Spawning

[davieboy36]

I know this is a usual question and sorry 4 the guys who will have 2 answer it for the 400th time but in NC when is the usual time crappie start to move into the shallows to spawn?

[FishingDog]

While this sounds hokey, wherever you live, when the Dog Woods bloom.

[poppop]

Fishing Dog is dead on the money....that is how I guaged it for years. When the dogwoods are blooming the crappies are on the bed. When the leaves drop, the are pretty much done.

[thehines]

I third this, I was told this as a kid by an old timer and have had great luck with it for years.

[joejv4]

That's why I planted a dogwood in my back yard. I wouldn't plant any more trees in my yard, just more to mow around, but I planted a dogwood about 10 years ago just so's I'd know when the crappie action would be at it's peak. Now it's big enough that it blooms every year, it seems to always be right on the money for telling me when the slabs are on the beds.

[Kygent.]

I have always heard about the dogwood trick and it seems to work. Now, If thats the case it would be dependent on temperature. I always was a believer in LOD (length of day or photoperiod). I believe this is really what makes the world go around with temp and other environmental factors (fronts and such) being secondary conditions.

Feel free to lambast my theories, I might just learn something

[CrappiePappy]

I have always heard about the dogwood trick and it seems to work. Now, If thats the case it would be dependent on temperature. I always was a believer in LOD (length of day or photoperiod). I believe this is really what makes the world go around with temp and other environmental factors (fronts and such) being secondary conditions.
Feel free to lambast my theories, I might just learn something

Your theory is sound, such as it is .... but, LOD is what raises the water/ground temps -- Dogwoods "bloom" when the ground temp gets to a certain point -- lake water temps are affected in the same way -- they tend to coincide closely enough that the blooming of that particular tree occurs around the same timeframe.

BUT WAIT ... or rather, don't wait for the Dogwoods to bloom, before heading out after spawning Crappie. You could be missing out on the bigger year class coming shallow (pre-spawn feed, or even a spawning run). You will certainly be missing out on the pre-spawn movement to the spawning banks. Whenever the water temps start edging towards the 50deg F mark ... you can bet that the fish have started to move from their deeper haunts, and headed towards the creeks/bays and spawning banks. Stable water levels, or a slow rise, and stable weather, or a warming trend .. will get their motors running.

Oh yeah ... by the time Dogwoods bloom, the Black Crappie may have already come and gone. The White Crappie spawn seems to coincide more closely with the Dogwood bloom. At least, in my experiences, that's the way it seems to work.

... cp

[beagle man]

not going to bash your theory, just going to agree with the dog wood theory. count on it it will be close to exact... has been for years now one other secret.. and dont tell any one but when the bud's first appear the big one's are spawning.

[frank lawhead]

Puttin my money on Crappiepappy

[joejv4]

not going to bash your theory, just going to agree with the dog wood theory. count on it it will be close to exact... has been for years now one other secret.. and dont tell any one but when the bud's first appear the big one's are spawning.

I like your way of thinking... I'll be sure to hit the beds when I see buds!!! Thanks!