crappie spawn,temp & location

[thompmd]

All,
Another general question...what temps do crappie generally spawn and what type of conditions(bottom,structure,etc) do they look for. Specifically I am asking about Lake of the Woods in Canada if that matters and does the moon seem to make a difference?

thx

[CrappiePappy]

All,
Another general question...what temps do crappie generally spawn and what type of conditions(bottom,structure,etc) do they look for. Specifically I am asking about Lake of the Woods in Canada if that matters and does the moon seem to make a difference?
thx

water temps above 50deg will start the pre-spawn movement. Black Crappie tend to come in the earliest, followed by the White Crappie (once the water temps get warmer). Black Crappie come in shallower, & stay shallower longer, than White Crappie. A water temp of 60deg is a good indicator that Crappie should be in the spawning mood.
Black Crappie like vegetation, White Crappie prefer wood ... but, either or both will utilize whatever cover is available - provided it's in the preferred depth, and of the preferred water temp. (I have heard of Crappie spawning on the trim plates of outboard motors, left submerged in the water, on boats parked in marina slips )
For the more Northern climes ... emergent grass seems to be a drawing factor, for spawning Black Crappie (the more dominant species in those waters).
I don't know if there's a single "best" bottom type, for either species ... as I've caught them on muck bottom banks, pea gravel banks, rock/clay banks, and rock ledges. But, submerged wood has always been the most predominant factor, regardless of bottom composition. But, you would also have to consider that I've never fished North of the Ohio River

I don't know if it "matters" or not ... but, I've always tried to fish during the spawn times, when the moon was full +/- (and usually with reasonable success).

.... cp

[Darryl Morris]

There are several articles here -- http://www.familyfishingtrips.com/News.htm -- that speak to the subject you raised. However, they are written from the mid-latitude, milder climate perspective. I'm not for sure, but I'd think fish in the northern latitudes would adjust and be tolerant of colder water temps. If not, then your spawn and growing season is just that much shorter for the crappie.