Thread: When Crappie Spawn

Prior to the female coming in to lay their eggs, do the males come in first? Some tell me yes, others say no. Does anyone know for sure?

I'm not really sure, but one thing I've notice is that when the fish move into the bank all you seem to catch are the smaller ones. Handsized or what I like to call bridge crappie. I've always wondered why that was. Do the bigger fish stay in shallow a shorter period of time and then move back out to deeper water?

im guestimating the bigger fish spawn deeper as the water warms. folks tend to fish the banks during the spawn cause they are easier to catch there. but my own opinion is that the bigger fish spawn in deeper water. i dont know if thats true or not but thats my take on it.

hey rango ,new member here. i saw where you asked a question a little while back about the white perch in lake james.i have there the last twenty years for white bass and walleye,i have caught about every kind of fish there is there. i have caugt yellow perch there but never a white perch.the crappie are strting to come back pretty good on the catawba side after a big shad kill several years ago. hope this helps you,saw you back in nov. on wateree but you looked busy maybe i'll hallar at you next time.if i can be of any help on lake james feel free to ask.

As to the bigger crappie spawing in deeper water, I agree. Most of what I catch in 16 to 20 ft waters during the spawing season are slabs 1 1/2 to 2 lbs.

Read in Crappie Mag. that the males come in first to sit up the beds???

Originally Posted by unclebuck

hey rango ,new member here. i saw where you asked a question a little while back about the white perch in lake james.i have there the last twenty years for white bass and walleye,i have caught about every kind of fish there is there. i have caugt yellow perch there but never a white perch.the crappie are strting to come back pretty good on the catawba side after a big shad kill several years ago. hope this helps you,saw you back in nov. on wateree but you looked busy maybe i'll hallar at you next time.if i can be of any help on lake james feel free to ask.

i used to fish james a lot when my sister was still living. she lived in spruce pine so wed meet at james weekends and camp and do some fishing. i used to go up there for some nightstalking and would have some great catches. i liked james cause once the bite started down here, there was usually about a 30 day delay tween wylie and james in the prime times cause of the water temps so that meant wed get some extra spring time fishing after it was over on wylie. then in the fall, it would turn on about a month earlier up there so wed fish james about a month before theyd turn on here. anytime you see me on the lakes give me a holler. i dont know any strangers :D

Originally Posted by Bob # 1

Read in Crappie Mag. that the males come in first to sit up the beds???

Yup... everything i've read say the males come in and sweep out the beds... then the females come in lay their eggs and head back out while the males stay behind and watch them.

Originally Posted by Bob # 1

Read in Crappie Mag. that the males come in first to sit up the beds???

I have heard that to in a mag and from older and wiser gentlemen they call it faning out the beds for males. Which makes me think is true i fished a hole on russell were i know they are in the process of spawning, i would throw a cork in 6ft of water and all were huge males

Crappie will begin to spawn when the nest site water temps reach about 50+ degrees. They will continue to spawn with the peak period when water temp reaches 60 degrees or more but less than 70. When the nest area reaches 70 degrees they will start to back off. Crappie spawn in depths determined by water clarity. The clearer the water the more shallow they will spawn. Murky water like Wylie usually has spawns in 6 to 15 feet of water. Males do make the nests first and they hang around for for seveal weeks. Females just come to the nest, lay the eggs and move back out.