 2, then back to east, then south.
So what does this have to do with spawn location, it is the availability of the eggs to be fertilized due to plankton being blown into the norther coves slews, banklines.
If water in the coves is gin clear, there is no plankton , they wont spawn there.
If the water is 65 degrees, it dont matter, they wont spawn there.
Ive never sight fished a spawning crappie. just something to consider.
Also when these fronts come thru and crappie move out a little deeper, are we sure its temp related? Maybe its due to massive barometric pressure fluctuations, that always occur during frontal changes.
I just dont think crappie respond to water temp fluctuations all that much as we think. .
Take summertime fishing, they are usually sitting on top of shallower brush piles in the morning, then move deeper during the sunrise. Many believe the water warms and they move deeper. I dont believe water 8 feet under the surface warms that fast, if at all. I believe its the uv light penetration hurts thier eyes, and they move to shade if possible.

why dont you ask Bud?

Hey Bud, were you catching Black Crappie last year when the water temps were around 55ish?

Sounds like Bud may be weiser on this subject.grin

I think it is a combination of the factors ya'll have already mentioned. Plus each individuals interpretation of the term itself. I've seen pictures of colored up males so far, but no soft runny bloody eggs... JMO

I think crappie are going to spawn "near" the area they were born in. Year after year you can predict there will be beds within 30' or so of places you were successful in the past.

The fish move up to 6' to 8' of water and wait for conditions to get right so the majority of their eggs will hatch. Moon phase, plankton, water temp, & water color all play a part.

I caught a female with eggs running out of her last Thursday. That it what made me wonder.

Fishin'aholic, I think you are on the right track, after this full moon phase you should notice a lull in spawning for a few weeks.

Anyone know what type of crappie they have in cool waters of Canada?

Although I feel water temps have a lot to do with it, water temps fluctuate greatly all over the lake. For example I was on Lewisville last week. Water temp on the main lake was 51-53, water temp in the couple of creeks I fished was 65-67.5.
I caught several small bass and not one crappie.
Temps I thought were right in the creek, but I normally don't start catching spawning crappie in these creeks till Early to mid March.
If temps hold consistent I want to see if time of year holds true to my past experience.
Just my thoughts.

Kanuck crappie.

the question is, what will this cold front due other than push them back deeper, and for how long before they move back into the shallows?

As long as the air temp didn't drop lower than the water temp we should be good right?

I would think, but looking at mid 30's Wednesday and Thursday with the highs in the high 60's/low 70's

We fished fork Saturday and while it was tougher than normal, we caught some good fish and alot of bass. Water temp was 59-60 where we were, and didn't catch anything deeper than 7'. I kept thinking the sun was gonna pop out and really get them going, but it never did.

Caught only female whites which I thought was odd. This one was in 3' under the walkway you see in the background.

And for those of you who know this certain walkway/dock, the place finally sold after 4 years and the new owner came down and basically told us we couldn't fish there.

Very nice fish Lane. I thought you quit fishing for crappie after you caught that 3 on Fork a couple of years ago.

Heck no. 2 weeks ago started my fishing season and probably will fish every weekend till it gets too hot for my old (censored).

Nice fish Lane.

Water temp is definitely an influencing factor. Fish can be shallow, 1-2 ft and move out quickly when a cold front blows in and water temps come down 3-4 degrees. Temp and length of day trigger when they start the move from winter haunts to staging areas. Egg maturity also determines when they will actually deposit the eggs. Water may be warm enough this month but the eggs may not be mature and ready to lay. And eggs mature over a 60-70 day period. I've found fish actually spawning from late Feb to early May on the same lake same year. I’ve caught crappie spawning in 10-12 FOW in late April when the water was clear enough to see your jig at 3 ft. I would agree that water temp may be the biggest factor. I've never caught white crappie laying eggs in 52-53 degree water.

Went today to traditional spawning areas, water temp 63.9 first area; 4 males. Next area, water temp 63; nada. These two areas are typically the first ones to hold shallow fish. Temp was right, fish weren’t ready today.
Here's a couple threads about water temps.
http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/9943964/1
http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/11392645/Let's_Talk_Spring_Crappie#Post11392645

Ken, I don't think those fish Saturday were even close to wanting to spawn. I think they were just up there foraging. As for temps, 2 years ago at crappiemasters the water temp was 53.5 when we got there and 55 when we left for the weigh in and those fish were full on spawning. The difference between then and now was the date. 3rd weekend in March if I remember correctly, a full month later than now.

Nice fish Lane

so essentially it should only get better as we move towards the Mar-May time frame? I'm looking forward to getting into a mess of them.

Job obligations, and high/low water conditions seem to always keep me out of the "catching" phase of the spawn, sure don't want to miss another year

Good deal. I miss seeing you out there.

Good. Because every time you turn around at the crappiefest, I'm gonna be 51 feet from you.

No need to stay that far back...you can come on up right next to me.

Ok. Make sure and bring extra snacks.

Yessir Lane, another full moon later and things will be much different. Where we caught the crappie at Crappie Masters that year it was 56-57.
Rick, when you get a day you can go next month, call me and we'll see what's happening.

I do think the fish in the lakes that have experienced all the water fluctuations in the past few months may be affected by the those changing conditions. Some lakes have water where none has been in 4-5 years. Kinda like a new lake. And I see so many places for fish to spawn in those lakes, fish may be hard to locate.

Question about water temp. If the water is 6' deep, the surface temp is usually warmer than it is several feet down. When people say that 50 degrees is the magic number, is that surface temp?

Surface temp or whatever depth the transducer is. My transducers are about 18 and 12" deep.

My temp gauge is about 3 feet below the surface on my TM/Transducer and is commonly referred to as the surface temp.

My magic numbers in the spring time when searching for crappie in shallow water is 53 degrees for Black Crappie and 57 degrees for White Crappie.

At these temps some crappie will start showing up in shallow water or water that is 10 feet or less, this does not mean the fish are spawning at these temps, just searching the shallows.

Anyways, that's just my thoughts.

Hope that helped.

I would listen to this guy, y'all.