Hi y'all, just trying to understand what Crappie do through out the day during spawning season. Can you guys tell me what you know here, tell me where I�m wrong and perhaps fill in any gaps. Some of this I�m probably making up, so please correct me! Give me your own version.

So when the water in the shallow turns warm, say 52 degrees, or what every the magical number is, females move into the shallow looking for a place to nest. This normally begins in the afternoon because this is the warmest part of the day and the first to reach the desired temperature. Female will move to the shallow in the mornings when water reaches this magical temperature.

I�m I right so far? Do the females go to the shallow first and males follow the females there? Do the males only move to the shallow once the females lay their eggs, or do they move to the shallow at the same time?

Do the fish move in and out of the shallow at different times of the day? I think I have read on here before that males move in and out to fertilize the eggs, and it is unpredictable. Once a male has fertilize the eggs, they move back out of the shallow. Is this right? Is there a pattern with males or females?

Why is like the middle of the day slow? Do fish move out of the shallow midday?

Thanks for all the info, just trying to learn. Plus I have a 9 year old boy that asks me a lot of question when we fish.

Thanks!

The males will tend the nest before and after the female spawns. The females spend more time suspended in deeper water out from the bed.
when we are fishing for big fish (females), we fish 4-8' deep outside of places we know fish spawn.

I guess they spend them like you or I did when we were on our honeymoon! he he

well some get right to it and some take their time and others just go along with the crowds

The females don't hang around the nesting area long. They hang, just like Jerry said, on the fringes, in slghtly deeper water til they're just about to pop. They move in, lay their eggs and vamous back to their comfort zone soon after. That's why folks catch so many males shallow and just get a piggy every once in a while.

Once the water temp reaches the 55 plus degree range is when the males will move to shallow water preferably with sand or gravel bottom.... This is when they (males) fan the nest (reason for alot of shallow fish (males) caught at this time have a bloody tail ) for the females to deposit the eggs, after which most females will leave the area and suspend in deeper water only about 4 - 6 feet deep...
The male then fertilizes the bed and hangs around until the fingerling hatch...
Hope this helps....
By the way this is the best time for jig and bobber (JIGUM JIGS)..
Matthew
JIGUM

Good info-thanks----------mike

Check out this study and you may wany to do a search on crappie studies.

http://fw.ky.gov/crappieproj.asp

RB

crappiekid,

Interesting article.

crappiekid,
Good stuff.

fishinClyde,
Sup bud? I'm getting the ol' flyrod and crapppie sticks ready. What say we go froth up some water. Holla!