water temperature & stability

[randybenham]

Here's a q for the guides; Here at the house last night, water temp at the dock was 80 degrees, and this morning temp was 76. With the cooler nights this weekend, I think things ought to shape up to potentially get real good for crappie, and wanted to see from the guides what temps you guys feel are "ideal" for the fall frenzy. how dependant is the "fall frenzy" on temp fluctuation during the day?

[bobberwatcher]

Good question....

[DRPEPPER]

I am certainly no guide. But, I think the fall frenzy is triggered more by what the shad do than temp. Temp certainly tells crappie when to spawn. It has been my experience in our hole on Conway that for what ever reason the shad come out of the main lake and go up the creeks, it brings the crappie with them to fatten up for the winter. And it won't be long now!!!! The first day I where a jacket or sweat shirt is when I know it is time to go get them:D :p
DP

[randybenham]

I agree w/ you DP, but the temp does something to the shad, that make them come up, & then the crappie follow. This is still sort of a bump to get the thread back up, so question still remains.... optimum temp?

[minnowman]

Great questions, I'll be awaiting a good solid answer myself, thanks. MM

[Darryl Morris]

In general (and just from what I think I'm observing), the very warm water temps of summer have pushed the crappie into the cooler deep waters of the primary and secondary channels and most likely will school up, suspend and roam. Certainly, that doesn't mean they won't go in to the shallower water, but they definitely aren't as active and thus seem to scatter on those flats if they are there.

When the water temp starts falling through the 70's and then again back down into the 60's, it triggers their instinct to fatten up for the coming winter or maybe better said stop just surviving and start procreating, which requires entergy, which means it's time to eat. The water in shallower areas are now holding more oxygen, their comfort zone has broadened and the result is more aggressive activity. You'll also notice too when the water cools off the females will start putting on their eggs. The magic temps in the 60's seem to trigger it all.

But, since winter is coming and the water temp just keeps getting colder, the crappie hold their eggs, they mature and then when the water warms back up to the 60's again in the spring, they spawn. I think that if the water dropped or rose into the 60's and then stayed there long enough the crappie would put on eggs and eventually lay them if it stayed in the temp range long enough to let their bodies do the biological thing.

Hope this helps. If you're getting excited about the water temp dropping and thinking the fishing is going to get better, YOU ARE RIGHT. Just keep after them until you're there the day it happens big time. See ya'll at crappie camp.

[randybenham]

Thanks for the insight Darryl. I will be watching the water temp very close. I just wish we weren't getting back up around 90 next week. I never thought I would be trying to wish summer away, but I'm real tired of the heat.