rockport

The big males are on the banks and starting to build nests (smallest fish is 11 inches)

Didn't have much time to fish, Headed back out this afternoon.

Champlain Islander

Nice catch. Love those crappies. I am catching large yellow perch right now. Pre spawn but getting close. Lots of the females are over a pound and a few are just under 1 1/2. Water temp is 44 and our crappies don't usually start up until the temps are around 60.

rockport

I'm a little jealous of those yellow perch.
Water Just hit 60 here. The spawn has just started and the big ones go first. They'll be done by the time most people know it's happening. We got out a little again this evening and caught some more big boys. Running a trolling motor in 15-20mph wind while helping and 8 year old fish is awesome.

Champlain Islander

I know all about the trolling motor in the wind. It seems that this year has been windy every day. I hate it and it is hard to finesse fish when the wind is catching your line. I plan to try a back water canal tomorrow if it isn't too bad. Water temp should be up in the 50's and I will be looking for sunfish and crappie. If I get them though they probably won't be as large as your catch. We do get them 12 to 14" but the average runs around 9 to 10".

rockport

The average crappie in the lake I'm fishing is probably 8 inches at best. Gotta be on the spawn before most people have any idea they are spawning. The biggest fish in the lake will be up spawning 1-3 weeks before the average fish and all the fisherman start piling in.

That usually means checking the spawning hot spots early and often so I don't miss it.

We caught this one yesterday in a lake known for being overpopulated with small crappie, I lost 2 yesterday that I bet would have gone 17 inches. Those big ones are tough to land with that soft mouth.

This is a male colored up and coming in looking to start building beds. When the females arrive they will be even bigger then a week later the 8-9 inchers will be stacked on the banks.


I can't even count how many people out catching small crappie one right after another in the heat of the spawn Ive heard say "I don't think the big ones are spawning yet" they have no idea that the big fish have already come and gone.

Champlain Islander

Wow what a beauty. I have yet to land a 2 pounder but one of my fishing partners got one 2 lb 10 oz. The big ones are indeed hard to swing and when I am on a bite with big fish running 12 to 15" I use a net. I can't tell you how many ripped out when I tried to lift them. Even worse on the ice. I drill a 6" hole so if they do come unbuttoned sometimes they can't quickly flip around and go down the hole. Hard for an old guy like me to come off the bucket and grab one that is about to get away. Crappie is Gods way of making a warm water fish as beautiful as a trout.

rockport

Ive got a rubber trout net rigged on the end of a pole. Unfortunately I still couldn't reach them before they came off. I didn't even count how many nice ones got off Tuesday with the wind blowing trying to run the trolling motor and land fish with just me and my daughter in the boat. The two huge crappie got off but I also lost quite a few nice 12ish inchers.

Yesterday was tougher fishing. I don't know if all the wind pushed them off the shallow beds or what but for whatever reason the water is still warming and they decided to back off the beds. It went from waiting for the water to hit the right warmth to almost 90 degrees outside in a couple days.

Were gonna get back after them again Friday and Saturday so hopefully they move back in. So far they have only been in the coves on the west/north west side of the lake.

rockport

Still going strong in IL.

Everything over 11 inches except a few that were hooked in the gills. Caught and released probably 100+ crappie this morning

Champlain Islander

Nice slabbers Rocky. We had a cold front come through yesterday and it put our perch spawn back. We had a good day Saturday but yesterday was a bust and it looks like today will be the same. Cold hard north wind brings colder water temps and wave action making it hard to fish the spawning shore. A friend of mine in the next boat caught a yellow perch 1.72 pounds Saturday. What a nice fish.

rockport

Do the biggest perch spawn first too?