Thread: Tiny Crappie (how old are they?)

I was cast netting shad in the back end of an oxbow on the navigation channel today and caught 15 or 20 tiny little 2 inch long Crappie. I was wondering how old they might be. They were too large to be this years spawn but seemed much too small to be from last years spawn. Could they be from a late spawn from last year? The fish appeared to be healthy and yes I did throw them all back and yes I am certain thy were crappie. I thought they might be stunted like in a small pond but I wouldn't think the crappie in the navigation channel would be stunted.

Jon I.wonder the same thing.....you can go to Thunderbirdand catch a 100 5 or 6inchers and been like that for years

If the fish had been 5 or 6 inches long I wouldn't have thought anything of it. But since they were only about 2 inches I couldn't imagine how they could be that stunted or when they could have been spawned especially from the navigation channel.

Here in Oklahoma it takes a crappie 2 to 2 1/2 years to reach 10". That came straight from Jim the head fish guru from the NE Region HQ's. I asked that question a few months ago thinking it took at least 3 years. I stood corrected....Ranger

I read a where a Florida biologists documented a fall spawn on a lake down there. It was believed to have been triggered by high water. I don't know your area, but will put it out there as a possibility.

A late fall spawn is about the only thing I can think of. It just sort of has me wondering.

One thing is pretty certain. There is no reason for crappie on the nav channel to be stunted, unless maybe the huge schools of shad there are eating up all the small forage plankton or whatever.

Nav channel has been full of stunted Crappie for years. Not very many get big. I'm guessing the Crappie you caught in the net were from last years spawn.

Here is a chart off Pennsylvania's Fish and Boat commission. Of course it is Pennsylvania's and weather is cooler there and no telling what other factors there might be that might make them grow slower there than here. I've seen other websites reference inches to years like this before but Ranger is stating that Jim stated only 2-2.5 years to reach 10" which has me really wondering now. 2-2.5 years seems like an awfully short period of time to me though to reach 10" but then I really don't know when it comes down to it.

http://fishandboat.com/pafish/crappi...e_overview.htm