Crappie genetics

Craig,

I hear a lot of fisherman talking about which ones to keep vs throwbacks and such. A lot of guys take the role of geneticists and their theories seem somewhat 'flawed' when it comes to size or quality. White crappie are a native species for Kansas and I don't think they were statewide before the settlement in the 1800's. Our beloved fish is a true survivor and can live and reproduce in a wide variety of habitats. Many of us are uninformed when it comes to crappie production. Things like the original broodstock and the numbers that were introduced into our waters for the sportfishery. Crappie weren't stocked in numbers like the "eyes" are annually, and that only a handful of them can populate a body of water. They are a fish that if someone was willing to spend the money, you could find the true 'Eve'. As far as Mother Nature and Darwin would explain, defective genes produce basically 2 things: 1st) nothing 2) food supply. I know I'm being quite general here, but I think coming from you any info would be more accepted and beneficial to all of us. A friend of mine was responsible for the introduction of them into our 'newer' lakes. And these new waters are perfect for population explosions. Can you enlighten us on this subject? Thanks CD

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Originally Posted by crappiedoc

Craig,

I hear a lot of fisherman talking about which ones to keep vs throwbacks and such. A lot of guys take the role of geneticists and their theories seem somewhat 'flawed' when it comes to size or quality. White crappie are a native species for Kansas and I don't think they were statewide before the settlement in the 1800's. Our beloved fish is a true survivor and can live and reproduce in a wide variety of habitats. Many of us are uninformed when it comes to crappie production. Things like the original broodstock and the numbers that were introduced into our waters for the sportfishery. Crappie weren't stocked in numbers like the "eyes" are annually, and that only a handful of them can populate a body of water. They are a fish that if someone was willing to spend the money, you could find the true 'Eve'. As far as Mother Nature and Darwin would explain, defective genes produce basically 2 things: 1st) nothing 2) food supply. I know I'm being quite general here, but I think coming from you any info would be more accepted and beneficial to all of us. A friend of mine was responsible for the introduction of them into our 'newer' lakes. And these new waters are perfect for population explosions. Can you enlighten us on this subject? Thanks CD

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CD,

I apologize for the late reply. The last two weeks have been full of field work which has kept me away from the keyboard.

I can't recall any studies being conducted on Kansas crappie genetics since I've been around and my very quick search didn't turn up anything in the KDWP archives. I'll continue to look.

White crappie were native to most northeastern Kansas rivers. Over the years, stockings by government agencies and private landowners have produced the statewide population of white crappie that we have now. Black crappie are NOT native to Kansas, but self sustaining populations have been created through introductory stockings.

Black and white crappie, although quite similar, prefer and thrive in different water clarities. Black crappie do well in clear, deep, and weedy waters while white crappie excel in shallow, turbid waters. Since both species have been so widely introduced throughout the state they are available in most drainages and frequently co-exist. Young fish of both species are almost entirely planktivorous (feed exclusively on small animals called zooplankton). Adult black crappie can have a diet composed almost entirely of invertebrates where white crappie have usually switched to a fish based diet by the time they have reached 8-inches in length. Availability of gizzard shad enhances growth of both of the crappie species in Kansas.

Both species, especially the white crappie, are quite prolific. This can be beneficial in larger impoundments but can be detrimental in smaller waters. Over population, which leads to stunting, of the crappie is common where predation pressure or other population limiting factors is lacking. Too much natural recruitment produces high densities of small, slow growing individuals which are of little interest to anglers. Untimely crappie introductions in to newly renovated waters by well intentioned anglers can have disastrous effects upon the new sportfishery as the crappie are capable of out numbering and out competing predator species that are needed for crappie control.

Since crappie are prolific and capable of producing self sustaining populations in Kansas waters it is not necessary to supplementally stock crappie on a routine basis. Usually an introduction of a few adults or in some cases fingerling stockings is all that is required to start the crappie population. Crappie are not very selective when it comes to spawning substrates and their spawning requirements are met in the majority of Kansas waters making any stocking beyond the initial introduction unnecessary. Although most Kansas waters will support crappie, not all Kansas waters are capable of supporting crappie populations that are acceptable to anglers and therefore not all Kansas waters should be stocked with crappie. Presence of crappie in some impoundments will hinder the development of a quality sportfishery resulting in mediocre fishing at best.

Growth rates of Kansas crappie are more influenced by population characteristics (density, length frequency distribution, recruitment success, mortality, etc.) and impoundment productivity (availability of plankton, density of forage fish such as gizzard shad, etc.) than genetics. Theoretically, any crappie in Kansas that has ideal growing conditions and the time to grow should reach larger sizes. Poor crappie populations are not a result of poor genetics and excellent crappie populations are not a result of superior genetics. Many desirable factors must occur simultaneously to produce quality crappie fishing year after year. Even in the best Kansas crappie fisheries the population will cycle between high and low years as missed year classes move through the population. These missed year classes create 'holes' in the population and in time will effect the sizes of crappie that anglers find most desirable, causing an up and down cycle of quality fishing. If two or more consecutive years of bad production or poor growth occur, the 'hole' in the population becomes larger and the quality of the fishery decreases and takes longer to recover. The genetics haven't changed during the up years and the down years, but other factors that effect crappie regularly change and determine strength of year classes and growth rates of the fish.

I hope I have touched on the subject that you were interested in. I deviated widely from the thread title of Crappie Genetics to give some background on what does make or break our crappie populations.

Craig I have heard the phrase that all the 13 14 inch crappie in lakes the get heavy fishing pressure are in the frying pan. I tend to discount that theory as just someone making excuses(which I would never do). What are you thoughts on this, can a lake such as Melvern, Pomona, Clinton or Hillsdale get fished out?

Craig,

We where talking this weekend about cool weather and the crappie spawn. I have found that when male crappie make a bed and the water level rises they stay with the bed and don't go up or shallower. My question is, if this is true what happens when a crappie pulls off the bank when it's cold. If a fish leaves it bed and then the water comes up does it go back to the bed or move into the new shallow water and make a new one.

Black dog, count me as one who does believe that fishing pressure does takes it tolls. I don't think you can clean a full lake out but you can greatly reduce the number of that year class making them much harder to find. Just my thoughts.

Point taken, Thanks Craig

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Originally Posted by Blackdog40

Craig I have heard the phrase that all the 13 14 inch crappie in lakes the get heavy fishing pressure are in the frying pan. I tend to discount that theory as just someone making excuses(which I would never do). What are you thoughts on this, can a lake such as Melvern, Pomona, Clinton or Hillsdale get fished out?

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Blackdog40,

A lot of this answer would depend on your definition of 'fished out'?

If we define 'fished out' as 'population depletion by angler harvest to the point of endangering the longevity of the fishery' then I would have to say NO. Crappie populations in our Kansas reservoirs have been found to be quite capable of withstanding angler pressure and angler harvest.

If we define 'fished out' as 'that all the 13 14 inch crappie in lakes that get heavy fishing pressure are in the frying pan' I would still say NO if angler harvest is singled out as the sole reason for lack of 13- to 14-inch crappie. More factors than just angler harvest impact and shape the population and many of these factors we have no control over. Crappie populations are cyclic and some years strong year classes may survive to reach large sizes. Anglers notice when this happens as there are high numbers of large crappie available and harvest will obviously be higher with the increased density of larger and highly desired sizes. However, without angler harvest this high density of larger fish will still obviously eventually perish as crappie life spans are relatively short (6 to 7 years is a pretty old crappie in Kansas). It takes multiple years to produce 14-inch crappie and these years must all meet some pretty tight requirements to allow for good growth. Some lakes are not capable of producing 13 and 14-inch crappie even without angler harvest. Angler harvest is beneficial in some impoundments by reducing interspecific competition in crappie which improves growth. Angler pressure gets a lot of blame, probably because it is most visible but it is only one of many factors that affects the Kansas crappie populations.

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Originally Posted by Springhill Duckman

Craig,

We where talking this weekend about cool weather and the crappie spawn. I have found that when male crappie make a bed and the water level rises they stay with the bed and don't go up or shallower. My question is, if this is true what happens when a crappie pulls off the bank when it's cold. If a fish leaves it bed and then the water comes up does it go back to the bed or move into the new shallow water and make a new one.

Black dog, count me as one who does believe that fishing pressure does takes it tolls. I don't think you can clean a full lake out but you can greatly reduce the number of that year class making them much harder to find. Just my thoughts.

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Springhill Duckman,

I don't think I can accurately answer that question...It may depend on the stage of the spawn when the fish pulls off of the first nest. If it is early in the spawn and no eggs have been laid then the male may find the new higher water level has provided optimal spawning habitat at the higher elevation and he may pack his bags on move higher. If eggs have been dropped he likely won't be going anywhere.

Good question!

Craig, thanks for your good information on the crappie spawn.
I have seen some springs that because of cold weather or fluctuating water levels, like last year when Clinton was 6' high and muddy just at the beginning of the spawn, then the corps dropped the level fast the females never dropped their eggs. I was catching female crappie after the prime spawning temps that still had eggs.
My question is IF the crappie don't drop their eggs, do they just drop them anywhere or do they absorb the eggs for nutrition? I've heard it both ways.
Another question is, at what water temps will the crappie stop spawning and move to summer patterns?

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Originally Posted by Captain Dan

Craig, thanks for your good information on the crappie spawn.
I have seen some springs that because of cold weather or fluctuating water levels, like last year when Clinton was 6' high and muddy just at the beginning of the spawn, then the corps dropped the level fast the females never dropped their eggs. I was catching female crappie after the prime spawning temps that still had eggs.
My question is IF the crappie don't drop their eggs, do they just drop them anywhere or do they absorb the eggs for nutrition? I've heard it both ways.
Another question is, at what water temps will the crappie stop spawning and move to summer patterns?

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Captain Dan,

Female crappie need to be 'ripe' before they release their eggs. 'Green' fish, those that are not quite ready to spawn, can be induced to spawn with hormones in the hatchery setting. I don't believe that a crappie can dump its eggs at will at any stage other than 'ripe'. If the spawn is 'missed' by the fish, it will likely retain those eggs. The upside is not all fish will 'miss' the spawn. Fish of the same species will spawn at a wide range of conditions so there are early spawners and late spawners which assists in producing the year class. Not all fish will act the same so your last question is difficult to nail down. Some years, early spawners are already in their summer patterns by the first or second week of May and some years, like this one, it may be quite a bit later. Spawns are not only tied to water temperatures but also photoperiod. Water temps may vary widely but photoperiods add consistency. Unfavorable conditions may cause the fish to spawn in not so noticeable locations such as deeper depths or they may avoid the 'traditional' spawning areas making it harder for anglers to track the progress of the spawn.