where will the be at what water temps?

I know water temps have a lot to do with where crappie are. I also know other things affect what depths they are. What temps do the start to spawn in spring? What temps do they start to move deep for summer? What temps do they move back shallow for fall? And then what temps do they move back deep for winter? I would like to have a game plan for when i get to the lake and i figured water temps could give me an idea where to start looking for them. I have generally fished ponds and very small lakes for crappie and could find them fairly easy. Since i have just bought a new boat (new to me), i have access to Kentucky Lake now instead of fishing out of my old 12 foot jon on electric only lakes. Last three times i have been skunked and would like to change that. Thanks for any help!

Look under "search" Cane Pole did a chart on this, earlier this year

I think this is the thread Ga_redland is talking about - http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showth...highlight=temp

Thank You!!!! I looked for it and couldnt find it. Now its in my favorites.

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Originally Posted by crappiepants

I know water temps have a lot to do with where crappie are. I also know other things affect what depths they are. What temps do the start to spawn in spring? What temps do they start to move deep for summer? What temps do they move back shallow for fall? And then what temps do they move back deep for winter? I would like to have a game plan for when i get to the lake and i figured water temps could give me an idea where to start looking for them. I have generally fished ponds and very small lakes for crappie and could find them fairly easy. Since i have just bought a new boat (new to me), i have access to Kentucky Lake now instead of fishing out of my old 12 foot jon on electric only lakes. Last three times i have been skunked and would like to change that. Thanks for any help!

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If other conditions like water clarity and stable level are right, crappie will spawn when the water temp is in the 60's. It has been my experience that the mid-50's to the low 70's bring on more aggressive activity and feeding behavior. Black crappie tolerate the lower end of the 60's whereas white crappie tend to prefer the upper end. As the water warms into the 70's and 80's in summer they will start to move deeper. When the water begins to cool in the fall back down through the 70's and 60's they'll move shallower. Then when the water temp drops through the 50's and 40's they will be deep again. Of course, deep and shallow is relative to where you are fishing. Sometimes shollower just means they will suspend over the cover and deeper means they are tight to the cover near the bottom. That is why a good fishing report will tell you how deep they are being caught in how much total depth of water (ie: 12' in 20' of water or 18' in 20' of water, etc.). If you know these two things you can at least initially eliminate alot of water and get a good starting point. If that doesn't work then there is only three things you can do: 1) fish deeper or shallower in the same depth of water, 2) fish a shallower depth of water or 3) fish a deeper depth of water. This also only applies to the mid-latitudes and changes with northern lakes that ice over or deep south lakes that might never see water below 50. Either of these I have no experience with. Now that is just the rule of thumb. They'll fool you sometimes like the Kentucky Lake Blood River study they did in 2004 showed. Many of the radio tagged crappie were hanging out in eight-foot of water when the temps were in the 80's. Just don't get in a rut. If something isn't working, try something else.

Sorry for rambling. Hope it helps. There are a few articles here on my website that might be of interest to you too - http://www.familyfishingtrips.com/News.htm

I can't find the link from where I got this info but here's what my notes say pertaining to spring:

Water Temp

45-50

Crappie start to leave deep water

50-55

They migrate towards shallower secondary creeks and bays using the channel as a highway.

55-60

Males are shallow looking for and fanning beds. Females are at closest deep water structure.

62-65

Nearly perfect for females to move in.

70-75

Females leave the nest and move back to the closest deep water structure while the males guard the nest.

75

The males leave the nest