# Crappie Spawn? All but over , just getting started or somewhere in between?



## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

I was out at Berlin on Saturday and kept 20 crappie out of prob 35 we caught. Most were 9-10" fish with a couple slightly bigger. Only one out of 20 of them had eggs. I'm thinking they dropped them here during this full moon cycle. In Late april when we kept 18 from West Branch about 8-10 out of 18 had eggs.

What do you think? How much longer will they be shallow!? I'm mainly thinking of Berlin and West Branch or NE Ohio lakes.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

during the delaware tourney 16 of the 19 fish I cleaned still had eggs and came from deep water. So I don't think its over yet at all. The water temp was 62-63 where we were fishing. I guess that they spawn closer to 65.

If I had to guess I think the top 10 finishers of the tourney were split, some fished deep others shallow so the spawn is probably at the worst half way over.


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## JimmyZ (May 18, 2004)

The fish we caught at delaware were all females, all with eggs still. They were on wood right off the bank.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

I wouldn't think it would be over this early.
I've caught crappie with eggs as late as early june in SW Ohio.


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

About 20% of the ones we caught last night had eggs in them. We were fishing shallow in the willows.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

TritonBill said:


> About 20% of the ones we caught last night had eggs in them. We were fishing shallow in the willows.


but were they males or females?


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## bigcat46 (Dec 15, 2004)

I have found the fish to kind of be back and forth the last two weeks. One day I find them shallow the next few days I find them 10-15'. The range of temperature has affected them here in south central Ohio. 

How do you tell the difference between the males and females??


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

Good point Crappiedude, I don't know how to tell if they are male/female either. I guess without knowing that its pretty pointless for me to apply statistics too #'s with eggs against total catch to gauge any progress of the spawn.

I have read that a white crappie has less spines on the dorsal fin compared to a black crappie. Whites supposedly have 5 or 6 spines on the dorsal fin compared to a black which typically will have 7 or 8 spines. not sure how concrete this is either and some mention there are hybrids. This could help clarify white vs. black crappie since the white male crappies often get very dark during the spawn and are often looking black.


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## kernal83 (Mar 25, 2005)

I'll add to the berlin numbers. Cleaned 20, only one with eggs, and not very full?? Curious whats going on with spawn as well, going by the normal dates should be winding down in the next couple of weeks I would think. If so I missed most of it.


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Usually by memorial day weekend it is close to done. These 2 weeks in some lakes like Delaware if weather permits will be going nuts. Alum north many females are laying or have already south they have not started yet. Been a crazy spring as usual around here. Alum got hurt some right now i mean to fishermen because spawn started when water was down 5 feet and many crappies were shallow then and made nest already. Now they are sitting in 8-12 foot of water spawning and many guys are cruising right over them hitting shallower. Thats where we found some females last night deeper with males there as well and in full color protecting nests. Hope weather lets us get at them they are hungry!


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## CRAPPIECOMMANDER (Feb 25, 2006)

The spawn is in the early stages is what I'm guessing based on the fish I have been catching. I think a lot of the big black crappies spawned during the last full moon cycle, but the whites like the water to be a little warmer so there is still plenty of good fishing to come. There should still be a bunch of good size blacks to be caught too. The smaller males will stay around and guard the eggs and a few females that have spawned out will be hanging around too in the normal shallow water spots, but the big girls most likely escaped my knife again  (Stinking Rain)


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## billonthehill (Feb 6, 2009)

I'm heading out to berlin now , i'm going to catch a few and just ask them.
I'm sure i can get it out of them if i flash my filet knife.
I'll post reply later today!!!!


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

For me, this has been the worst spring for crappies ever. I've been taking the wife, trying to get her into a bunch, but just can't seem to get it together. So far, our best day has been a dismal 19. One day they're shallow, the next they're deep. I've been hitting a few spots, and maybe catch a few, or maybe not. Only managed 8 on Sunday, and 5 (2 black, 3 white) were females with eggs, and the other 3 males. I just keep scratching my head muttering................


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## billonthehill (Feb 6, 2009)

The best is yet to come!!!!!!!!!


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

Bill on the hill....What did the Crappie say to 'flash of your filet knife'?!


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## bigcat46 (Dec 15, 2004)

My Uncle and I slayed the Crappie yesterday morning, we caught them all morning in a local strip pond on 1/32 oz jigs, with nymphs and tubes in chartreuse of course. They were any where from 10 ft to 2 ft. Caught on 16 incher the rest were all 10-11 inches, with a few 12 inchers. We don't even know how many we cleaned. We filled my little playmate cooler with fillets in 4 quart sized bags and half of a gallon sized bag. It was my best day of Crappie fishing ever.


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