advice on right temp to fish crappie in southern ohio on river
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advice on right temp to fish crappie in southern ohio on river
this is going nowhere,delete it. thank you
Crappie "usually" start spawning when water temps get/stay above 60deg ... but pre-spawn fish can be found around the banks feeding when water temps are above 50deg. But, those are ballpark numbers, as every body of water can be different and changing weather patterns can stop or slow their progression towards the spawning banks (as can fast falling/rising water levels).
It's also been "said" that the bigger fish come in first, then the smaller year class fish. And the females don't spend a lot of time on the beds, but just run in and drop and run back out to deeper water holding spots, then repeat the process (in different beds) until they've spawned out or conditions delay/stop the spawn. That's why you normally find mostly males on the bank during the whole process. Not all of the Crappie will have developed their eggs/milt at the same time, so they can & do come & go in waves, sometimes. Spawning can be over & done in a week or so (under excellent conditions), but can also take several weeks if conditions vary to any great degree.
No experience on the Ohio but I typically start picking up crappie when the water stabilizes in the 50's. Mid 50's is typically when the best bite starts up more shallow.
[QUOTE=rbass57;573489]advice on right temp to fish crappie in southern ohio on river[/QUOTE]
I fish Crappie each spring on the Ohio. My main spot is a Marina and i also fish Snag Creek some. Last year the water temp in very shallow water was 59 degrees when we started to catch lots of fish. I have caught fish much earlier but the last week of April/first weekend in may (derby day) is when i have the most success. I have fished this spot for 20 years and its very very consistent on the river
thank you guys
Crappie are more likely to spawn in the backwaters or creeks I would think. They need warm water and the proper river bottom soil to lay their eggs in. The males will pick the best spots and go on the beds to get them ready for the females.
A river Being a Lotic System is ever changing as Temperature of the water can change with a rain of cold water. And the amount of sunshine and air temperatures can change a lot in the early spring. The water that drains off the land into ditches and then into a creek that runs into the River can change temperature when it rains in the spring.
Find an area out of the river's current. A place like Oxbow lakes is ideal for catching crappie. Inland Marina can also hold fish as they are out of the current mostly. Shallow areas at the head or tail end of an island that have structure such as steep drop offs with shallow water shelfs nearby can work too. The island will slow the current down and allow the fish a place to rest out of the main current.
[QUOTE=rbass57;573489]advice on right temp to fish crappie in southern ohio on river[/QUOTE]
I catch them shallow all year except late fall. Winter is the best
The River is going to crest at 38 ft mid week. We caught fish last Wed, Thurs, Fri anywhere there was cover in the water 6-8 ft deep 30-60 yards from the beds. My prediction is that if the water falls back under 29ft and stabilizes the bite will turn on very quickly shallow as they start to move up.