I don't think crappie are more prolific than BG. I don't see how they could be. They have to be fairly large, larger than BG, to reproduce (typically > 8in TL). I would think that BG inhibit reproduction of Crappie in much the same way that BG inhibit reproduction of LMB. With only one spawn each year, its hard to argue that they could out-produce BG in terms of numbers of recruits or biomass.
If the number of crappie is greatly restricted by predation, one would expect, however, that the crappie would achieve large sizes as is often the case also with BG. If they don't, then there must be competition for food from other species that is limiting growth.
Hard to believe but Crappie can be on average 2 to 3 times more prolific than BG (based on egg production). See below
BC- Va Tech
Reproductive Habits:
Mature by age 2
Spawning occurs around April at 15-20C
Nests dug out around vegetation close to other nests
Fecundity is 11,000-188,000 eggs per female
WC- FishBase
USA - Ohio River – Max fecundity 147,800
max BG fecundity is around 50,000.
That is one of the reasons crappie tend to have boom and bust reproductive cycles.
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