Egg Sacks in the Female Crappie

[Mud-Dabber]

I thought it odd, but for the last two weeks the crappie I have been cleaning contain small egg sacks that are just beginning to form to about 2 inches long (Definite egg sacks, but they are very tiny). Water temp. was 76 degrees today with a good cold front coming in tonight with a high tomorrow of 57 degrees.
Question for the experienced ones and a biologist if there is one on the forum. How long do the crappie carry the eggs from the time they form and is their something biological that tells them to start producing eggs from say water temp. in the fall or daylight length in the fall?? I don't know the answer on why these fish are already forming eggs as they do not spawn until the earliest say Mid-March and this year they spawned mostly in early May and curiosity is killing me.
Anyone have any ideas and are you already seeing eggs in your fish in the part of the country you live in??

Thanks,
Mud-Dabber

[LBM]

MD

Here is a response from Craig Johnson a Kansas Fishery Biologist to another board to this very same question.

"You are likely seeing the fish preparing for the 2005 spawn. Being a coldblooded critter, it takes fish quite a while to produce a belly full of eggs so they have to begin preparing EARLY! "

I just pasted his response so the above date should be changed to 2006.

[TAE73]

I have also seen a few fish here in Missouri with egg sacks starting to develop. I have been told that fish will spawn again, during the fall. Around the same temp as the spring spawn, but usually a little deeper water 7-9 ft.

[Darryl Morris]

Well, if I only got to spawn once a year in the Spring, I would certainly be getting ready now in anticipation. LOL.

[CrappiePappy]

I have also seen a few fish here in Missouri with egg sacks starting to develop. I have been told that fish will spawn again, during the fall. Around the same temp as the spring spawn, but usually a little deeper water 7-9 ft.

TAE ... I don't think Missou Crappie will spawn in the Fall. There is a potential for So. Fla. Crappie to do this - but, even that is speculative. What I think is happening, is - people are seeing the newly developing egg sac, in the fish they catch during the Fall, and assuming that a Fall spawn is underway. With the oncoming cold period, lower metabolism of the fish, and lower water temps ... the fish are just starting to develop next Spring's hatch. The egg sac will grow, but very slowly, during the cold water period ... and continue to develop thru-out that time. Once the water starts warming again, in your area's "Spring" time frame ... then the eggs will increase their development & growth rate, the fish's metabolism will rise, and the prespawn feeding spree will commence.

This is what I've always thought is the yearly progression of a fish's growth: (this relates mostly to the Females, but includes the Males - just to a lesser degree, since they aren't feeding to develop an egg sac)

SUMMER = moderate to heavy feeding for growth in size/length (highest growth rate in length & weight)
FALL = heavy feeding period to sustain them thru cold conditions/low metabolism periods or sparse feeding opportunities (low length growth, additon to fat stores) Egg development begins
WINTER = slow metabolic rate & feeding to sustain health (no growth, fat stores used in times of sparse, or lack of, feeding opportunities) Egg development slows - but continues.
SPRING = heavy feeding resumes to sustain fish thru spawning rigors (growth rate in length is slow, but weight gain increases, & fat stores are replenished to sustain fish thru spawning activities) Egg development increases as feeding opportunities increase & water temps increase.
And, as far as the fish are concerned - the seasons are water temp related, more so than air temp or calendar date related. ............ cp

[Wardy]

Most of the eggs you see now will be absorbed. New eggs will develope when the water temp returns in the spring.

[CrappiePappy]

according to biologists ... crappie eggs are formed in the Fall, because of uncertainty of Spring feeding conditions. ( http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/view.cgi?osu1038861714 )

Hey, I don't make this stuff up ... I just report what I read ... LOL!! ..... luck2ya ....... cp

[Jerry Blake]

The crappie here have usually reabsorbed any eggs left from the last spawn by mid-fall. What's left of the old eggs are just a small amount of orange or brown goo right now. When water temps fall back through the lower 70s and 60s they will start stocking up on eggs for next spring. New eggs will be bright yellow and so fine it is difficult to see the individual eggs. The males will also start showing larger milt reservoirs. Both males and females will feed a lot more aggressively during this time than in the middle of the summer or dead of winter. The eggs sacs will keep filling all through the winter but the eggs will stay very small until the water warms in the spring. Then they get a lot bigger and you can easily see each individual egg. I've read that a large crappie can lay as many as 500,000 eggs in one spawn so I guess it takes a while to get a sack full.

[Tim The Lippa Rippa Mon]

I am gonna BUMP this, and several other threads back to the top. Everyone, stop exchanging barbs, and insults and get back on what we all hope to come to this board for. Thank you for your cooperation!

<,"}/>{ Tim Fahrenkrog

[Mud-Dabber]

Excellent feedback, I thank you very much for the input.
Mud-Dabber