heres a question.. how do you know it was the temperture change and not the sunlight that brought the crappie shallow? do you think the water warms that quickly, 2 feet under the surface.? not trying to be argumentative just provoking thought. .. I know for a fact during summer, when its 6 am, and the sun is just rising, the water temp below the surface isnt rising signifigantly, so why do people believe during spawn, the water temps chang so dramatically in very little time.
Secondly would you believe that the sunlight itself is what makes the eggs develop or temperture ?
I think its hard to look at these possibilities in a different way, because it shakes the whole foundation of what many of us have believed for years. I try to keep an open mind, because history tells us, time and time again, things we thought were facts, lots of time turn out to be false.

How many times have you seen people on tv, even one of the greats Charlie Pack fishing during spawn, and saying,, hmmm the water temp is 63 degrees, they should be here. Dont know what the problem is. Then you see them the next week, ohh the water temp is 66 degrees, they should be back here. Then when they finally find them, they say ohh, I knew they would be back here, the water temp is 66 degrees. BULLSHIDT. If there was a specific water temp that triggered crappie to spawn EVERYone WOULD KNOW IT., IT WOULD BE LIKE WHEN WATER FREEZES.
Its not all temperture. You have people who will just not admit it, because they have been saying it for years.

+1 !!
Thanks Ken.

That's what this forum is all about! (Or should be )

Some people say the spawn is mainly driven by water temps.
Some say it is more driven by phase of the moon.

Air temp, water temps, Barometric pressure, timing of cold fronts, length of cold fronts, strong windy days churning shallow areas, water clarity, a string of very warm days in early Spring, bottom hardness...

I think I'll just go crappie fishin' and see what happens when I get there.

I still aint seen anyone post the temp it takes for the eggs to hatch or how long they can sit and still hatch.I know the crappie know.Darrell

I said I would try to keep the water temp below 60 degrees

I have a pair in the tank, I'll keep you posted.

Just talked to the manager of the Fresh Water Fisheries Center in Athens. He said they don't spawn crappie there, but do spawn bass and bluegill and other species. He said crappie should act very much like bass and bluegill since they're in the same family. They do not move their brood bass in to spawn till the water temp reaches 60 degrees. At that temp, after a couple days of acclamation, the fish will kick into spawn mode rather quickly. He said the fish do not spawn at colder temps (50-55) because it takes too long for the eggs to hatch and fungus starts growing on the eggs and kills them. He said the fish know this and will not lay the eggs. He also said he's noticed the fish in the raceways tend to really kick into spawning mode right before a front when the barometric pressure drops. For some reason this tends to excite the fish and they are more prolific with the spawn. They were planning on moving their brood fish in to spawn this week but that won't happen now for several more days till they have 60 degree water. I didn't ask about length of time for eggs to hatch relative to water temp after he said they won't lay eggs when the temp is too cold cause of the fungus killing the eggs.

So turns out ole DW is right; the fish know about the temperature and eggs hatching.

I knew I could count on Ken.Good info.Also if you guys aint been to the hatchery its really nice and take the kids.Darrell

I guess there is no need to keep the water temperature below 60 in the tank then. That point seems to have been proven already by TPWD.

Maybe I will be able to see the crappie porn in action and document the laying of the eggs, fertilization of the eggs and how long till the babies are swimming around.

PS. I think they done ate Fred! My pet crawfish is missing.

Ken....those are monitored fish. NOT the extremely aggressive, wild varieties that will begin spawning on a new moon, high pressure and 40�� I'd double dog dare that biologist to try and spawn some of the WILDfish!!!! He'd have to throw ice cubes in that brood tank!!!!

great post, ken. I for one, appreciate the info and am always looking for an edge when it comes to catching fish, so thanks. the only thing I can add to your original post is, and its limited, is why I think Cody can catch fish in 45' while fish are spawning elsewhere. all freshwater fish spawn differently. the general rule is 55-75 degrees. the truth is that if all crappie spawned when the water is 60�, the spawn would last less than a week. most lakes warm up from north to south, so the progression will move the same direction, and along that route, there's fish that will spawn in 58� water and some that spawn in 70� water. when you boil it down, its always the guy who's willing to keep looking and trying different techniques that produces with regularity. and ken is one of those guys. thanks again, brother.

Great to know Thanks for sharing

Right on Lane; There will be some shallow from late Feb till late April; sometimes early May on the same lake. All eggs don't mature at the same time. The fish move in when they're ready.

i'm still learning,so i appreciate "all" the information being shared.on a side note,going to see if i can tag along with TexExp and go crappie fishing and see how many we can bring to the cleaning table.lol!

A moment of silence please, for Fred. He was a loyal friend.