“They spawned early.”
“They spawned late.”
“It only lasted a few days.”
“It’s over.”
“They didn’t spawn this year.”
It’s always interesting to hear anglers recount their luck during the annual panfish spawn. Let me offer a definition of the average angler I’m talking about: He’s a guy who has his favorite panfish lake(s). At roughly the same time every year, he goes to one or two locations on one or two lakes and “looks” for panfish on beds in well-known spawning areas. Sometimes he sees them, catches a bunch and rejoices “what a great spawn!” Sometimes they’re not there and he grumbles “I’m too early” or “It’s too late.”
Sound like you? Sounds like me too. At least it used to sound like me. But over the years I’ve learned some things about the sunfish and crappie spawns… Good things that allow you fish the spawn better, and longer. Read on and I’ll tell you about it.
TEMPERATURE DICTATES THE SPAWN. This is the most important factor for when and where panfish will do the wild thing. When the thermometer hits the magic number in the shallows, the game is on! I’m not talking about air temperature. Or water temperature “anywhere” on the lake, because different locations will vary greatly. What I’m referring to is water temperature in select locations on a given lake that have the ideal bottom content for spawning panfish.
What is the magic temperature? For crappies, which spawn first, it’s between 62-65°. For sunfish, there’s a whole lotta luvin’ goin’ on when the bottom temperature is between 68-70°. Based on temperature, you now have two distinct, species-specific spawns to target. Sometimes they overlap somewhat, but usually the timing dictates that as the crappie spawn peeters out on large, slow-warming lakes, the sunfish are just finding their stride within small, fast-warming waters.
As you plan your attack on spawning panfish this spring, take inventory of the lakes in your area and break them into three general classifications: 1. Small lakes, 2. Large lakes with confined bays, boat channels, narrows and other distinguishing features, and 3. Large basin-style lakes with no bays/channels/etc.
You’ll find the first water to warm up and reach the desired temperature for spawning will be on little lakes and in the small sheltered bays/channels/etc. of larger lakes. It’s simple thermo-dynamics: Think about putting a small pot containing a quart of water on one stove burner; and a huge kettle with 3 gallons of water on another. Give them both the same heat. Which one boils first?
Two other important factors to that play into warming are water clarity and location. Stained water will warm up much faster than clear. And the northern reaches of any body of water will hit the desired temperatures quicker than the southern shores. This doesn’t mean that all the panfish in a lake will migrate to the rapidly-warming northern locations. Many will spawn in the south, east, west and points in between. They’ll just be several days behind their buddies getting busy on the north end.
So, as the sun’s energy begins to warm your area lakes, key in on the waters that warm up first. While you’re wailing on huge crappies in a 20-acre lake with shallows that have hit the 62-65° mark, the crappies in the 2,000-acre basin lake down the road are still staging in deeper water where you caught them ice fishing weeks ago. Their spawning grounds might still be well below 60°. Their time will come. See how we’re extending the spawn bite?
As the temperatures in the shallows exceed 65° for crappies and 70° for sunfish, the respective species will move deeper. Does this mean they’re done spawning? Nope. Sure, a lot of the fish might be done doing their thing, but some will still have some procreating to do. They’re still doing it, but they’re doing it at the depth that matches their desired breeding temperature. Too many fishermen think that if they can’t see the fish on beds, then they’re not spawning. Wrong. They’re just doing it right under your nose (and your boat) in water deep enough to be invisible. They can still be caught on deep beds, but it’s tougher. You need to present the bait right on the bed, which can be tricky when you can’t see them very well. Patience, and good polarized glasses, are musts. An Aqua-Vu underwater camera is a nice tool to have too.
I’ll admit, this whole panfish spawn is a big nut to swallow. To maximize the opportunities available to you on the lakes in your area, you need to do your homework. Target lakes, big and small, that you know have good populations of nicely-sized crappies and/or sunfish. Visit them, and check their temperatures. Keep a log that tracks their thermal history. Understand that cold fronts, wave action, rain and other weather variables can dramatically impact water temperature.
A lake that’s just about to pop can shut off like a light switch if the temperature plummets. But don’t worry, because eventually the water HAS to hit the magic temperature – somewhere. And those fish will do everything in their power to make beds, deposit eggs, fertilize them and promote their species. It’s nature’s way. And when you’ve put yourself in the right place with the right water temperature, you’ll enjoy fever-pitched fishing.
So, to summarize, make sure you pay attention to water temperature this spring/early summer for spawning panfish. Crappies want 62-65°; sunnies want 68-70°. My Lowrance gives me an accurate temp reading; I believe every Lowrance model includes this feature. If your depthfinder doesn’t have it, get yourself a fishing thermometer from a tackle shop – they only cost about $15. Fish the small lakes and bays that warm up earliest for each respective species, and spawning areas on the big basin lakes last. You’ll effectively extend the spawn “bite” and amaze your friends with your ability to catch big slabs before and long after they think the party is over.
Good Fishing!
Babe Winkelman is a nationally-known outdoorsman who has taught people to fish and hunt for more than 25 years. Watch the award-winning “Good Fishing” and “Outdoor Secrets” television shows on Versus (formerly OLN), Fox Sports Net, WILD TV, WFN and many local networks.By: Babe Winkelman / Babe Winkelman Productions
