Magic number, 55 degrees?

I know that crappie usually spawn around 65 degrees, and we are way off from that. I think i mentioned before that last Saturday the water temp was between 38 - 40 degrees, depending on where i took it. Tested the same lake Tuesday afternoon and the water temp was between 46 - 49 degrees. It doesn't seem that the temp should drop too much with this latest cold front and by the early part of next week, temperatures should be in the mid 60's to 70 again Monday - Thursday before another cold front comes in late next week.

3 days of sunshine and temperatures in mid to upper 60s should push those water temps above 50 i hope. If so, and the wind isn't a factor, i might pick up a bag of minnows or box of worms and test the waters. This is my first pre-spawn season, so i am very excited!

*Tuesday*

Despite the wind, i did go fishing at Walnut Creek on the east side of the lake. The idea was to use the Carolina rig and get a better idea of how it works, and how to retrieve it. One thing i did find out, I LOVE Roadrunner jigheads. I couldn't believe how slow i could retrieve them and blade still spins, it was wonderful!

I am finding it hard to believe that the shallow waters have yet to crack 50 degrees yet, even in the late afternoon!

I would hope that with Tuesday and Wednesday being close to 80 (personally i think we hit 80 or maybe a little above it) shallow water temps should crack the 50 degree mark and male panfish will be scouting out the shallow areas for spawning.

The warmest water temps will be on the Northwestern side of the lakes. EB

Ahh, well the spot i took it at was a 20' pit in the middle of a northwest cove.

The little hand is where i was and what spot i am talking about.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...OffuttLake.jpg

That area is flat and not well protected by a southwest or west wind, but is well protected from any north winds. Doesn't take much of a cast to reach the 15 - 20 foot depths. If your familiar with the Offutt Lake, you probably know what area this is.

I am taking my grandmother with me tomorrow since she won't be babysitting my nephew. Plan on fishing the south part of Walnut Creek on the north-side bank. I don't know what the water temps are over there as i haven't been there since Feb 25th. She won't be able to walk a long distance so the northwest side of Walnut Creek is out.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...alnutCreek.jpg

I was thinking about Lake Wehrspann, but once again the distance from parking to the bank might be a little too far for her.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...rspannLake.jpg

Bucky's should have worms tomorrow and Cabelas said they will have minnows Thursday.

Not sure what the water temp is but made it out fishin yesterday. Was a slow start to the day but by evening the fish started to bite. We ended up catching 22 crappie in about an hour or so. Not the best bite in the world but not bad for the first outing of the year.

Today it cracked 50 and 55. But the wind was just too much. Its no surprise that i saw many folks with no such luck. 1 little kid caught a small bluegill off the dock at Walnut Creek, but nothing else. Not even nibbles on the worms which were put 3 - 4 feet from the bobber.

But today was about getting my grandmother out of the house and taking her to different lakes and enjoying the weather.

The water was warmer on the west side of the lakes that the east side. Temps today ran from 50 to 56 degrees. The cooler temp was at Walnut Creek, where i could feel a cooler breeze coming off the lake with that southeast wind. There was 3 or 4 boaters out at Walnut Creek.

Tomorrow should be much less windy, under 10 mph with temps once again in the lower 80's. Same goes for Thursday when i should be able to pick up some minnows. So even though today didn't yield anything, i hope the next few days will be a different story.

Don't forget that warm water sinks until after the turn-over. You'll know when the turn-over has occurred, that's when the fish are no longer in the deeps, they'll be mid level and up.

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Originally Posted by crappiedoc

Don't forget that warm water sinks until after the turn-over. You'll know when the turn-over has occurred, that's when the fish are no longer in the deeps, they'll be mid level and up.

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I did not know that. This is my first time fishing this early in the season. Normally i don't fish until June. This pretty much changes things. I guess i will have to watch the shallow waters for fish movement to tell whether or not they have moved to start spawning.

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Originally Posted by crappiedoc

Don't forget that warm water sinks until after the turn-over. You'll know when the turn-over has occurred, that's when the fish are no longer in the deeps, they'll be mid level and up.

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Uh....Doc, did you mean Cold water sinks?

Chris,

Just as a little added info....it's going to be a little while yet before the crappie spawn, typically the first three weeks of May here in NE, remember photoperiod dictates fish spawns as it does things like deer rut etc. Other things like water temperature, wind, and weather fronts dictate diurnal movements and the actual moment females drop their eggs. They're like all other species of females, kinda picky when they're doing their thing. All though, just like myself I would continue checking shallow water periodically for feeding crappie as they will migrate diurnally from deep to shallow finding forage in the warming shallow water and then back to the deep water for refuge. It's in general, that these fish will migrate back and forth for some time, partially due to sporadic spring weather, until the males move shallow for the spawing ritual. You probably know as everyone does spring fishing can be some of the toughest due to the timing of fish coming and going into shallow water to feed. Good luck and I hope this early season treats you well.

My fishing out west has been interesting to say the least, usually this time of year the crappie are still very deep, but as this unusual spring continues I myself am finding fish relatively shallow, 15fow, in the reservoirs I fish. Although, as expected they have broken up from large winter shoals and a person can find small pods to even individual fish spread out. It's great weather, but I feel it makes for some difficult fishing.

Good info P4P. I didn't fish today, but i did go out to some major lakes and watch folks fish and enjoy the weather. One thing i did notice, nobody was catching anything. Didn't matter what bait, where it was, or what they were fishing for. Lots of folks where fishing for bass and catfish at Walnut Creek, no luck. Lots of folks fishing for walleye and crappie out at Wehrspann, no luck. Stop by Offutt Lake, weren't too many people out there, but they had the classic worm and bobber setup with no such luck at all. It dawned upon me, it may feel like late April, but its still too early.

Talked to a Vietnam vet who was here when Offutt Lake was constructed for the new runway at the base. Told me how they were electro-fishing last week said they pulled up a lot of carp ranging from 30 - 60 lbs and a couple that were 90 lbs. Said they also pulled up a lot big bass and some monster crappie, he said some were 15 - 16" long. Guess they had a very good spawn with those high water levels back in May. He told me in spring time if folks are catching fish and you aren't, you are doing something wrong, but if no one is catching anything, the fish aren't there.

So for now, my bait will stay in the fridge and my tackle will stay in the car until the right time.

I did have a little action yesterday, but i quickly found that it was not a fish that was trying to eat the worm, but rather a frog. :)

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Originally Posted by ChrisCarter

Good info P4P. I didn't fish today, but i did go out to some major lakes and watch folks fish and enjoy the weather. One thing i did notice, nobody was catching anything. Didn't matter what bait, where it was, or what they were fishing for. Lots of folks where fishing for bass and catfish at Walnut Creek, no luck. Lots of folks fishing for walleye and crappie out at Wehrspann, no luck. Stop by Offutt Lake, weren't too many people out there, but they had the classic worm and bobber setup with no such luck at all. It dawned upon me, it may feel like late April, but its still too early.

Talked to a Vietnam vet who was here when Offutt Lake was constructed for the new runway at the base. Told me how they were electro-fishing last week said they pulled up a lot of carp ranging from 30 - 60 lbs and a couple that were 90 lbs. Said they also pulled up a lot big bass and some monster crappie, he said some were 15 - 16" long. Guess they had a very good spawn with those high water levels back in May. He told me in spring time if folks are catching fish and you aren't, you are doing something wrong, but if no one is catching anything, the fish aren't there.

So for now, my bait will stay in the fridge and my tackle will stay in the car until the right time.

I did have a little action yesterday, but i quickly found that it was not a fish that was trying to eat the worm, but rather a frog. :)

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Wow, 15"-16" crappie, boy I sure hope you catch a couple this year and give some pics...those would be dandies. Seems like that Offutt lake is pretty good, do you fish there much? I don't have much experience east of Lincoln, except for Iowa. The way gas is I prolly won't even get to Lincoln this year.

Take care

Chris, on Wehrspan the Crappie spawn back in the long cove that feeds the lake. On the back side of the bridge. Not many spawn out on the main lake. Park in the parking lot above the bridge and walk down to the lake. EB

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Originally Posted by Passion4Pomoxis

Wow, 15"-16" crappie, boy I sure hope you catch a couple this year and give some pics...those would be dandies. Seems like that Offutt lake is pretty good, do you fish there much? I don't have much experience east of Lincoln, except for Iowa. The way gas is I prolly won't even get to Lincoln this year.

Take care

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I think it did good because of the spring and summer flooding along the river. They said the water was 12 feet above normal, so a lot fish got to enjoy submerged forage and what not to feast and gorge themselves on. Offutt Lake is somewhat good, they have a lot of carp and gar out there, but i'm told they got rid of quite a few gar when electro-fishing. Zebra mussels have been a problem out there as well.

Offutt Lake is like a childhood lake to me, i've been fishing out there since i was 4 or 5 years old. I'm very familiar with it, i know the underwater structure and where the fish will be at the right time (at least during the summer and fall).

EB - I think i know what area you are talking about. I've been down there a few times, past the boat dock. I didn't know the water fed into the lake from the south. I guess it makes sense, since the dam is on the north side. Walnut Creek feeds from the south too then. Well i definitely learned a few things today.

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Originally Posted by Passion4Pomoxis

Uh....Doc, did you mean Cold water sinks?

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Nope, water is it's heaviest around 39* and it's lightest at 32*. It's these opposing forces that create the turn-over. My local lake turned already about 2 weeks ago. Actually, I believe it's turned a couple times this year, or some form of it. This weird weather sure seemed to turn the shallows back in Feb. It's the opposite in the fall. For us here in KS we get a true turn-over a couple times/decade. The water temps fall to slow or gradual to force the abrupt change. 3 years ago temps went from 50* to froze in days and when we ventured onto the ice and cut holes the water was dirty from the turn-over.

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Originally Posted by crappiedoc

Nope, water is it's heaviest around 39* and it's lightest at 32*. It's these opposing forces that create the turn-over. My local lake turned already about 2 weeks ago. Actually, I believe it's turned a couple times this year, or some form of it. This weird weather sure seemed to turn the shallows back in Feb. It's the opposite in the fall. For us here in KS we get a true turn-over a couple times/decade. The water temps fall to slow or gradual to force the abrupt change. 3 years ago temps went from 50* to froze in days and when we ventured onto the ice and cut holes the water was dirty from the turn-over.

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Oh ya, gottcha ya…I guess I had fall turnover on the brain. Here in NE on the lakes and reservoirs I have done research on, including DO and temperature profiles, the surface water temperatures in the spring never mix all the way to the hpolimnion except in the extreme shallow depths. In general, after ice out the warming water, driven by wind, only mixes with the middle and upper third until the entire water column is a homogeneous 39 degrees. Of course, thereafter, the warmer water lies in the epilimnion. Rarely have I personally documented a complete spring turnover.
Also, NE really only has a few bodies of water that exhibit a true thermocline or stratification during the summer months. It can be a fairly productive time to fish if a person can find that magical depth. Now in the fall we do experience a complete turnover, which I might add is a difficult time, specifically for me, to catch fish.
Anyhow, good limnology chat…lol.

I have been out a couple time to the Fremont lakes and I have caught bass and crappie. Not to active but they are biting.

Took another trip out to Offutt Lake today, just to see the activity on the water. Lots and lots of frogs along the banks, most likely pigging out on the bugs that seem to be everywhere now. I took a walk over to the shallow section on the southwest side and i could hear a lot of splashing going on between 6 and 8pm. Though when i got closer, it seem to stop. The water was very still, like glass. As soon as i walked away, i could hear it again. I kept wondering, is it fish feeding on the frogs, or frogs feeding on the bugs? I did see a few fish swimming around the shallow rocks, looked like small bluegill, didn't see any big fish roaming around.

But you know, i wonder, what should my retrieve be like when i start using the jigs?

Made it out last night, was trying for walleye with a flicker shad and ended up with 6 big crappie and a bull blue gill. Saw other guys catching crappies also, they where using little jigs with white twister tails.

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Originally Posted by tmm72

I have been out a couple time to the Fremont lakes and I have caught bass and crappie. Not to active but they are biting.

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:welcomeWelcome to CDC tmm72, Hope ya can stick around and share some info on your lakes and experiences. Always good to have some new insight of Crappie fishing. :fish EB