Crappie spawn in river

[CrappieDontTap]

I'm new to crappie fishing in a river, so I got to ask if crappie will spawn in the river or will they move up into backwater creeks.

I know certain species of fish will make a run for the dam and some will move up in creeks. Not sure which way they roll.

[CrappiePappy]

As long as the current isn't heavy, they will. But, if there are creeks running off the river and there's shallows and cover, plus a low current, they'll go up in the creeks, as well. Even in moderate current, if there's an area of slack water (eddy) that's suitable for spawning, they're likely to use it. Mostly it all depends on where they were spawned, as they'll generally go right back to that same area when they're old enough to spawn.

That's based on what I've read, not what I "know" firsthand ... because I haven't fished rivers very much. I'm referring to "rivers" as like the KY River, which doesn't flow into a lake at any point .... and not like the Salt River (Taylorsville Lake), Tenn River (Watts Bar Lake), or Green River (Green River Lake), where I have caught lots of Crappie "in the main river" portion of the lake.

[CrappieDontTap]

I've been reading up on it but that's where I got confused.
I normally fish small lakes and ponds where it's fairly easy to find them but my buddy wants to try the river. I've fished big rivers for white bass and big lakes for striped bass but crappie seems like a whole new thing to learn. I have nice backwater creeks near me so I'll start there, and see what I come up with.

Thanks...

["G"]

Tell us something about the waters that you fish....are they mainly white crappie ? or black crappie ? We don't know much about fishing in Mayberry.

[ET Fish]

Tell us something about the waters that you fish....are they mainly white crappie ? or black crappie ? We don't know much about fishing in Mayberry.

I saw several episodes where Andy and Barney caught trout. Howard Sprague caught a huge carp. I don’t remember any of them catching crappie. Otis saw one, but I think he had been drinking.

["G"]

Yeh...and that lake was not in NC like the show made out....it was at a reservoir in CA.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

[ET Fish]

Crappie.com Fishing mobile app[/URL]

Well, thanks for ruining one of my all time favorite shows!

["G"]

Maybe Earnest T. Bass caught a crappie

[ET Fish]

Maybe Earnest T. Bass caught a crappie

[ET Fish]

Maybe Earnest T. Bass caught a crappie

I ain’t talkin, I ain’t talkin. The more you’re askin, the more I’m balkin! Best show ever!