Thread: Guntersville spawn

I have caught some with eggs and some without lately. If or when I did happen I as well as allot of other folks have missed it. Been a strange year for them

I fish Wheeler, not Guntersville but have seen the same thing. Limited numbers of Crappie on the bed or spawned out, but most seemed to have never spawned this year. I guess there's still time since the fish are shallow and haven't moved off, but I don't think it's going to be a good year in Northern Alabama for the Crappie spawn. Of course the real story won't be told for two to three years when you feel the loss a year class of fish.

The spawn has been off/whacky for 2 years now on Guntersville in my opinion. # years ago was one of my best ever years. Last year was one of my worst ever and this year has not been much better.

Don't really think it has been that weird but maybe a little different... On years like this, I believe a lot of the fish spawn in deeper waters and don't really make it to the shallows. The fish have to be fished for a little differently. Last year was fairly typical spawn from what I saw, it just happened fairly quickly when it did happen due to the quick warming. I am speaking for Gville...

I agree callshy. I think some of those fish never move shallow. I think some of them have been spawning in 8 to 12 feet of water, at least that has been my experience with some I have been catching. I do not get to fish as much as I use to so that might be one of my issues. However the last 2 years have been my worst 2 years

I've been catching fish all spring in that 8-12 FOW range. And like CS, I believe most of these fish are spawning that deep on stumps and other structure. It seems I am finding a lot more white crappie these past two years than previously. The ones I do catch are real quality fish 14-17".

I think I am completely stymied by the spring spawn crappie thing. I really haven't chased the crappie spawn for many years so my experience is really a head scratch. The crappie seemed to follow all the rules until the hard cold spell and then after that they just made it up as they went along. I heard of big catches in early March in areas like upper Roseberry and Chisenall but then they were gone. I saw catches over 10 foot where crappie were schooled up around bait in places like Belefonte. But it seemed like they just spawned one at a time during the dark of night and never appeared to get on shallow stuff when they should be according to moon and water temps. I am just befuddled.

But I'm going tomorrow anyway.

Back in Texas I've seen Crappie spawn in tree tops. These were large trees in 30 to 40 feet of water with the Crappie spawning 8 to 10 feet deep because of the clear water. All you can do is start shallow and work deeper following the natural highways like creeks, channels and ditches across shallow flats. Any stumps, brush or weed edges are rest stops that will concentrate the fish along those highways. The nice thing for the fisherman is the Crappie seem to be actively feeding when you find them.