Strangest Year For The Spawn I've Ever Seen

[Sandwich Maker]

In over 40 years of fishing for crappie, this is without a doubt the strangest year I've ever seen during the spawn. Down in my part of Texas we had a very mild winter, resulting in lots of "experts" saying the fish would spawn early with warmer water. For me, the fish showed up pretty well on schedule (I've kept a log since 1987) for a short period of time, then took off. Not just backed off, took off to summer haunts. I'm sitting there trying to figure out what happened to the shallow spawn and BOOM, they were back in the shallows. This crazy pattern has gone on for close to a month now. In normal years, the fish would move in (males first, then the females, then the males again) and if a front hit they would move back out to their transition areas. This year it goes from shallow to deep and back again with few fish in between. At this point, the females are where they should be....a lot spawned out, quite a few still with full sacks. All in all, it's been a great spring since I figured the pattern out, but different from past years for sure.

One thing I DO know. About the time I think I've figured these crappie out, they'll humble me every time!

[Locator79]

Its really weird for sure. I could not figure them out last Fri. so ended up gill fishing. Caught them Sat. 10' to 12' in 17' of water. Fished Mon. and we caught two limits 6" deep on grass lines??????? Of course we haven't had anything close to stable weather since the mid March heat wave.

[kbaker]

Here in middle Ga we go from the upper 80's to the lower 60's in the day and 60's and 40's at night.As Locator said sense March.Crazy weather. We been catch'em though.

[NIMROD]

Been like hunting with change'n temps and water levels , never know where or how deep they will be.

[Bronson]

See'n some of the same things in Kentucky. Caught some of my biggest females last weekend. Seen several years when spawn was usually over by mid April.

[Lowellhturner]

Who REALLY knows what they`re thinking? BUT the fish are always right...

[RetiredRR]

Right now the water levels are higher than in recent years. My creek
into Eagle Mountain Lake has changed locations of holes and water depths
have changed in so many places it has made me work smarter to find anything.
But, them downed trees and logs are still magnets for crappie and the docks
are back in the water and the fishin' is better this year than the past 3 years.
Just one of them years when I got to work a little smarter than usual. The
spawn here has been on and off several times too. Some days are spent
fishin' and some are spent catchin'. Evens out most of the time.

[OkieDon]

In over 40 years of fishing for crappie, this is without a doubt the strangest year I've ever seen during the spawn. Down in my part of Texas we had a very mild winter, resulting in lots of "experts" saying the fish would spawn early with warmer water. For me, the fish showed up pretty well on schedule (I've kept a log since 1987) for a short period of time, then took off. Not just backed off, took off to summer haunts. I'm sitting there trying to figure out what happened to the shallow spawn and BOOM, they were back in the shallows. This crazy pattern has gone on for close to a month now. In normal years, the fish would move in (males first, then the females, then the males again) and if a front hit they would move back out to their transition areas. This year it goes from shallow to deep and back again with few fish in between. At this point, the females are where they should be....a lot spawned out, quite a few still with full sacks. All in all, it's been a great spring since I figured the pattern out, but different from past years for sure.

One thing I DO know. About the time I think I've figured these crappie out, they'll humble me every time!

Obviously it is Bush's fault. Heck, we still blame everything else on him, might as well blame him for a strange Crappie spawn!

But if it matters any, it's been kinda strange up here North of the border as well. Everyone said it would be an early spawn, the only thing is, they forgot to tell the Crappie that! They're just starting to hit the banks good on some of our lakes. I think in a week or so, we'll have a full fledged spawn on

[RetiredRR]

That's hard not to comment on. And, I'm trying real hard to remain silent.
(But yes, I miss him too.)