High Water Coming During 2010 Spawn?

[BigD]

This will be the first year I fish from a boat on my own. The information we are getting here in Ohio is that because of all the snow, we are going to have some flooding and high water in the spring.

It appears that all of our reservoirs / controlled lakes are going to keep their damming gates closed to keep the Ohio river from overflowing. In fact, we can already see our local lakes rising. I punched two holes for ice fishing the other day in the center of the lake and It was not long before I was standing in three inches of water.

So here is the question(S):

1)How will high water effect boat fishing for crappie during spawn?
2)Will the high water adversely effect the eggs and spawning grounds?


Thanks,


D

[rocket rich]

High Water Is Not A Major Problem Except For Flooding Issue's. I Say Fish The Area's With Rock Banks Or Roads Banks Behind The The Bushes If Possible To Get To. The Fish Will Move To Water's That Are Right For Spawning. Try To Remember What The Bank Looked Like Before The High Water. Steep Banks Are Going To Be Good . Under Water Docks Are Good Places To Start. Move With The Bait Fish Look For Movement In The Shallow's Even The Slightest Movement Of Stick Up's Is More Than Not Fish. Good Luck

[Eager Beaver]

We are going to be looking at flooding here too, in the Spring. This will be a later Spring spawn for us. There will be several spawns this Spring. EB

[slider1]

As long as they retain the water level, til after the hatch it will not effect it, but now if they hold the lakes during the spawn and then start to release it. according to the structure of the lake it could really effect the hatch. crappie are deep spawner's but the levels your talking could spell trouble for the hatch.

[BigD]

Thanks for the heads up all,


D

[65pontiac]

As long as they retain the water level, til after the hatch it will not effect it, but now if they hold the lakes during the spawn and then start to release it. according to the structure of the lake it could really effect the hatch. crappie are deep spawner's but the levels your talking could spell trouble for the hatch.

You say crappie are deep spawners. Is this true for the north, because here in Fla. they move to the shallow to spawn.

[gabowman]

High waters generally means muddier waters too. And water temps constantly changing due to incoming water. We are predicted for alot of precip thru spring which will keep the lakes muddy and hamper catching the fish on the beds 'cause they'll constantly be moving in and out from the banks. Oh well, there always seems to be SOMETHING to protect the fish during the spawn.:rolleyes::o

[chaunc]

No sense in worrying about the spawn. The lakes will be at or near normal pool by the time they spawn up north. We dont get the spawn until mid may on almost all the lakes north of Kentucky. So unless we get an enormous amount of rain in April, i wouldn't worry about high water levels. Slider, i dont know how far north you are but the crappies spawn in shallow water in every lake i've ever fished. How deep is deep to you?

[Hillbilly910]

The rise in water while ice fishing is probably do to snow weight pushing down on the ice.

HB

[crappiemax]

Isn't the water high at some point almost every spring? I'm hoping all this stuff melts in the next couple of days. Sure it's probably going to flood but then it will settle down and the fishing will be on.
The latest I've caught fish with eggs is the 1st week in June in SW Ohio, that was 3 years ago. Last year, it was the end of May.