The missing out on the spawn

[Ketchn]

Some are fretting missing out on the spawn . this happens every year and more this year obviously with the isolation stay at home rules . but before the rules became so stringent and the need to stay in so important the fish were already spawning .
some spots way better than others and some fish earlier than others like every year .
now I realize they spawn for many months and they come and go in waves each month ,but to be sure some of the fish have done their thing and wont be coming back to the bank this year .
I hit a spot a week ago in hopes of finding them good and it was really slow and I had to work hard to get bit . the female crappie were way off the bank and wore flat out .the males were off the nest by several feet and to make it even more apparent the deed was done at this spot I managed a highly colored up male bluegill in the crappie nesting area .
now mind you I speak in tongues and make everything up as I go as you know . but to be just as sure when I see a female crappie in the spring that looks beat to heck and skinny as heck with her tail all red and shredded, I know what has already taken place .
the spawn isn't over by far in lots of spots is my thoughts . but at that one its signed sealed and delivered as they say .
KABOOM is the word

[GreenLine]

Yes , I think most have spawned already on my home lake .
I had one decent day but still had to really work for them.
I wasn’t able to fish a couple of days when the water was high. Then it dropped back out fast and moved them back to deeper water.
Now it’s time to look for a school of hungry post spawn females in my neck of the woods


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[chaunc]

Hasn't started up here in Pennsylvania yet.

[Ketchn]

I think in the north it hasn't started yet most likely as well . and in the deep south its been on a good while and or mostly over with . I have a bud in Oklahoma that sent me about a bunch of photos of 5 and 6 inch fish males and females in herds that were right by the bank last week .
His question was where did the big ones go that were there the week before .I told him every time I seen that scenario in play it has told me that spot is about say see ya . don't know why but for some reason often as it winds down the short waters load up with really young fish .
some days you can ketch them by the bucket full with about 1 every 20 or 30 over a hair over 10 inches if you are so lucky .
one thing for positive , its all over the map locally and some lakes go really early and some not for whatever reason ?

[Ketchn]

Yes , I think most have spawned already on my home lake .
I had one decent day but still had to really work for them.
I wasn’t able to fish a couple of days when the water was high. Then it dropped back out fast and moved them back to deeper water.
Now it’s time to look for a school of hungry post spawn females in my neck of the woods


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

fluctuations in water levels this time of year will make them really squirrely . they will rush in for a day or so and run off for a week or so .seen that scenario quite often ,with some so darn confused they are still fat with eggs in May.
but in the end a great spawn span will likely make for good numbers down the road as it would tend to disrupt any poor scenarios for a good hatch ,thus creating some scenarios that are great for a good hatch and survival percentage

[ezgoing]

------------------ don't know why but for some reason often as it winds down the short waters load up with really young fish .
some days you can ketch them by the bucket full with about 1 every 20 or 30 over a hair over 10 inches if you are so lucky .
one thing for positive , its all over the map locally and some lakes go really early and some not for whatever reason ?

Same thing happens in slips. I caught 53 from 5 till 7 yesterday afternoon and not one of them was a keeper. Most were 5-6". Heard a guy say this morning he caught 37 in one hour yesterday, not a keeper among them. (He was telling a friend in a very loud voice outside my houseboat window and woke me up. A major disadvantage of sleeping in a houseboat during this time of year. )

I haven't seen any wearing their tuxedos in the slips this year. Caught a couple that were just starting to add a little color but just starting. Water is up 8' over a week ago in my slip. I keep hoping the action will start once the water level stabilizes but was told yesterday that the Corps was going to start letting water out on Wednesday so there goes that hope.

[BobC]

Hasn't started up here in Pennsylvania yet.

Very true. A good thing too as the early stream spawners would have had the nests wiped out. Good thing pans stagger the spawn.
Bob

[Noodle rod]

caught black ones tonight!Attachment 371055

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[hdhntr]

timing of what fish does what varies by size and species. Blacks spawn different times than whites, water fluctuations can have them out deeper than you expect or they are up in flooded grass or brush and bigun's go quickly but then the little ones can be in for weeks. In my home LSL we will be ketchn lil black males 4 to 7 inches with every drop as soon as jig hits water. Literally hundreds every day for weeks on end and man is it fun and some days you never ketch a keeper.

Kinda like figuring out what women want, it's a mystery.

[longhunter]

Yep, it ain't over till the fat lady sings... so to speak. Last year the end of shallow bite date for me was May 5. This year they were already shallow full moon in March when I oiled the guns down and knocked the dust of my reels. I'm catching females under docks in different stages, and shallow in different stages. Males get testy when a jig gets too close for comfort. And here it is 40 degrees this morning and turkey season starting. It is the same story different year. Sure is good to be part of it, but a lot more enjoyable when your employed...