Don't Wait For The Dogwoods To Bloom

[Jerry Blake]

Everyone knows that the crappie spawn when the dogwoods bloom but if you watch water temps and listen for the frogs you can catch a ton of crappie fishing shallow a month or even six weeks before the dogwoods bloom. The first few times I found them shallow way before the spawn I thought it was a fluke but I've seen it often enough that I know it's not.

Ten days ago our morning surface temp was 39-degrees, the few crappie we caught were mostly small and scattered from 10 to 26-feet deep. Since then we've had very warm weather for this time of year. Even without much sunshine our water temps have been on the rise. The last four days our morning surface temps have been in the low 50s and the sudden rise in water temps has the crappie heading for the banks.

We've been catching them as shallow as a foot deep in two feet of water. Some have been so shallow we could see them come out of the brush and hit our jigs. They're not spawning yet but apparently they are getting very shallow looking for warmer water.

The males haven't even started to get dark yet and it's mostly females that we're catching shallow. I guess the females get so excited when the water warms up that they head for the banks looking for the males on spawning beds but the males know it isn't time yet and haven't even started looking for a place to bed up.

If the water temps fall back or don't keep rising close to 60 degrees they'll back off to staging beds but if our unseasonbly warm weather continues the spawn will be on in short order.

We've caught our limits the last four days and we've caught several crappie over 2-pounds.

Today:






Yesterday






Friday:






Thursday:

So, don't wait for the dogwoods to bloom. If you hear the spring peepers and see your surface temps rise through the 40's and into the 50s, check the shallows. You may get a pleasant surprise.

[NIMROD]

Great pictures. Yes if we have sudden warm up they move shallow early. Usually stay only till next cold spell. I think the females move up to warm the eggs and help them mature.

[Crappie Reaper]

Great Trip Jerry! I've been touting this same thing for 30 years, only because I experienced it with a basket of 2 lbers many moons ago.

[crappieseeker]

I agree, I usually catch them before the bloom

[keith29]

Awesome pictures Mr.Jerry. I am going to have to come over there and check out your lake with you. I have not fished any of my condos lately.I have been fishing the shoots on the mississippi river. Thursday me and a buddy caught our limit, took them home and went back and done it again. We ended up catching 93 crappie in 8.5 hours. We had 15 over 3 lbs. They were some monsters. We had a couple that had big knots on one side or the other. When i dressed them i cut it open and it was a worm of some sort. It was kinda clear and looked like it had blood in it or somthing. Just wondering if you have ever crossed that. I went ahead and cut that part off and kept the rest. I guess the meat is ok, what do you think?

[CUZZIN]

Thanks for the advice, will keep an eye out for the temps. Great looking mess of fish.

[The Lip RIPPERS]

Your right on Jerry, The only blooms I wait for are Redbuds and just when they start to show color....go fishin! I have checked the temps and most of the time its low to mid 50's. We have got on them shallow early with the males being very light colored so you know they have not been shallow very long. Thanks for the report and pics.

[ezgo]

Here in Ky I have been waiting like a dog at the door waiting to go to the bathroom for the crappie bite to pick up in my area. This thread is fueling the fire for me. Great looking fish thanks for the post.

[Limb Bream]

I have talked to a few people that have caught crappie the past few days and they tell me that some of the crappie already have eggs. Will the males be working on beds this early?

LB

[gabowman]

Jerry, thanks for the heads up on the shallow water. Getting that same report about people catching fish shallow here too. I dont understand fish being so shallow since even though the water temps are getting there, the egg sacs arent ready to drive the fish shallow. I longline so I'll drop from pulling doubles to singles and give it a try soon. Might even use some floats and get into some 2 foot water too. Feburary sounds awful early though.:o