Need help with the spawn

[gregsayers2000]

Bought my first fishing boat last June/July. Have never fished for crappie during the spawn. Don't intend to prey on actual spawning fish, but would like to know their habits and locations pre spawn and post spawn. Went out 2-3 weeks ago and they blew up the sonar in 16 to 20 FOW at 10 to 16 FOW. Went out last weekend and they were very scattered. I am assuming they are staging for the spawn. Problem was, I could not find then in any part of the body of water I was able to catch them in all summer and fall of last year. I looked for bay/inlets with temps a kittle higher than the rest of the lake. They were in none of the shallows or areas near the shallows that I expected to find them in. Was it just one of those days or I am going about this entirely wrong? I used various jigs and minnows and a few artificials. They seemed to like them minnows better. I will admit that we caught enough for supper while all the other boats claimed they had no luck at all. HELP!!!!

[CrappiePappy]

Don't know what your lake's water temps are, but when they get around 65-68deg's ... and you have stable weather & water levels ... they should be in full spawning mode. Between now & then, they'll move "towards" their normal spawning areas, but weather/water conditions can move them away from those areas. AND ... they don't all follow the water temp instruction manual They'll spawn (at times) in cooler water, much warmer water, and even in deeper water than you're used to finding them.

... cp

[hunter1314]

if you got enough for supper that's still a good day!

[Locator79]

They are moving up around here from reports I've heard, but the constant fronts, wind, and rain, have them a little confused. Just a little stable weather, and they'll be up on the shallow stucture. Last time out had 55 deg. temps, calling for snow tonight. Could be another week or two depending.