Quote Originally Posted by Captain Dan View Post
Craig, thanks for your good information on the crappie spawn.
I have seen some springs that because of cold weather or fluctuating water levels, like last year when Clinton was 6' high and muddy just at the beginning of the spawn, then the corps dropped the level fast the females never dropped their eggs. I was catching female crappie after the prime spawning temps that still had eggs.
My question is IF the crappie don't drop their eggs, do they just drop them anywhere or do they absorb the eggs for nutrition? I've heard it both ways.
Another question is, at what water temps will the crappie stop spawning and move to summer patterns?
Captain Dan,

Female crappie need to be 'ripe' before they release their eggs. 'Green' fish, those that are not quite ready to spawn, can be induced to spawn with hormones in the hatchery setting. I don't believe that a crappie can dump its eggs at will at any stage other than 'ripe'. If the spawn is 'missed' by the fish, it will likely retain those eggs. The upside is not all fish will 'miss' the spawn. Fish of the same species will spawn at a wide range of conditions so there are early spawners and late spawners which assists in producing the year class. Not all fish will act the same so your last question is difficult to nail down. Some years, early spawners are already in their summer patterns by the first or second week of May and some years, like this one, it may be quite a bit later. Spawns are not only tied to water temperatures but also photoperiod. Water temps may vary widely but photoperiods add consistency. Unfavorable conditions may cause the fish to spawn in not so noticeable locations such as deeper depths or they may avoid the 'traditional' spawning areas making it harder for anglers to track the progress of the spawn.