12 Month Time Line

[JigginPoleJoe]

How do the crappie change throughout the year? What are they doing now? And what will they do month to month for the next 12 months?

[JFair]

There is a thread on here called Crappie By Degrees. It's pretty interesting.

[OkieDon]

When I started really getting into Crappie fishing a few years ago, I wanted to know the same thing. So several times a year I hired a guide on my favorite lake. Went out in all seasons and I kept notes. Now it's getting easier and easier to come home without being skunked. Not saying I limit out every time because I don't. But at least I have somewhat of an idea of what they're doing when I go. And if I can't figure them out, a call to one of the guides and they'll help me.

[CrappiePappy]

Even IF they were to be presented with "normal" conditions, throughout the year ... it would still depend on WHERE you were, geographically speaking, simply due to the difference in weather & the length of the seasons. And, as everybody knows ... no one EVER has "normal" conditions, in ANY season ... LOL !! And you also have to consider if you're talking about highland waters, lowland waters, rivers, small/large bodies of water, deep or shallow bodies of water, etc ... as far as the timing of their seasonal movements & habits. And THEN, there's the preferences of the two different species of Crappie.

All that being said .... they've got to breath, eat, & procreate. Water conditions dictate how well they breathe. Forage fish availability dictates how well they eat. Everything dictates how well they procreate. They're creatures of habit & instinct. Water temps dictate alot of what they do, & when they do it, since it's the one thing they can sense the easiest. They're cyclic in their habits ... so, starting from spawning time .... they're going to attempt to produce a new generation. After that, they'll regroup & stage out from their spawning bed areas, and rest from the rigors of spawning & nest/fry guarding. Then they'll move back out towards the main lake channels, following the same route they came in by. They'll follow baitfish schools through the warmer months of Summer & early Fall. As the water temps begin to cool off, again ... Black Crappie will move back into the shallower waters (though not as shallow as during spawning), while the White Crappie tend to stay out in the deeper channels/depths. When the Winter conditions set in, they're back in the deeper water areas (much like during the hot Summer period), but usually even deeper than during the hot water period. This is especially true on lakes that form a thermocline during the warmer period. As the waters begin to warm, once again, they'll leave the deeper haunts & start migrating towards the routes that will take them to the spawning areas. Water conditions & temps, and weather, will dictate how fast or slow they'll move to these areas. Once conditions are favorable, they will feed heavily in order to prepare themselves & the eggs/milt for the upcoming feat of spawning a new generation. Males will move in to the preferred spawning areas/spots & make a nest site, while the females remain out away from those areas ... suspended over/around cover. Once the females determine that conditions are to their liking, they'll move in and pick a nesting partner ... drop a portion of their eggs ... and return to their "holding spot". They'll make many trips, back & forth, depositing eggs in different nest sites until the process is complete. Meanwhile, the males are left to fertilize the eggs & guard them from predatory creatures. Once hatched, the male guards the fry until they are strong enough to feed on their own, & leave the nest. Then the males will join the females, in loosely organized schools ... and start the gradual movement back to their preferred areas. The cycle is complete ... and will be repeated for the lifetime of the fish.

... cp

[Eager Beaver]

What pappy said! hehe EB