small crappie

ANyone have any explanation why the crappie majority seem so small after the spawn. I have no problem catching crappie on Lake Tyler or Lake Palestine, were catching good numbers but all of the keeper 10-14" fish are far and few. It seems like they do this betweeen every season change. It doesnt matter how many brush piles I fish right now in the 10-25' range, their all small fish. We can fish the same places in fall and do really well on quality fish. Anyone have any logic to this. Thanks

The larger fish are recuperating from the spawn. Mature fish are responsible for most of the spawning activity. Below is part of an artical on the subject.

June may be the most difficult month for southern crappie fishermen to locate and catch fish. There is a three- to four-week period during which crappie go into a recuperation period to rejuvenate from the rigors of the spawning process. Immediately after spawning, biologists tell us that the female crappie leave the nest and move off onto nearby brush or vegetation. After a short stay in shallow water, the females then move to the nearest mid-depth drop-off or vegetation. The males are left to guard the eggs and eventually the fry, until the tiny fish disperse. After leaving the fry, the males and females will regroup during the later stages of the post-spawn period before then moving to their summer positioning in deeper water.

Post-spawn crappie can be tricky to locate because of the lack of concentrated females immediately after the spawn. It becomes more difficult as the wide-ranging tendencies of the species moves them into less-conspicuous places — even suspending in open water. Post-spawn crappie move off into deeper water, but not the depths in which they will ride out the summer temperatures. Look for them along any drop-off adjacent to the shallow spawning area that has some type of wood or weedy cover. Three prime areas are the mouths of bays and creeks and steep shorelines

After the spawn the big females tend to not bite for a month or 2. That is what I have been told anyway and it seems to hold true everwhere that I know of. Just hang in there they will be back, starting in the early fall. At least you are catching good numbers.
Good Luck,
Shadow

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Originally Posted by shadow

After the spawn the big females tend to not bite for a month or 2. That is what I have been told anyway and it seems to hold true everwhere that I know of. Just hang in there they will be back, starting in the early fall. At least you are catching good numbers.
Good Luck,
Shadow

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Thanks for the reply. I had a had a idea that was happening.

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Originally Posted by Big Dave

The larger fish are recuperating from the spawn. Mature fish are responsible for most of the spawning activity. Below is part of an artical on the subject.

June may be the most difficult month for southern crappie fishermen to locate and catch fish. There is a three- to four-week period during which crappie go into a recuperation period to rejuvenate from the rigors of the spawning process. Immediately after spawning, biologists tell us that the female crappie leave the nest and move off onto nearby brush or vegetation. After a short stay in shallow water, the females then move to the nearest mid-depth drop-off or vegetation. The males are left to guard the eggs and eventually the fry, until the tiny fish disperse. After leaving the fry, the males and females will regroup during the later stages of the post-spawn period before then moving to their summer positioning in deeper water.

Post-spawn crappie can be tricky to locate because of the lack of concentrated females immediately after the spawn. It becomes more difficult as the wide-ranging tendencies of the species moves them into less-conspicuous places — even suspending in open water. Post-spawn crappie move off into deeper water, but not the depths in which they will ride out the summer temperatures. Look for them along any drop-off adjacent to the shallow spawning area that has some type of wood or weedy cover. Three prime areas are the mouths of bays and creeks and steep shorelines

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Thansk for the article. I kind of knew that was happening. I think us crappie fishermen get spoiled catching those spring slabs, and then they dissapear for a while.
Thanks for the reply. Good fishing.

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Originally Posted by BRITT

Thansk for the article. I kind of knew that was happening. I think us crappie fishermen get spoiled catching those spring slabs, and then they dissapear for a while.
Thanks for the reply. Good fishing.

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Britt,
Next time out try larger baits. I use small 1 1/2 " tube jigs during the spawn in shallow water and catch big crappie with them. After they move back to deeper water, I catch a lot of small crappie with those smaller jigs. There are still a few big crappie mixed in with those small ones, so I start using 2 or 3 inch curly tail grubs. With the larger baits, I don't catch as many, but most of the ones I catch are keepers.
dd

I am currently catching big crappie in about 25 feet of water near timbers. This is on Lake Lavon, and the I catch +10" about 60% of the time. Came home with 10 real nice keepers in two hours last Monday.