Thread: Claiborne Saturday

Originally Posted by Mo'nBack

I've said it before on here. It's like a woman being pregnant. The crappie have the eggs for a certain amount of time. When it's time they are going to lay most of their eggs whether the water is 60 degrees or 50 degrees. I talked to a man on Claiborne that lives there and he said they spawn on there EVERY year at 50-54 degrees. They will lay their eggs in deeper water if the temp isn't right, just making it harder for us to find them. They don't absorb ALL of their eggs in cooler water, because crappie would'nt be here from a long time ago. I feel they spawn on any waterway within 2 weeks of previous years because they are in a cycle. It's gonna happen within a certain time on every water in La. Each lake is going to be different. Down south usually goes before northern La and the smaller lakes and rivers do it before the larger ones. This comes because thru the years the water temp has gotten right at different times on different waterways and they have adjusting to when it is USUALLY right. So, if you have a cooler or hotter year, they still only have the eggs for a certain amount of time, just like deer rutting. Rut at my house peeks on Nov 27 and has for at least 30 years and the crappie spawn on Red River at Clarence starting the first 2 weeks of April and going on for about 2 months off and on (without fail and no matter what the water temp.) This isn't for sake of arguement. It's what I've seen and read. Some will disagree, but that's fine. They can go to Red River on the first warm snap and if it isn't at least the first 2 weeks of April, then they can waste alot of time up and down the bank. I'm not a biologist, but I'm also not an idiot that spent my time behind a desk making up what I think the crappie should do. I hope you can get something out of this Kman. I'm glad someone else is interested in this like I've been for decades.

VERY interested...thank you. Here in south LA we have some river systems, no lakes and reservoirs, but prior to Katrina, they would rival any lake in the state..just great crappie fishing and lots of BIG crappie. That all changed in 2005 and while the POPULATION is coming back (like God intended them to do after a natural disaster) the fish have lost 1/2 pound on AVERAGE since 2005 when it comes to the average fish caught. For instance, prior to Katrina , we didn't keep a crappie that wasn't 10", self imposed. Now, IF You catch 20 fish, you might have 3 over 10". Not saying you wont accidentally catch a 1.5 slab 3 times this year...you wont do it much more than that and THOSE are what used to be the main part of the creel. I say all that so that you understand I have fished this area since I was 15 and old enough to drive myself and I am 41 now. I have never had the "need" to find fish deep on this river, though the channel is 22'-26' feet on average, our fish relate to 12' and less for the MOST part, no matter the time of year. When they spawn, they do it on the bank and around bulk heads and docks up feeder creeks, the usual stuff.

Last couple of spawns have been kinda weird. I have been fishing and it will be 46 or 51 or so and obviously they are not in 2' of water then so I back off to the drop and try them there...with little to no luck. THAT is what I want to learn how to do....get back in that deep water this time of year and FIND them. I KNOW where they will be when its 58-60...that's comin soon....I wanna catch em in that "transition" period when they are December / January deep just prior to spawn.

Any methods of how you do that, how you find them, what you use to catch em would be appreciated. Not sure how the info will cross over from a lake to a river, but I bet a few feet of water aside, much will match. thanks

free bird...I agree. It isn't often you find someone that has experience catching the fish that specifically elude you! (me) Sounds like monback has been there done that. Good to hear from those guys that are not only able, but willing to teach.

mo...love to see that pic of the 4 jigs my brother! and how you keep that from being a mess will be my next question! LOL