Weather?

[LaVoi]

I am looking to get out on the ice for one more chance at a hardwater crappie this weekend. I know that the increasing temps and daylight get more oxygen in the water and therefore put the crappies on a feeding binge in the Spring. My question is, do you guys think these cooler temps and forecasted snow this weekend is going to shut the bite off? I hope to get out regardless but just trying to see if I am going to need to work a little harder for a bite.

[united jigsticker]

A low can slow fishing down for about a day sometimes when it initially hits, but doesn't kill fishing nearly as bad as a high pressure front with mile high skies. In fact, right before a low hits the fishing can see a surge for a few hours or even most of a day sometimes.

A cold front has less dramatic affect on fishing during the frozen water period then open water mainly because little or no "cooling" of the fish's atmosphere takes place.

By Saturday I think you'll be in good position for some fish, especially with the pitter patter of some rain on the ice in the days before.

This is also one of them times when the fish may be hovering right underneath the ice.

Good luck and Best Regards.

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Fish On! Ya don't say?

[This message has been edited by united jigsticker (edited 03-25-2003).]

[Guest]

I don't think that the weather we are going to experience is going to be too dramatic on the fishing. If the temp drops to single digits and we experience a dramatic change in pressure then you might have a harder time on the ice. I don't see that happeneing in the near future so you should be good to go.

If the weather does affect the fish, in turn driving them out of the shallows, then I'd find the closest drop-off/edge and fish that. The fish won't go far because they are starting to establish spawning grounds so they won't vacate the premises for long or in far distance.

With all the warm weather we've been having I would predict a pretty active bite for you this weekend. If you're not on fish move, there will be active fish you just have to find them.

What lake are you looking at fishing? Maybe we can help you out.

Good Fishin, Matt.

Fishing Reports from MJ5 and Fishing Minnesota...
http://frida.blc.edu/~mjohnson/mj5.html

[Scott Steil]

"The fish won't go far because they are starting to establish spawning grounds so they won't vacate the premises for long or in far distance".

MJ5,I am confused by the above statement you made. Would you care to expand on it a little....specifically where fish are staged now in relation to where they will spawn?

[united jigsticker]

With that water clarity (15 ft.) I will assume you're looking at a nightime bite.

I am going to guess that the 12-18 foot of water range will be a decent bet on weed edges or flats adjacent to spring spawning areas for some Crappies.

Again, good luck and Best Regards.

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Fish On! It's a Biggun!

[This message has been edited by united jigsticker (edited 03-26-2003).]

[Guest]

Sorry Scott, I'll clearify a little more.

I'm referring the fact that once crappies migrate into the shallows for the upcoming spawn (if they haven't already) they rarely leave until after the spawn is over or until the eggs are laid. If they do move its usually for brief periods of time during unforeseen circumstances. ie: weather, food, etc. Most crappies (males I think) will remain near the spawning beds until the eggs hatch.

I just finished typing a paper for creative writing class before I wrote that so maybe my wording was a little too much then what was needed.

My main point was just that if the crappies do move they won't be far and they will be back shortly.

LaVoi,
I'll check out the lake map and get back to you. How much have the water levels risen?

Good Fishin, Matt.

Fishing Reports from MJ5 and Fishing Minnesota...
http://frida.blc.edu/~mjohnson/mj5.html

[This message has been edited by MJ5 (edited 03-26-2003).]

[Scott Steil]

Matt, I just don't want people to be confused. A major misconception is that when fish enter the bays at ice out they are doing that to spawn, which is incorrect. Fish enter shallow muddy bays because that is where the warm water is and food. Most of these shallow bays will be weed choked and useless come spawning time. Fish vacate these shallow bays as they become to warm or weed choked or as conditions improve on the main lake. When they vacate these shallow bays they will then start staging outside there spawning areas. Most will travel great distances between the first bay they enter in spring and there eventual spawing areas.

The best bays for ice out slabs will be the shallowest bay that warms up the fastest. These bays are not compatible with spawning but will hold the first open water slabs.

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Mille Lacs Guide Service
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[Guest]

Scott,

I figured with the higher water levels that some of crappies would be using the bays for spawning. In years past I've found that to be the case when water was high on certain lakes. LaVoi mentioned that the water was high so I tried to give him the best advice for his weekend fishing trip. As of now, the crappies will be entering the shallower bays in search of warmer water and food like you said. But I think that it would be incorrect to say that all the crappies will vacate the bays insearch of new areas to spawn. Some bays don't experience heavy weed growth due to the abondance of sand/gravel/rock. Lakes where weed growth is minimal will experience spawning in some of the bays for crappies. Also, numerous lakes in the Metro Area have bays that have a weed/muck/sand mix causing openings in the weeds where muck/sand are present making a suitable spawning habitat in combination with the presence of cover (weeds).

I'm in agreement with in you saying that crappies will vacate the shallows in search of a different are to spawn but just not in all cases. Maybe I added too much into my post going a step further by explaining spawning patterns. I suppose I should stick to "phase one" before I skip to "phase three." I just got a little carried away. Thanks for the correction. Now I have a few more notes to add to my collection.

Good Fishin, Matt.

Fishing Reports from MJ5 and Fishing Minnesota...
http://frida.blc.edu/~mjohnson/mj5.html

[united jigsticker]

Crappies will usually make an intitial shallow water move after 3 days of stable weather and water surface temps of about 44-46 degrees.

They will feed on minnows and other forage in mud bottom areas and return to the 1st major breakline (usually about 6-12 feet of water) typically until water temps stabalize at a general temp of 55 degrees.

Crappies prefer more of a solid, semi-gritty bottom for spawning, and typically find good habitat in reed beds and firm bottom weed flats where bottom and depth are more acclimated for their beds.

Like Scott said, it is an all too common misconception that Crappies are spawning as soon as they make a move into the shallows after ice out.

Crappies typically start to spawn when water temps are at 62-64 degrees on average, which typically is anywhere from the later 1/3 part of May to early June.

At late ice I often find Crappies suspended a couple feet up in 12-18 feet of water or at that depth over the deep basin areas.

However, immediatly following ice-out I find that the easiest and most active fish to be had are the fish still hovering over the deep holes and basins until weather stabalizes and surface temps kick up a few digits.

Great advice guys Just wanted to add a couple more of my .02 on late ice and spawning Crappies.

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Fish On! Loosen your drag!

[This message has been edited by united jigsticker (edited 03-26-2003).]

[LaVoi]

Thanks guys for the help. MJ5, the lake in question is Bass Lake in Mahnomen County. I'm sure you have never heard of it, but if you want to take a look at the map and see what you think that would be awesome. There is almost zero developement on the lake and the water levels have been higher than normal the past few years. There is greating spawning habitat all over the lake.

[CrappieJohn]

If I may, I'd like to toss in a couple cents woth here. The lake I normally fish in open water periods here in southeastern Mn just lost it's ice. I was fishing open water with a sheet of ice within 75 feet of me and had water temps that varied between 42 and 44.5 dgrees. In the cooler water the fish were typically at 6' or deeper. Today they were at 3 feet in 44.5 degree water. They are all being caught in water that is substantially deeper than that. In this lake we find that the crappies appear shortly before ice out ans gather in the deep water for the bulk of the time and migrate into the bays when we get a warm-up or clear skies during daylight hours. Any weather change will surely put them right back over the deeper water. With the rain and cold forecast for tonight, tomorrow will find the fish back down in the depths. And while they may retreat, it is a temporary move and nice weather will find them again in the bays. Here, the keys to the fish are deeper water adjecent to bays and water temperature. CrappieTom

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Sure life happens- why wait

[Scott Steil]

Since we are back on this topic I copied this from our discussion last week.

"Late ice is that time of year when the weather starts to warm up, the snow melts from the top of the ice, the sun is higher in the sky, the days are warmer. We are getting close! Last ice is when the wholes stay open at night, the snow is gone and the ice starts to get real dark. Be careful.
One misconception is that panfish enter shallow water at last ice to prepare for spawn. This is actually incorrect. Panfish head to shallow water under the ice because it is warmer, the sun penetrating the ice is now providing oxygenated water again and that is where the best food is. After the ice is gone the fish actually vacate the shallow water that they had been in and will take up residence in deep water near the bays they will moving into at ice out.

If you are fishing after ice out in spring and find that the fish are not in the bays yet, check the first deep water outside the bay. You will find them stacked up real good in these locations. This is one of the best places to get the real slab crappies as they spend a lot of time in that deep water waiting for conditions to be just right in the shallow bays. When the conditions are just right crappies and gills will both move into these muddy shallow bays to feed and enjoy the warm spring water. This all happens before fish even think about moving to there spawning areas. So, get out there and enjoy the great shallow water fishing we have coming both late ice, last ice and in the bays after the ice is out. Spawn is a long way off yet."

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Mille Lacs Guide Service
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[Aquaman01]

Holy smokes! This is a draned informative thread, ya'll! Thanks for the info! I'm hitting Buffalo as soon as the ice is out, and with the previous info, a thermometer and a map, I should be able to have a good shot at finding 'em. Thanks again.

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Aquaman
< )/////><{
"I think we're gonna need a bigger boat."

[CrappieJohn]

Aquaman01... you are going well equipped! The thermometer and the map are probably more important to me than what I use to catch the fish!As Brian stated, they ae not there to spawn, they are there because of the water temp. And that deep water is the safety zone they retreat to when things change a bit...like the barometer, or better yet, the temperature of the water. Good fishing. Crapster

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Sure life happens- why wait

[united jigsticker]

Right after iceout I concentrate on the same deep water areas that I was fishing mid to late winter until I notice a decline in the average size of my catch. When the fish start getting smaller, I start going shallower.

Alot of times Crappies will then stage at the 1st major breakline or weed edge adjacent to the shallow water areas. They may be hugging the bottom or hiding in the cover of weeds and can be more difficult to detect with electronics.

If you fish a lake that has some shallow, dark bottomed nooks and crannys, these are also good areas for iceout Crappies usually, providing there was at least 3 days of stable warm weather following ice-out.

Crappies will make a shallow water "feed" run into mud and dark bottomed bays, backwaters, and deeper feeder cricks when the surface temp reaches about 44 degrees typically. Any cold front or major weather change will push the fish back out though, typically to the first primary breakline, usually in about 6-12 feet of water.

The fish will probably be in a nuetral to negative mood after a major front until weather stabalizes for at least a couple of days.

But those deep basin areas will see fish suspended and typically active right after iceout, and their dictation as to how long they stay out there is completly weather pending. As a matter of fact, I still find that I am getting fish in 20-30 feet of water even while I am finding numbers of fish in the 2-6 foot range.

When fishing these deep water, or even shallow water post ice Crappies, I stay with the same small lures I used at last ice, and tip them with small minnows or worms.

After the Crappies are done with the intial shallow water "feed binge" they will usually move back to the 1st primary breakline adjacent to these areas again until water temps sustain at about 55 degrees.

At this point they move into more firm bottom areas such as reed beds, and shallow, gritty bottomed weed flats and humps where bottom content is consistent and more favorable with habitat that is condusive for bed making and spawning.

When water temps reach approx. 64 degrees the Crappies will typically begin spawning and can become very easy to catch. This is when a good pair of polarized sunglasses on a calm day can make a spring day of fishing a real treat.

Remember the males are the ones that make and guard the beds, and the females only move in for a day or so to "dump" the eggs, after which they return to the deeper weeds to recover.

The female fish are typically the bigger Crappies, but can have a severe case of lockjaw until the recovery process is complete.

The males, however, are guarding the beds and can be easy to find and will eat anything in sight as a defense against the nest. Sight fishing this time of year is a blast, and can help you learn how the Crappies react to certain presentations etc.

Remember, Catch and Release is always important but more critical at this time of year.

Good luck and Best Regards

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Fish On! Oh Yeah!!!

[This message has been edited by united jigsticker (edited 03-28-2003).]

[CrappieJohn]

Jigsticker..The lake I call home to my crappie fishing is generally stained with a sichi depth of about four feet. Once in a great qhile we get dry weather following the spawn and when that happens it is a blast to take advantage of the clearer water and target the fish on nests. We do not keep them, but it really is interesting to watch and see how they react to a power craw on a 32nd ounce jig being dropped in the nest. They will grab it and run 5 or 6 feet outside of the nest boundary and drop the jig and make a hasty return to the nest. Not just once, but time after time. We have witnessed the same behavior prior to the spawn which helps to prove the theory of territorialism in these fish. Very interesting to see and more fun to tease them, but you are right about the release, It helps to bend down the barbs at this time too. Crapster

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Sure life happens- why wait

[LaVoi]

Thanks Scott, that is very valuable information. And thanks to everybody, I got a lot more answers out of this thread than I expected.