Early Crappies

[CNY Lee]

ok guys, I live in Central NY and I have a place that is just off of a major river that I catch crappies as soon as i can cast a long rod into it. But here is the catch, none of these fish are spawning or have eggs in them. I believe they are in there to eat after a long winter. It seems like they are in there for about 2-3 weeks depending on the temps of the water. Where do these fish go and do they come back in there to spawn later? I think they spawn in the river among all the brush along the shore but not sure and just wanted to get someone elses opinion. And do you think I can catch them in the main river in front of the this long dead end channel in a boat. They have to be staging somewhere. Thanks

Lee Mnich

[JHansel7]

I too that after about 2 weeks after ice out that the crappies were in the shallows spawning, only to find out that they are there to gorge themselves full of bugs and small minnows. It seems to me that they spawn about 3-4 weeks later in also shallow water. Last year i found them spawning in 3 feet of water in some scraggly thin bullrushes. It was a great time! Have a good one, and good luck fishing!

[CrappieJohn]

Your crappies are there enjoying relative warmth after being under the ice and binge feeding. The spawn is temperature governed.

[juggs]

Lee---Some of the fish you're catching probably DO have eggs, they're just not bloated yet. The only way to know for sure is if you keep some and check them at the cleaning table. I catch crappies almost all year round with eggs, including now. It's unlikely you're catching only males. Once they leave the area you're now catching them, they may or may not come back there to spawn. My guess is they spawn in the reeds you referred to as long as the bottom content is right. If so, once they leave their current shallow feeding grounds they won't be back unless they're driven out by bad weather and then return once it stabilizes.