Crappie Spawn Update

[Craig Johnson]

I was sampling El Dorado on Thursday with the shocker boat looking for black bass and came across a number of BIG crappie females that were flowing eggs. The fish came out of heavy shallow cover. Not all the girls were tricked by the early warm water temps.

Have a SAFE weekend!

[springhillwantabe]

craig are you sayin the eggs are still good and will still spawn thanks jim

[crappiedoc]

craig are you sayin the eggs are still good and will still spawn thanks jim

Only if they say "Use before 5/27/12":Hands Clapping

[Craig Johnson]

craig are you sayin the eggs are still good and will still spawn thanks jim

Jim,

Yes, these were actively spawning fish.

[fishingtim]

Craig, overall do you think the crappie had a good spawning year at El Dorado with the rollercoaster weather we've had, or is it to early to tell? Been catching a good number of last years hatch (4-5in crappie), then they jump to 10in+ fish. Was 2010 a poor crappie spawn year at El Dorado? (Your methods of sampling are a little better than my rod and reel sampling )

Hows the bass population out there going also? Up \ down \ no change?

Thanks,
Tim.

[laltec]

I cleaned 20 from monday which all had eggs in them... all bloody and bright yellow. Is it safe to say these fish havent spawn yet but would have in the future.

[kscatman]

i'm curious on the bass numbers also. i also saw that largemouth were stocked this year. is that one of the first stockings in a while or does it always recieve some?

[Craig Johnson]

Craig, overall do you think the crappie had a good spawning year at El Dorado with the rollercoaster weather we've had, or is it to early to tell? Been catching a good number of last years hatch (4-5in crappie), then they jump to 10in+ fish. Was 2010 a poor crappie spawn year at El Dorado? (Your methods of sampling are a little better than my rod and reel sampling )

Hows the bass population out there going also? Up \ down \ no change?

Thanks,
Tim.

Tim,

It's pretty early yet to tell the success of the production of the 2012 crappie spawn. My 2011 fall trap netting data showed high numbers of crappie from the 2010 year class so I'm not sure why you aren't seeing those fish in your catches. I looked at 907 (yes, nine hundred and seven) white crappie during the 2011 fall trap netting sample at El Dorado and 90% of these were likely from the 2010 year class. Crappie sample catch during 2011 was really up for El Dorado and from looking at length distributions, it looks like 2010 was a pretty good year.

Bass populations remain fairly constant at El Dorado for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and spotted bass. I just finished up my spring electrofishing sample at El Dorado last week so I haven't had a chance to look at the numbers much. I have a pic of some smallies I found last week that I'll post in another thread.

[Craig Johnson]

....i also saw that largemouth were stocked this year. is that one of the first stockings in a while or does it always recieve some?

kscatman,

During 2012, 195,348 fingerling largemouth bass have been stocked in to El Dorado reservoir. These stockings are the first since 2006. In 2002, a study began at El Dorado to examine the success of stocked bass in the reservoir. The results did not indicate an overall increase in the density of the bass population and no more stockings occurred, until 2012 when for the first time 'early' largemouth bass fingerlings were stocked.

The majority of the bass stocked in to El Dorado during 2012 were 'early' bass, or fish that were a result of the Meade Fish Hatchery Project which produces a larger sized fish for stocking earlier in the year. We hope to see increased success of these 'early' LMB at El Dorado. Check out the video below on the early bass project at Meade which produced the bass stocked at El Dorado in 2012.

[fishingtim]

Thanks Craig for you insight and information.
900+ fish is a lot of fish to handle measure and record.

Did you mean to write "It's pretty early yet to tell the success of the production of the 2012 crappie spawn." instead of the 2011 crappie spawn?