Crappie spawn and population

[gummy460]

I read that crappie are prolific reproducers and that a single crappie can lay 20,000-100,000 eggs. Of these eggs, how many actually survive to full size crappie?

[Lonnie84]

Looks to be 1% to 3% according to this:

Even though Crappie are HUGE spawners, they are also one of the most delicate....things really have to come together to have a successful spawn...Crappie spawn year after year in the same area/cove/bay/shoreline, if that area changes, it will effect spawns, water temps have to be perfect, water flow or current has to be perfect, low water robs fish of preferred cover, high water release from the lake effects spawns by removing fry in the release, high STABLE water is actually preferred to add nutrients and boost zooplankton for larval Crappie...and then if it is a good Spawn, maybe 1% will survive to legal size (high end is figured to be 3%). Then you also figure that Crappie have one of the highest HOOKING and HANDLING MORTALITY rates if released, and you can understand why they can require management to have a continual Crappie Fishery!

Pulled this from http://www.crappie.com/crappie/archive/index.php/t-299582.html

[gummy460]

That's still insane.... if a single crappie lays low end 20,000 eggs and only 1% survive then 200 crappie will grow to be full size from just that one fish!!!

[CrappiePappy]

That's still insane.... if a single crappie lays low end 20,000 eggs and only 1% survive then 200 crappie will grow to be full size from just that one fish!!!

True, Gummy .... but you also have to factor in that those 200 have to survive for about 3yrs to become legal length for angler harvest. Not only do they have to survive against other predatory fish (from the moment they're hatched), but also their own specie !! Then there's predatory birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and of course .... humans. Ma Nature can also throw a wrench into the works.

[Ketchn]

they say in these parts a white might hit 10 inches in the first year . I think that's a stretch but I do think by 1.5 they can be legal .
prolific fish for sure and even the lil bitty ones spawn . I seen 6 inch female whites with eggs dripping out of them and 5 inch males black as coal .
according to what I have read mother nature deals the largest blows to them and I tend to think its likely a small water body can get over fished as well .
but none the less you aint getting rid of them once they get a foot hold ....LOL