What does early spring mean for timing the spawn?

[MOfishmgr]

There's been several posts about folks expecting the crappie to hit the banks any day now. This early spring has us all anxious to get in on fishing the spawn! Typically in north Missouri, the first fish to hit the banks are walleye. Walleye usually come in the last week of March. Some males will get there a week before the females start showing up in earnest. The most important spawning cue is length of day. That doesn't change from year to year while water temperature can vary quite a bit. Water temperature can move things up or delay them, but usually only a about a week. Walleye are just now coming to the banks so the timing is pretty much right on schedule. I expect the same will be true for the crappie. Crappie will spawn a week sooner in smaller lakes than in adjacent big reservoirs, this is a function of water temperature. Below is a list of average spawning times for Smithville Lake. Truman will be earlier (further south, days get longer sooner).

Walleye - last week of March
White bass - first week of April
Crappie - third week of April (blacks come in first, white crappie a week later)
Bass - early May
Bluegill - mid-May (bluegill will have several spawning periods through the summer, individuals only spawn once, but different groups will spawn at different times)
Catfish - mid-June

Hope this helps as guys plan their fishing trips this year.

[Jerkey Log]

Thanks for a great post!

[Speck]

Excellent info!!!! Thanks a bunch!!!!

[bwillaub]

Great post. I was thinking the full moon phase of April would be the trigger with the water temps I've been seeing.

[MOfishmgr]

Just to clarify, those times I posted are generally the starting of the spawn. Spawning can last for a month or longer depending on the species. Crappie will take about 3 weeks with black an whites overlapping for a week or two of that time. Fronts that push the fish off the banks can delay the end of the spawn much longer than water temp can speed it up.

[jackb]

Excellent info Jake, thank you!

[got crappie]

Good to hear from you Jake!!!!!!!!!!

[Danny W]

Good piece of info there thanks.

[Downsea]

Yeah, thanks for that info. Where did you come up with it? I'm not being a smart aleck or anything.

[TnRidge]

Fisheries manager