Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Overharvesting Crappie?

I have a question for Bob, Ewest, Willis, etc...

Do you have any insight as to WHY a crappie spawns ? It has been stated that they don't reproduce every year, are there any ideas floating around as to why it happens every couple of years ??? Do females NOT spawning still retreat to shallow waters in the Spring ? I believe harvest results could produce these answers

If they spawn every 2-3 years, I'm assuming they don't produce eggs in the off years, is that right ?

Eastland,

It has been my take on it that the variability in Crappie spawning is largely a result of how early they attempt it and the immense variability in weather and water temperatures that occur so soon in the year.

P.S. Do I count as an "etc." ? I'm willing to be an "also ran."

Thanks Theo, of course I value your opinion, you're a step or two ahead of the pack.

Logically it makes sense that they would produce eggs every year, I'll buy into your theory.

Theo, do you think weather conditions are more important than early predation? If the controlling factors are weather, we should expect 1-3 years of good reproduction and then a period of poor reproduction. From what I understand from reading the various posts, we only get one year class and then a series of poor year classes. Other than variable predation, I don't know what else would cause this. What are your thoughts and experiences?

Guys :

A few points and words of caution. First I am not sure anyone knows the answer. I doubt they do and would be wary of any easy answer. Most research on crappie has been conducted on large reservoirs and not much on ponds. These are some reasons listed for inconsistent spawn. I have not seen info stating they skip a year, only that the numbers vary wildly as one author puts it " a genus notorious for variable recruitment".

spawning stock size as a predictor of recruitment

larval density

environmental variables to predict recruitment including water level,temprature, turbidity, substratum, and wind

daily water elevation to determine the impact of hydrology on recruitment.

chlorophyll best explained the variation in larval density and age-2 recruits

spawning stock and chlorophyll explained 63�64% of the variation in larval density

strong year-classes being produced every 2 to 5 years

crappie recruitment is quasi-cyclic due to random fluctuations in the environmental variables and density dependent mechanisms

exploitation i.e., condition, total mortality , length and age distribution

Stocking predators to reduce the abundance of slowly growing populations of crappies Willis et al. (1984) but caution and consideration must be given to the effects of such biomanipulation on all trophic levels

These are the factors most listed but most studies warn that to much is unknown and no sure answer exists todate. I hope this helps.

Eastland -- the guys already partially addressed this, but to directly answer your question, I would expect the female black crappies to develop viable eggs each year. They can resorb eggs if spawning conditions are not right. However, I would expect them to spawn and nest each year. However, weather conditions have to be right for eggs to hatch, the fry have to have food, predators can get them, etc., as the guys have already mentioned. My work in ponds from KS up to SD has lead me to expect more consistent production of year classes than what apparently happens in more southerly ponds. I don't know why that is, and I haven't seen a good study that would explain it.