Spawn Failures?

So the way the weather has been here (Smithville, Mo), warm for a couple of days, then back down. How much can the crappie stand before they give up? I've always heard that crappie will eventually re-absorb eggs that haven't been dropped, and I've cleaned fish that still had eggs with a "dead" appearance. After the rains the past few days and the cooler temps...... water temps are back to the low 50's.
I understand that not all fish spawn at the same time and they will have a certain window of days or weeks to spawn, but is there a point where a biologist considers the year to be a "failure" in terms of recruitment?

thanks

They haven't even started yet Vic. I've seen crappie spawning after Memorial Day at Smithville. Water temp is a key but length of day is more critical. Smithville rarely misses a spawn. The water level is relatively stable for a reservoir so that insures consistent spawning. I actually tried to kill a black crappie spawn one year by letting the lake during their nesting. They came to bank a week or two before the whites. Too bad it didn't work. Not a ll fish spawn and a lot of fish are only partial spawners, meaning they don't release all their eggs. Rest assured Smithville will produce crappie. Sometimes too many.

I used to hear folks complaining that Pomme's spawn was failing because the lake was rising or falling and that it would ruin the whole spawn. Really, ever hear of a lake name Truman, rising/falling/muddy sometimes I think all three in the spring and they certainly never seem to have a bad spawn. I am sure that a stable or slowly rising lake level at the right time is better but a failed spawn is a tough thing to make happen.

I understand there will always be some successful spawners in a lake, and we have fluctuating populations of different "year class" fish. It sounds like spawning females are able to hold onto eggs much longer than I had thought. We've put all those brushpiles in up at Smithville, and now I want them to fill up with fry!!

Vic the crappie fishing didn't get good last year on the spawn till after truman camp its still early

this time last year the water was 50 and it SNOWED 3" in some parts of KC. Don't worry it'll be here soon!

So is it still to early? I mean really come on, its been three years since the Crappie have been good at Smithville. This year is looking to be the worse one yet. Nothing but skinny 6-8" dinks. Past two years water has been way low and here we go again. The only thing that is doing halfway good is the Bass. Bigger fish than normal being caught all year so far. White Bass where are they at? Would be nice to see Smithville get some needed help.

I don't know where you're fishing, Lee, but it's not often you have to measure. Half the time they're obviously short (or too close to dink with) and you pitch em back. The other half the time they're obviously long enough and they go in the well.

I'm not saying I wouldn't like it to be better, but I disagree that there's nothing but 6-8" dinks.

Lee, I'm with ya..... For a while I just thought I was losing my crappie "mojo":)...... But every time I go to truman my crappie "mojo" magically returns:) Me thinks there's something fishy:)

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Originally Posted by Joedog

I don't know where you're fishing, Lee, but it's not often you have to measure. Half the time they're obviously short (or too close to dink with) and you pitch em back. The other half the time they're obviously long enough and they go in the well.

I'm not saying I wouldn't like it to be better, but I disagree that there's nothing but 6-8" dinks.

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Myself or my buddies all must not be fishing in your spot Joe??? Or maybe its the fact that I can not catch a Crappie? Oh well I will just stick to whats biting lol.