North LA SPAWN

Well I'm from the shreveport/bossier area. So cross lake, caddo lake cypress and black bayou just to name a few. Certain parts of the red river but I never have any luck there when it comes to shallow crappie

The best way to know when the spawn happens is to fish everyday.

To add my 2 bits, I've fished for white perch for nearly 50 years and the spawn is still a mystery to me. I used to think it was a brief couple of week period and you either hit it or missed. Now I think it waxes and wanes over a couple of months. The best two days I've had were in the bayous of Saline/Larto a few years ago in January. I caught/released 88 slabs one day and 77 a week later. All were caught about a foot deep around the stumps along the bank. I don't know if they were preparing for the spawn or what but they were very shallow on pretty cold days.

I do most of my spawn fishing on Poverty Point. I, too, have caught them 10 inches deep along the rocks on cold February days and then come back a few days later and not get a bite. One thing I do know for sure is that the Poverty Point perch will be shallow on the rocks (somewhere) as late as the first week of May. So in the case of that lake, I think the spawn goes on for two months or more.

I won't tell you to fish everyday becaus I wish that I could. Lol. But, pick a date, lest say February 1st and start watching the weather and tracking the temperatures outside. Now fish some of those days and monitor the rise and fall of the water temp in your respective favorite body of water. If the water temps aren't showing a rise then back off and start hitting staging areas. Once again, seat time, you don't have to fish everyday until they really start to move in. I've done this in years past and caught a lot of huge females in 6-10 fow before anyone else even hits the lake for the spawn. Water temp is the key and outside temps along with sunshine dictate water temps. This is also one of the beauties of a fishing log. Details of a trip ie outside temp, water temps, barometric pressure, overcast or bluebird day, just to name a few can also help out tremendously. Jmo but this is what works for me. I'm not a professional by any means but my freezer keeps fish in it.

Lol. I wish I could fish everyday that would be a dream. Thanks everyone for this info it is very appreciated. I hope Everyone really kills them this year during the spawn. My freezer is getting kind of low lol and I'm ready to fill it up again.

I think hitting them spawning just right is just plain lucky, I did it once and had 30 or so in the boat in about 20 minutes and then some other people moved in on me and the fish scattered. It was mid February and pretty cold, but they were in 2ft of water and bloody tails and bellies.

Well good luck to everyone

PawPaw Gene.

How deep were the fish yall caught last weekend?

Huey

When I start too early, I can always back off and catch a few to justify the trip. Not great numbers, but fun.

Yes targeting huge slabs is always fun.