Fall Crappie Spawn??

[puddle jumper]

I read somewhere that crappie have a smaller version of the spawn in the fall.. Is this true and can you troll the flats for them like you do in the spring..are you looking for the same water temp, like the spring??
Thanks for the help guys...
PJ

[crappiepappy]

... Fall spawns do not exist. Crappie are a once a year spawning fish. Some find egg sacs in the fish they catch, in the Fall, and think they're in the process of a second spawn. They are not. They are, in fact, in the beginning stages of egg development, that will take through the Winter months & the rewarming of the shallows to begin the process. Crappie young (fry) cannot overwinter, or survive in the colder waters.

Crappie may be caught trolling the flats, in the Fall, simply because that's where the baitfish are ... as they migrate into the larger creeks & bays, seeking warmer (shallower) water to feed in. Thermoclines may have built up, with the warming of the upper portion of the water column. This can account for the baitfish & predator fish being in the upper layers of the water column. The water may not be as comfortable, temperature wise, but it retains more oxygen than the cooler water beneath it. The flats can be productive when they're within the depth of the upper reaches of the water column, above the thermocline. Generally speaking, the shorter days & cooling water temps are a sign to the fish, that Winter approaches.

Some interesting reading :

BNM Fishing
Fall - The Other Crappie Season

BNM Fishing
BNM Fishing


... cp

[puddle jumper]

Thanks CP for the reply, and the links to some great info...
Good reading..
PJ

[NIMROD]

... Fall spawns do not exist. Crappie are a once a year spawning fish. Some find egg sacs in the fish they catch, in the Fall, and think they're in the process of a second spawn. They are not. They are, in fact, in the beginning stages of egg development, that will take through the Winter months & the rewarming of the shallows to begin the process. Crappie young (fry) cannot overwinter, or survive in the colder waters.

Crappie may be caught trolling the flats, in the Fall, simply because that's where the baitfish are ... as they migrate into the larger creeks & bays, seeking warmer (shallower) water to feed in. Thermoclines may have built up, with the warming of the upper portion of the water column. This can account for the baitfish & predator fish being in the upper layers of the water column. The water may not be as comfortable, temperature wise, but it retains more oxygen than the cooler water beneath it. The flats can be productive when they're within the depth of the upper reaches of the water column, above the thermocline. Generally speaking, the shorter days & cooling water temps are a sign to the fish, that Winter approaches.

Some interesting reading :

BNM Fishing
Fall - The Other Crappie Season

BNM Fishing
BNM Fishing


... cp

Exactly, I got folks always trying to tell me about a fall spawn. I have never ever seen anything like one here.

[jaxsprat]

Exactly, I got folks always trying to tell me about a fall spawn. I have never ever seen anything like one here.

X3

[Micropterus salmoides]

While a true fall spawn doesn't exist, some spawning patterns do when you live in the south. Maybe why it's confused as such? It's not as to the T as the spawn, but fishing is geared much more to the spawn yahoos and can become confused as so during that time. But we don't have much of a fall and a lot less of a winter than most anywhere.

Adam

[gabowman]

For whatever reason that's against anything you hear or read about summer crappie, the bait and fish have been on the shallow flats where I fish at all summer (and was there last year too), and this is in a major lake here. Plenty of bait staying in there and I dont know why cause the water temp got up to 91* before we finally got cooler weather and I am still catching fish in 8' deep water....longlining. Go figure...

Dont overlook the shallows guys.

[Locator79]

If you can get em right, the action can be just as good as the spawn with shallower fish, and fish holding together. May confuse a lot of anglers, either way, get out and get it while you can. Fish will start moving up soon, with the cooler nights.

[beagle man]

we been catching in 3 ft. of water all summer long, my friend says 10ft.pole and skinny water, and it works, been fishing deep brush last two trips and it sucked.

[puddle jumper]

Thanks for the info guys,,
Much apreciated,,
This is my first year trying to figure them out,
Im having fun "and sometimes frustrated" trying to learning a new fish...
PJ