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Thread: Question about egg sacs

  1. #1
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    Default Question about egg sacs


    (Locally)Pa has been under attack this spring by unstable weather patterns; unusually warm periods followed by quick, substantial temperature drops, then there's the rainfall that's raised water levels and muddied waterways.
    Water temps have been up and down as well; mid 50's one week, mid 60's the next, then back down into the mid 50's again, etc.

    Squeezed in a few hours of fishing this past weekend, and kept two crappie for a fresh lunch. I kept what I thought were two male crappie (lack of extended belly from egg sacs). Turns out I was greeted with an egg sac in one of the fish. This sac was slightly larger then one's thumb, bright yellow, and very tough. Couldn't break it open by squeezing it, had to take a fillet knife tip to it.
    My question is, what stage does it seem these eggs are in? Are they in the process of being reabsorbed? (Or) are the fish just not quite ready to complete spawning yet?
    (I know not all crappie spawn at the same time, and this is only one fish. One can't judge a complete fishery status from this closed case.)
    Just looking for guidance as to understanding what is happening with these eggs.
    Have pics if they would help.

  2. #2
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    I am not sure if it is correct or not but I was always told that if the eggs are firm to the touch that they are two weeks or more away from laying them. Soft = any day now!!

    Like I said, not sure if this is the correct answer but that is what I was always told my the old timers. ( My grandpa and Uncle)

    Interested in what someone that knows for sure has to say


    Shaun
    Don't take life so seriously, no one lives through it anyhow!!

  3. #3
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    That makes sense Mo. Soft means they can be expelled easy as opposed to firm eggs.

  4. #4
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    CrappiePappy is offline Super Moderator - 2013 Man Of The Year * Crappie.com Supporter
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    Lightbulb Hey Zig ...

    I believe MoSam is correct .... firm & bright yellow = underdeveloped .... soft & orange = ready to drop. I'm thinking that a lot of places are going thru the same screwy weather patterns, this year. I just hope that the weather will stay stable long enough to get some portion of a spawn off. ....cp

  5. #5
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    They are ready when the eggs will just run out in the bucket after handling the crappie. I had some like that the other day after taking the crappie out of the livewell and putting them in a bucket to dress.
    “There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide.” Ayn Rand

  6. #6
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    You are right about the spawn being off CP. Yesterday evening I caught six nice slabs in a foot of water down here on Blackshear in South Ga. Its May and the four males were black and big, and the two females were full of those soft orange eggs. The water temp is well into the 70's. Probably upper 70's. Crazy stuff.

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    Zig, We"ve had the exact same thing here on the hollow.I too have kept a few-assuming they were males,to find they wasnt.With the unstable weather i wonder if they will just spawn in deeper water?? Good Fishin To Ya!!!Dennis
    Good Fishin To Ya!! Dennis Dale Hollow Crappie www.dalehollowcrappie.4t.com

  8. #8
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    This has been a VERY strange season to catch the spawn just right.......

    I was in FL about 3 weeks ago......figuring the spawn would be over down there by now....but 90% of our fish had eggs in them.....soft ones at that.....

    It has been pretty weird in these parts too....
    I won't be at work........I'm feelin' crappie today!
    ><)))*>

  9. #9
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    Just has me wondering what the next few years will be like.(?) It has been written that crappie have population swings, wonder if we are seeing the beginning of a downward slope?
    So, it's nation wide? Interesting.......................gotta wonder too if this all relates to global weather changes?
    (Zig pulls back lid on can of worms, grabs a drink, and pulls up a chair. :D )

  10. #10
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    In Piedmont, NC we are still waiting on the spawn - fish still being caught in 10 to 20 ft and the temp is still 62 to 68 degrees
    with my mind on crappie and crappie on my mind -
    and if ya'll see Goober later tellem I said duh huh - he'll know what ya mean!!!!!!!!

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