Thread: save the spawn?

Here is the Reservoir (water level) report I got today. This is TVA predictions for the next 7 days. This is with out any major rain event. I am hoping that once TVA takes back over control of the lake level they will try to keep the level close to 358. With the out flow being reduced, I hope that is their plan to hold as much water as possible. However for this time of year normal level would be closer to 355.

D A I L Y N A V I G A T I O N R E P O R T

This information is being supplied by the TVA and Nashville District
Corps of Engineers AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. Forecasts will be issued daily, or more often as conditions warrant. Headwater elevations are in feet above mean sea level, and are instantaneous midnight elevations. Outflows are daily average values in thousands of cubic feet per second. The minimum and maximum daily tailwater elevations are estimates of these values for the days indicated.
During hydro peaking operations, tailwater elevations will vary rapidly and may exceed the ranges indicated.

RESERVOIR FORECASTS - ISSUED BY RIVER SYSTEM OPERATIONS


03/31 04/01 04/02 04/03 04/04 04/05 04/06 04/07
2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400 2400
Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed
KENTUCKY--------------------------------------------------------------
El 359.5 359.4 359.1 358.8 358.4 358.0 357.9 357.7
TW max 320.5 320.3 320.1 319.7 319.2 319.2 318.9 318.8
TW min 320.5 320.3 320.1 319.7 319.2 319.2 318.9 318.8
Out 65.8 66.0 66.0 66.0 66.0 66.0 40.0 30.0

Thanks for the information Paul!

Lyndon

Thanks Paul.

If you look at what they did last year (high water until May 15th) is there anything in that curve that would have hurt last year's spawn?

Just interested in learning something.

Thanks

Fluctuating water levels and water temperature are both important during the spawning period, even more importantly is there timing. The ideal water temp which puts crappie in spawn mode is the mid 50's. When water temp reaches the upper 50's to low 60's the crappie will really start moving shallow to spawn. So last year we had high water, but the timing was off with water temp. The past several years we have had mid winters and early spring weather (warmer water temp earlier in the year). Last year water temps reached the upper 50's near the last week of March. This was just about the time there was a fast water level rise.

So, crappie move shallow to spawn. Why shallow... a few reasons, habitat such as button ball bushes and water willow. Crappie eggs are adhesive, and will be deposited on root hairs of the vegetation. As compared to bluegill which just make a bowl shape bed and lays their eggs in the middle of it. In the shallower water they also can reduce predation by other fish on the eggs. Up shallow they have less water behind them to protect the nest.

So, the males go in first to find a nest site, and fans it off to expose root hairs. Then he moves back out to find and entice a female to follow him back to the nest site. However the water has risen and the nest area is no longer shallow. Maybe he aborts the nest and starts a new nest up shallow. Maybe he tries to us that nest, but due to the deeper water other fish eat the eggs.

The eggs in a female are ripened by water temp, when they are ready - they are ready. If conditions change for nesting more of the eggs may over ripen - rotten eggs.

So ideally there should not be any water level fluctuations during spawning. There is probably a worst spawn when the water is falling during spawn. Or the water temp reached the ideal range, and then a cold front moves in for a week, and water temp drop out of range. But a quick water rise can also hurt.

There are other factors that affect the spawn. But that is my educated guess about water levels. There is some research that shows no matter what, crappie populations are cyclic and every few years there will be a good spawn, followed by a few years of poorer spawn. Some research indicates a 3 to 5 year cycle.

One last note, last year during May while doing some bass population sampling (electrofishing), we noted many crappie in water less than 18". The area we were in was Jacks Branch (Blood River). The crappie were in the middle of a large water willow bed that was under water. The water was so clear we could see the backs of fish as our boat slowly moved toward them. We shocked that area just for a moment to prove what we thought we were seeing, and an unbelievable number of crappie were there still spawning. Most likely males still guarding the nest. So this is where you get another factor that affects a spawn. Fish spawning late, means the young fish will be smaller going into the winter months. Smaller fish often have higher winter mortality. We have seen this with largemouth bass at KY Lake, so I would only assume it would hold true for crappie also.

Hope that helps.

Paul I want to thank you for getting more involved in the Ky. CDC forum even though you've taken a pretty good hammer'n at times, especially from me. :D This last post is great information!

I know you're a busy man and I hope you know how much we appreciate your contribution to the forum. It gives us sportsmen an idea of what's going on and how our $'s are being spent.

I might not always agree with everything you say, but I will listen and give it a fair evaluation based on my and other's experiences in the field.

I know that you guys base your decisions on scientific data. Sometimes that data can be sewed by variables that aren't recognized. By spending time on here with us and sharing information those variables have a better chance of being identified and taken into consideration which will improve the end product.

Over the years all over the nation it has been proved that the sportsmen have a huge impact on the success of any management/restoration program. We got the deer and turkey back and I'm sure by working together we can improve the crappie fishery.

Really, thanks for the input.