fish spawning temps

[7outof10]

i was wondering what temps walleyes and crappies spawn at and what kind of bottom content they like to have 

[BK19]

Crappie generally start their movement out of their deep water winter haunts when the water temperatures start warming towards the 45-50 degree range. They will congregate around the entrances of creek channels until the water temps reaches around the 50-55 degree range. Then you can expect them to begin migrating towards the shallower secondary creeks and bays, using the channels as "highways". At this point, try trolling minnows or casting a CULPRIT Tassel Tail or Curl Tail grub to isolated stumps, brush and small pockets, and retrieving them back very slowly. When water reaches in the 55-60 degree range, the males should be in shallow water looking and fanning out spawning beds, while the females stage out in the closest deeper water structures. Crappie feed more aggressively and baitfish are more active as spawning nears. Try dropping a minnow under a cork into the spawning beds for males. Use a cast and slow retrieve with a CULPRIT Paddle Tail grub for the deeper females.
As a general rule, surface temperatures in the 62-65 degree range are almost perfect for shallow, spawning crappie. The females will then move in and around brushy cover. Your best bet now is to drop live minnows under a cork. Any bad weather or cold fronts can set the whole process back a few days to a few weeks. This will be explained in more detail later.
When water warms to the 70-75 degree range, the females will leave their nest and move to nearby deep structures where they staged before the spawning. The males stay behind to guard the nests. Use a cast/retrieve slowly with the CULPRIT Paddle tail grub. By the time water reaches 75 degrees, the males will be joining the females and migrate through the channels the same way they came in back out to the deep cooler water for the summer.
When the water starts to cool in the fall, they will again move back into the creek channels to feed heavily for the upcoming winter months. Most crappies will stage halfway up the tributaries near to the pre-spawn locations. Casting the CULPRIT Crappie Baits such as the Tassel Tail, Paddle Tail and Curl Tail jigs is an effective and fun way to catch crappies now. When water temps fall in the mid-40's range, they will migrate back to deep water in the main lake.
Keep in mind that these water temperature ranges are arbitrary, depending on the locations of the water you fish. For example, crappies spawn when water is in the 62-65 degree range, which can be as early as January in the Deep South or as late as June in the North.

[Jdrummer]

BK19 very nice post. My Personal experience from the last few years suggets a little lower temps than what you posted . If you can figure out what lakes warm up a little faster you can be on a spawn bite for a good month or so!
 bk, where can a guy find that culprit lure you talk about? thanks

[kgauker7]

BK19 very nice post. My Personal experience from the last few years suggets a little lower temps than what you posted . If you can figure out what lakes warm up a little faster you can be on a spawn bite for a good month or so!
 bk, where can a guy find that culprit lure you talk about? thanks

ditto to what he said ^^^^^^^^

[BK19]

http://www.culprit.com/index.html
i cant take credit for the writing wish i could though

[JCAMERON]

BK19 very nice post. My Personal experience from the last few years suggets a little lower temps than what you posted . If you can figure out what lakes warm up a little faster you can be on a spawn bite for a good month or so!
 bk, where can a guy find that culprit lure you talk about? thanks

Those culprits are fricken awesome! I scored some at cabelas. I wouldn't mind finding some a little closer to home...

[Jdrummer]

Cameron, Do you have any favorite colors you would like to share with us? Any special rigging? thanks.

[walleyeguy35]

Usually small plastics are best fished on a collarless jig head, I like 1/32 or 1/16 ounce. 

Remeber, crappies will move shallow not too long after ice out, (if they are not there already) to go on a feeding binge, this is less predicatable than the spawn, also it doesn't last as long. But if timed right the feeding is very active and aggressive. 

I assume that article was taken off the CULPRIT website or by someone who is sponsered by them?  Lots of other baits out there as well to catch spring crappies...

[lightsout]

Power tubes, gulp minnow grub's, and oh yeah jigging raps!!!

[Big Bass]

Black and green tubes Little white twisters

[Jdrummer]

Last year Me a buddy and I were the first ones to go all over on madison lake in a boat! ( when the DNR access opened enough a few little boats went out there to fire up motors and "work kinks out." we had to go verticle with #5 jiggin raps and we only managed two crappies during the rain storm. 

[walleyeguy35]

Wow, sounds like a great trip....

You could dang near throw a rock with a string on it into Madison last spring and catch crappies....

[Big Bass]

Madison and Tetonka crappies are really easy to catch in the spring once you get on the schools they will be there for a few weeks

[lightsout]

Madison? Crappies? Springtime?  I plead the 5th!!!