What is the " PRE" spawn exactly ?

[fishervet]

The Cumberland River never gets above 54 degrees when they are back in generating mode and the Crappie spawn there every year. So temps are not the only factor

day length...water levels....water temp.....moon phase...moon position....bottom hardness...and on and on and on.....I just go and find the fish......and then I don't catch very many....and the times other than the spawn....they last a lot longer than the spawn so I fish the post spawn the most....

[Ketchn]

I tend to agree ...it seems some water bodies here are quite a bit different than the others .....

[fishervet]

I tend to agree ...it seems some water bodies here are quite a bit different than the others .....

maybe the fish down south are like the natives....they like warmer water......

[Ketchn]

I know if you fall in its better when the water is around 68 or higher for sure ....
been there done that ...LOL

[Will C]

Just like crappie pappy said, it's not linear. It's my limited understanding that white crappie prefer to spawn later at a little higher water temp than black crappie (I could have that backwards). And some crappie will spawn earlier than normal while others hang on way later. So between white and black crappie the pre-spawn/spawn can over lap for a good two months depending on conditions.

[fishervet]

Just like crappie pappy said, it's not linear. It's my limited understanding that white crappie prefer to spawn later at a little higher water temp than black crappie (I could have that backwards). And some crappie will spawn earlier than normal while others hang on way later. So between white and black crappie the pre-spawn/spawn can over lap for a good two months depending on conditions.

I like that kind of time frame....