winter snow affect spring spawn??

[crappie chaser]

I was just curios what you guys think all this snow will do to the spring spawns??? Crappie and bass. will it push it back or not make much difference? It will for sure bring the water levels up and in most places it already is so that means more pullin the water levels down. Ive got a annual trip to ky lake the week of the 15th of april and this weather is makin me crazy!!!!!!!!!!!! I cant wait to get back on the water!!!!! B4 i drive my wife and kids CRAZYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!

[RoadToad]

Interesting question. In my layman's opinion, conditions in February don't make much if any difference to when the fish spawn in the Spring, it's the conditions in Spring that matter. I think the biggest effect snow can have, especially on smaller lakes/ponds, is to block off all the sunlight, which, if it persists, will kill off all the plant life, which in turn kills all the fish. I've known two people who have lost every fish they had in their private pond because of this.

Have you tried emailing this question to your fisheries biologist? They love getting questions like this, and the ones I've emailed before have responded quickly.

[demodan]

I was just curios what you guys think all this snow will do to the spring spawns??? Crappie and bass. will it push it back or not make much difference? It will for sure bring the water levels up and in most places it already is so that means more pullin the water levels down. Ive got a annual trip to ky lake the week of the 15th of april and this weather is makin me crazy!!!!!!!!!!!! I cant wait to get back on the water!!!!! B4 i drive my wife and kids CRAZYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!

I personally don't think it makes "all" the differnce...air / water temp that is.
Yea...we need for the temp to hit 60ish mark...but that is just it...it could 59 or 58, or less. Last year on Dale...we found largemouths "strait up locked on" their nests with water surface temps on the 55-57 mark, with cold rain falling (second weekend in April)!!! I've also seen the same on Ky. Lake! I think it has much to do with "science", ie. (the type of earth's rotation on it's own axis, thus duration of sun light) play just as an important aspect to spawning, than does the water temp. It was like today, yea today!!...I steped outside work today to get some fresh air...and I saw and heard more than one spring birds singing! You know...like you hear out on the lake, during a beutiful spring day on Barkley??? I couldn't believe it. And I was thinking to myself...why is that bird singing today, what does it have to sing about? Why is that bird even out and about, singing on a day like today? That bird was telling me something fellas...she was saying..it won't be long now..don't be fooled by the air and water temp guys. If the spring bird is singing fellas...you can bet that the big bass are making slow moves twords pre-spawn...won't be long now!!! And you can keep your 15th of April date for chasing crappie and bass on Ky. Lake! You will hit the time of your life right on the nose!! I'd like to hear from you, after your trip....let us know how you all do Crappie chaser!

[crappie chaser]

Thanks for the response guys! I will be sure to post how we do aT KY!!!! i Thank you for responding!!! Will take all the opinions I can get!! Just want to get on the water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RICHYD4U]

And don't forget about that full moon on the end of March, that should get the fish going!

-Rich

[roadrunner]

Well Pillgram if its still snowing in the spring it sure will.

Beep Beep