Spawning Habitat Questions

With Lake Maumelle 6 feet down, I am taking a camera and a GPS out this weekend to mark for future reference some possible spawning areas, but I'm not real sure what I'm supposed to be looking for. For example, do I have to look for sand bottom (instead of rock or mud)? If I find a stump bed, but the stumps are 100 feet from the bank in a cove, will the crappie use it to spawn or does spawning cover have to be up against a bank? If I find a snag with a root ball within a few feet of the bank, but the lake bottom's at a 45 degree angle, is that spot a waste of time? Will they use a main lake bank, or should I only look in wind-protected coves? Or should I ignore all wood cover and just mark the best weed beds?

While this website has taught me how to catch my share of the crappie other times of year, I am for some reason completely mystified when I try to fish during the spawn, so any suggestions on the correct habitat to search for would be greatly appreciated.

I too would be interested in hearing answers for those questions. It seems like most people fish in the spring during the spawn and know how, so there's not a lot of discussion on the boards about it.

Me three...I agree...not much said about spawning times and details because most already know about it. Would love to pick some brains of some members and get some details about crappie spawn!! :)

The lake that we fish is drawndown and all the spawning areas are exposed. The only thing that I see is that they seem to prefer a little firmer bottom than the muckier stuff.
I catch males around the bank mostly and find the big females hanging out on shallow brushpiles. I would also like to know a little more about the spawn myself.

Spawning crappie tips and areas, some are applicable others not, but try them
and I think you'll agree. Crappie love a cut bank. Firmer bottom areas are the
best, the loose stuff sufficates eggs. While wading if your feet start to sink
in the mud it's generally not a good area, a footprint is alright, but oozing is
out. Rock vs Wood- rocky areas are great, they usually denote cut banks or
a steeper grade, it's a protection thing. With a rock it allows them a sense of
security, one less side to protect, the same goes for stumps and lay-downs.
Also they provide a place for radiational heating on the cold front days and
they warm up quicker. Oh yea, crappie will spawn anywhere the conditions
are favorable even the middle of the lake. They start in the coves and pro-
gress to the main lake, a sow doesn't dump all her eggs in one nest or even
one day. As the water warms, they will go deeper progressing from the shal-
lows of the coves to the breaks of the main lakes even rocky flats. If you
take a skecchi disk they will spawn at the depth the disk disappears. This is
just a start, I hope it helps. Remember the spawn lasts quite a while. Then
theres moon phases which is a later topic if your interested.

If I were going out on a mapping trip to locate and make waypoints of structure then I'd mark EVERYTHING I saw. I'd mark what was on the banks if I could get out of the boat without sinking up in the mud. Years ago me and friends would put structure (trees) out ON THE BANKS...out of the water...for the crappie to spawn in. When the lakes filled the crappie didnt have any problems finding 'em either.;) I'd mark what I thought would be shallow AND what will be deeper. Remember, the crappie stage in and out of shallow waters. Cover is ALWAYS GOOD.:)

Here on Nimrod with shoreline brush disappering we see more Crappie spawning deeper. I find shore lines with rock bottoms hot spawning site. Then it's sand or hard clay bottom around cover. We place pallet stakebeds in shallow mud flats and catch alot of spawning fish on those. The pallets provide a hard bottom for them. ;) Alot of Nimrod Lake is covered with silt and that is not good . I think hard bottoms with some type cover is the ticket. Depth goes back to water color and water level stability. When the lake level is constantly changing here they spawn out in 4 to 8' depth alot. Years ago on stable water with lots of shoreline brush it was common to see them with their backs showing.;)

Crappiedoc,

What are skecchi disk????

Simple terms- basically a lid off of a gallon paint can thats white with
a rope centered in to lower in the water. Yes you can buy them, water
treatment operators use them to check turbidity (clarity) so they can
establish their table of precipatates. COE's use them also for the same
reason except they call it visibility.

Since you asked specifically about Maumelle....
I am learning this lake as well. I would concentrate on the rock piles you see then target deeper piles the more clearer the water might be during the spawn. I learned a lesson on Greeson a few years ago fishing for bream during their spawn. Normally, I look for beds in 2 to 3 feet. I couldn't find any that day. A few months later, I found old beds in what would have been 12' to 15' of water during the spawn. I figured the water clarity had something to do with thm being so deep. Even though work has begun, Maumelle is crying for habitat. There are some "attractors" placed; and I sure appreciate that. But, we need to place some staging habitat along with spawning habitat.
DP