Quote Originally Posted by floppingcrappie View Post
I always wondered if fish absorb the eggs if they don't spawn or just disperse them they same way they take a number 2?
They will absorb them, either those that they do not drop during their spawning runs or the whole egg sac if unable to even start a spawning run. They instinctively know that they want to spawn, but they also know they need to survive to spawn again. The protein encased in that egg sac is as good as a stomach full of minnows. If conditions aren't conducive to the survival of their offspring, it's more beneficial to them to absorb the eggs rather than simply dump them.

Interrupted spawns or totally missed spawns are one of the major reasons for their being a greatly reduced number of age classes of fish, like when you see a lot of 8-10" fish and 12-14" fish, but few 10-12" fish or <8" fish.