Thread: Status of South LA Spawn?

I don't have enough experience to know where we are in relation to the spawn here in Southern part of the state. I only caught 4 crappie Friday but they were females with eggs in shallow. (2' or less). The eggs seemed small to me, but I'm used to looking at catfish eggs. This was in the Mermentau area, but I caught eggy females a couple of weeks ago in Henderson too.

I do realize that spawning is not all at the same time, but I'm wondering if the seasoned fishermen thing the bulk of the spawn is over now around here.

a week ago (my last trip) the females were just about through laying their eggs.....what I mean is, judging by the eggs left in the fish it looked like she had already deposited about 75% of them......I'm no expert either.....don't know if I want to be.....

Normally 90% of the spawn is done by now. I was catching spawning fish in late February done here, which is not unusual. Darn rice fields dumping into our rivers and bayous takes a toll on the fish for sure.

I think most are done, the eggs that are left will not be layed, they will absorb them. I caught a few in Henderson with small strips of egg sacks. On the other hand I have seen small fish spawn later than the big ones as late as May.

In my opinion, with the 7th coldest march since 1905, this would NOT be the year to compare normalcy to. It would get the water temp to 62-63..then BAM cold front and 56.....then creep back to 63-65....BAM...flood...this happened over and over this year

we didn't miss the spawn,we just ain't got lucky yet.....

Caught a 13.5" female with big egg sacks today. The eggs where the size of grains of salt. I need to find something telling me how big the eggs are when they are ripe. I don't have enough experience to know.

They usually have more of a bloody orange tint when they are dropping eggs, pale yellow white they have a couple weeks left before they drop at least thats my experience.