Youll recognize a bream spawning areas saucersized beds where the bull bluegills have fanned nests from the gravel. How to catch bluegill and redear sunfish the fishing advice. Everyone has his or her own method and gear to take advantage of this window of fishing opportunity, so ill share with you mine. Jun 15, 2017 in may and june, bluegills spawn in shallow water, which means you can catch them easily with crickets under a bobber. Start casting to the outer edges of the bream bed, and then work your way into the heart of the spawning area. It is rare for white crappie and black crappie to interbreed, but it does occur. This is one of the most frequently asked questions when stocking a pond, and usually the second question is which is better. The genus name promoxis refers to crappies sharp operculum, while the species name annularis means having rings. Leaving the biggest fish as spawners is great but older fish often have the same fertility issues other animals and humans have. I spend a lot of my lunch breaks fishing a small storm drain adjacent to a wooden dock behind my house, but the usual bass and bluegill targets took a backseat to the unexpected appearance of bedding shellcracker. Jul 05, 2008 these fish appear much larger than they actually are. A the journey is long for many crappie, and during this prespawning season, youall find great fishing near bottlenecks and around dams or bridges that provide some relief and protection from the current. These early season shellcrackers are good and healthy, are a blast to catch, and are tasty to eat.
Crappie spawning activity peaks in may and june when water temperatures are between 61 and 68 degrees, though spawning may continue into july. Crappie spawn at a depth within a foot of where a secchi disk goes out of. Barkleyky lake has come on strong the last ten years with their cracker population. Generally speaking, shellcracker begin a week or 10 days prior to bluegill. In central florida, they could first go onto spawning beds during late march. And farther south, redear sunfish shellcracker are common, along with. All fishing buy, all about redear sunfish, habitats, fishing.
Feb 19, 2015 crappie fishing vertical jigging for big slabs on lake guntersville duration. Crappie will often stage in the main lake zones where feeder creeks provide a highway to and from spawning areas. Okeechobee bluegill fishing on lake okeechobee florida. In may and june, bluegills spawn in shallow water, which means you can catch them easily with crickets under a bobber. Bluegill lepomis macrochirus bluegills have small mouths and ovalshaped, almost rounded, bodies. Theres another two or three weeks of prime spawning time too. The oldest crappie aged in florida, to date, has been 11 years old. They will also refuse a popping bug, but will eat a sinking fly such as a beadhead nymph or a black knat. A 5weight outfit and a handful of small popping bugs and sponge spiders are all you need. Fishing for bluegill and shellcracker in the peak of the spawn is one of them. It really matters more on spawning pressure than anything else. Now is the time to strike a trot to the lake and wet a hook for these babies. Although we caught only a few fish on that trip since it was too early, it did bring back memories of how much fun bream fishing can be. Spawning habits for the two crappie species are similar.
Crappie are common in most of missouris large reservoirs, rivers, and streams, as well as many smaller public and private ponds. Crappie fishing vertical jigging for big slabs on lake guntersville duration. Black crappie are more numerous in the clear, acidic to slightly alkaline waters of east texas. The best way to differentiate these two fish are by counting dorsal fin spines, as the white crappie has 6 and the black crappie has 7 to 8. Redear sunfish to biologists, or chinquapin to louisiana anglers, these feisty fish typically favor deeper haunts, but when a. In four feet of water, they can be feeding just 18 inches deep. But that spawning success is your enemy if trophy bluegill are your goal, just as great bass spawning success is the enemy of a pond owner aiming for trophy bass. The crappie spawn usually occurs in shallow, calm water near some sort of protection.
If youre waiting until may to get on the shellcracker at santee, youre already missing out. The answer to both questions is it depends on the circumstances and preferences. Jul 05, 2012 you can view these fish over on under the virginia state board. Theres another two or three weeks of prime spawning time too so grab a friend and head on out. In missouri, black crappie spawn from about midapril to early june, when water temperatures exceed 56 f. May 01, 2015 it was a rare opportunity that i couldnt waste. Bluegill vs hybrid bluegill keystone hatcheries inc. Theyve since been stocked in northern california lakes and reservoirs because they outperform the old standby bluegill. Bedding time for bream in freshwater fishing liveabout. I had a great time fishing for bluegill and shellcracker in my neighborhood pond. The florida crappie, speckled perch or speck as they are called throughout the south is the most sought after panfish on lake okeechobee.
Most fish that are caught for sport are between 2 and 5 years old. Sloping points are bass, bream, shellcracker, crappie, catfish. Crappie, black oklahoma department of wildlife conservation. Getting serious about monster bluegill in your pond. Every year when april fades to may, we see the early spawning phases of shellcracker kick in. I also believe the black crappie will spawn quicker once its spawning time than do the whitesas another already said the eggs are for the spring, and they will hold them throughout the winter but spring spawn will still come very early for large black crappie. The breeding male black crappie does not change color noticeably, as it does in the white crappie species. The black crappie is generally darker overall and has seven or eight spines in its dorsal fin.
Shellcracker lakes that seem to be hot right now bluegill. Lindsay cundiff of lees summit caught this threepound crappie in february at the james a. Take time to understand their habits, find the right lure, and be patient when. Also larger fish have larger appetities and as soon as the wigglers enter the water column those post spawn adults are on a major feeding binge. Redear should be well into their spawning season by april. Big bream can be found in the grassy areas of the big o during most times of year and in shallow, sandy areas while spawning in late spring and summer. Shellcracker fishing tips sheelcracker fishing florida. The black crappie prefers larger, more acidic lakes, and are more predominate in the northern states, and up into canada. Locating bluegill and shellcracker when they are not on bed. Most redear are caught during spawning season by fishing with red worms on the bottom.
The white crappie, on the other hand, often has markings arranged in vertical bars. Shellcracker, or redear sunfish, are the biggest of the beam, with the world record a 4 pound ounce monster caught in florida in 1986. You can view these fish over on under the virginia state board. They prefer water 3 to 4 feet deep, and a firm, shelly bottom, often near a dropoff. White crappie have a higher growth rate in terms of length than black crappie. How to catch crappie in all 4 crappie fishing phases. Catching a mess of big bluegill is a common event throughout the spring, summer, and early fall on lake okeechobee. During spawn most of the crappie will spawn on hard bottomwood covered flats in 6 to 8 foot water. A 100yard wide rim canal circles the lake, and many secondary canals and cuts are linked to it, resulting in hundreds of miles of available fishing water.
Most redear are caught during the spawning season by fishing with red worms on the bottom. The redear sunfish is deep and slabsided, with a small mouth, with the upper jaw not reaching past the front of the eye. In natural waters, it is confined to the southern half of missouri, but it is widely stocked in small reservoirs and ponds. In lakes that are frozen over, the water temperature just below the ice hovers in the low 30s. In january and february in the south, and april and june up north, crappies begin to prepare for the ordeal of spawning. Jul 25, 2018 the crappie spawn usually occurs in shallow, calm water near some sort of protection. The males build a nest, usually grouped into colonies near sunken plants and guarding the young. Whether you call them crappie, papermouths, strawberry bass, specks, or sacalaits, these elusive fish are difficult to locate and incredibly fun to catch. This area will not be far from the existing spawning area. Its that time of year when bass and other sunfish spawn.
Undeveloped shorelines with canopy cover are often found close to crappie nests. All winter, they have been holding in mid to deep water, usually at least 25 feet deep, where they suspend at different depths according to. A fly rod is also a great way to catch bedding bream. The crappie will often times hold on points or dropoffs near the spawning grounds until the water reaches 58, at which point they will storm the banks to spawn. Like other sunfish, crappies are nest builders but they are perhaps the least particular in their nestbuilding habits. In south florida, shellcracker may spawn as early as the last week of february but more likely around the fourth week of march. As with black bass and crappies, northern fish often begin to spawn at lower. Minnesota fisheries biologist mike mcinerny, who is also a crappie angler, says the. Shellcrackers redear sunfish on spawning beds youtube. The crazy thing about wb is that its a smallish lake at about 800 acres tops. Fishing for shellcrackers panfish rambling angler outdoors. Redear will typically spawn a month earlier than bluegill.
The breeding white crappie male grows darker in color and is often mistaken for the black crappie. I was thinking last night about the spawning depth of crappie. Mar 29, 2019 redear seldom respond to floating fish food, as do bluegill. Spawning redears reach sexual maturity in the second year of life. During the spawning season, males of both species develop dark markings over most of the body, causing many anglers to misidentify male white crappie as black crappie.
When you locate a spawning bed, its important not to let your boat drift too close to the beds. Redear sunfish, sometimes called shellcracker, feed on aquatic insects. Spawning habits of white crappie are similar to other sunfishes except they usually nest in deeper water. Santee shellcracker bite is already hot carolina sportsman. Redear sunfish are caught most often on earthworms around the full moons of march and april when their spawning activity peaks. Apr 26, 2012 when you locate a spawning bed, its important not to let your boat drift too close to the beds. On more complex bodies of water, crappies may spawn in shallow bays or backwaters. Bluegill, redear and crappie fishing will be at its best during the spring. To catch the biggest fish and the biggest numbers, look for a spawning area on a flat or hump. Okeechobee bluegill fishing is fun and catching them are second to none in the frying pan. Most often, when a severe weather front pushes through, shellcracker will move back out to the nearest deeper water. Redear sunfish are found throughout the southeastern united states, as far west as texas and as far north as indiana.
Alternate common names for the species include goldring and silver perch. Females of both species deposit from 3,000 to 15,000 eggs. These fish appear much larger than they actually are. Plant managers conduct surveys to find where plants exist and maps are the most useful tool for sharing the jul 15, 2001. Find one bed and you often find adjacent beds, sometimes a whole mixed colony of bream including shellcrackers and giant bluegills or oct 8, 2009. The white crappie pomoxis annularis is a freshwater fish found in north america, one of the two species of crappies. But they were observed in the lower colorado river, in southern california, in 1940. Twenty to 30 feet down, however, the water might be as warm as 39 degrees. Redear sunfish are native to waters in the southern united states, rio grande and mississippi river.
Crappie spawn faq how to catch spawning crappie best. Bluegill, shellcrackers and crappie fishing, not only fun to catch but these little guys are second to none in the frying pan. Sep 24, 2010 if you prefer artificial lures, a small beetle spin can be just as effective as live bait. Incubation takes six to 10 days depending on water temperature. Spawning occurs shortly after water temperatures reach 55 to 65 degrees f.
Crappies search out nest spots in deeper water than any other sunfish. All winter, they have been holding in mid to deep water, usually at least 25 feet deep, where they suspend at different depths according to the temperature. Female black crappie may spawn with several males and can produce eggs several times during the spawning period. When waters reach about 60 degrees, the migration from deepwater homes to shallow water a. It is important that one must keep in mind that severe weather fronts can delay the spawning activity. Project redear is a quest to find ways to fish for shellcrackers. We caught t crappie in a couple of days bass fishing on rattlebaits. The white crappie is the only sunfish with the same number of spines in both the dorsal and anal fins. If you have brushpiles or trees marked anywhere on the main lake you shouldnt have any problems catching the crappie. Hybrid bluegill the hybrid bluegill is a cross between a male bluegill and a female green sunfish, and is sometimes referred to as a hybrid. According to a book i read, authored by steve wunderle, a fish biologist, crappie spawn at a depth within a foot of where a secchi disk goes out of sight in the water. They spawn in coves protected from wave action and require siltfree substrates. They have been introduced in several states from california to vermont.
Crappie fishing, bluegill, shellcracker and crappie fishing. The answer is, if your goal is big bass, absolutely gravel beds will do the same thing fish hides will, i. Black crappie construct their nests and deposit their eggs at even greater depths than white crappie. Redear seldom respond to floating fish food, as do bluegill. Barkleyky lake has come on strong the last ten years with their cracker.
So, remember that you can capitalize on the habits and movement of prespawn fish or follow them as they stairstep their route to their annual bedding locales. Not surprisingly, northern crappies spend much of their time in deep water during winter. Shellcracker, bluegill bedding times near outdoors. Catching bluegill and shellcracker on kentuckhy lake. I went fishing for shellcracker at clarks hill the week after easter last year. They will also refuse a popping bug, but they do love sinking flies such as a beadhead nymph or a black knat. Spawning redear can easily attain sizes of 1 to 2 pounds in lakes with an. However, they do cohabitate with white crappie often, because they prefer similar areas, as youd expect. Apr 24, 2007 it really matters more on spawning pressure than anything else.
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