Arizona Crappie Association
Lake Reports => Bartlett => Topic started by: ArZFisher on November 16, 2013, 04:45 PM
-
So I woke up this morning and the weather looked bad but not too bad so I loaded up the boat and got on my to the lake. I got to the lake around 7 am was trying to get their before sun up but missed that by 45 mins or soo. Anyways got to first spot around 7:30 with a little breeze. Looked up and their was some nasty looking clouds coming my way. Got lines in water and quickly hooked up with 2 dink bass (what a waste of minnows). Wind started kicking up then I looked up again and some nasty weather was headed right my way.
It started sprinkling on me real light. Nothing too bad so I just kept fishing hooked up with the first slab right after that. Then the rain came. So I broke out my rain gear kept fishing and picked up 2 more nice slabs. Was raining good for about 10 mins then nothing. Then no slabs after that. I guess fish really do feed in the rain. That was my first time fishing in the rain. Wind blew me off lake around 11:30.
When I fillet those fish their was some valuable info I found out. Lets just say I was surprised to see what I saw :dance:
I will be out again in the morning with some buddies of mine if any one is going out!!!!
-
oh, do tell :dontknow:, I find this time of year going into the winter the crappie don't eat much will filet them with just remains of shad in the digestive track with nothing in their stomach, spring and summer there is almost always something in their stomach
-
oh, due tell :dontknow:, I find this time of year going into the winter the crappie don't eat much will filet them with just remains of shad in the digestive track with nothing in their stomach, spring and summer there is almost always something in their stomach
K believe it or not I'm finding eggs in females and sprem sacks in males. One female had egs in her yesterday. Lots of them.
We also hit it today and caught 13 slabs. 6 myself 4 my buddy & 3 for my other buddy. Fished in 22 ft to 30 and fished minnows at 12 to 18 ft under. Got to first spot around 7. Shortly after caugh three right away. Then couple more. Went cold. Cruzed to spot number 2 nothing but bass and blues. Went to spot three and finished out the day their with 6 or seven can't remember just no we got 13 total.
Again filleting those slabs found tons more eggs and sperm sacks. My buddies were surprised as I was to see this at this time of year. I'll grab some pics to show everyone it's no BS. Anyone have any ideas ?
-
Pics
-
Thanks for the report & pics!
Here's a Copy & paste from a couple different sources as both egg & milt production begins in fall
--When water temps fall back through the lower 70s and 60s they will start stocking up on eggs for next spring. New eggs will be bright yellow and so fine it is difficult to see the individual eggs. The males will also start showing larger milt reservoirs. Both males and females will feed a lot more aggressively during this time than in the middle of the summer or dead of winter. The eggs sacs will keep filling all through the winter but the eggs will stay very small until the water warms in the spring. Then they get a lot bigger and you can easily see each individual egg.
--With the oncoming cold period, lower metabolism of the fish, and lower water temps … the fish are just starting to develop next Spring's hatch. The egg sac will grow, but very slowly, during the cold water period ... and continue to develop thru-out that time. Once the water starts warming again, in your area's "Spring" time frame ... then the eggs will increase their development & growth rate, the fish's metabolism will rise, and the prespawn feeding spree will commence.
This is what I've always thought is the yearly progression of a fish's growth: (this relates mostly to the Females, but includes the Males - just to a lesser degree, since they aren't feeding to develop an egg sac)
SUMMER = moderate to heavy feeding for growth in size/length (highest growth rate in length & weight)
FALL = heavy feeding period to sustain them thru cold conditions/low metabolism periods or sparse feeding opportunities (low length growth, additon to fat stores) Egg development begins
WINTER = slow metabolic rate & feeding to sustain health (no growth, fat stores used in times of sparse, or lack of, feeding opportunities) Egg development slows - but continues.
SPRING = heavy feeding resumes to sustain fish thru spawning rigors (growth rate in length is slow, but weight gain increases, & fat stores are replenished to sustain fish thru spawning activities) Egg development increases as feeding opportunities increase & water temps increase.
-
That's a nice little report there AZrfisher. Glad you got some and weather was probably great today.
-
great report thanks
not unusual to see female crappie with eggs this time a year, as the picture shows still not fully developed yet, but in weird years they can spawn as soon as February so not all the rare for them to start producing eggs for the coming springs spawn if and when it happens
one reason our crappie are so big out here compared to back east etc. is the longgggggggg growing season we really don't get the real cold water, such as like lake mary up in Flagstaff where the crappie grow very slowly.
-
Thx guys for the info. This is still only third year chashing them slabs. I thought that they were thinking spring is almost here again then would just go into winter mode. Learned something new today.
-
Great report, glad you got into them. When we were out a couple of weeks ago, the fish we got had eggs in them as well.
-
ArZFisher---did you fish Cat Bay--where are the "spots"---should be no secrets on this sight---I am going up Friday for several days---Last time I was there, fish were stacked in Cat Bay but mouths were frozen shut---the lake keeps falling(81 %)--I would appreciate a PM to get a lead on my quest to find the schools--
-
No Rat I don't usually fish Cat bay. my small boat and all the wake from boats is rough in my lil 16 starcraft. I also have not really checked area out except early this year one day when no one was their and it was almost flat calm. I need to go spend some time in their graphing some good areas.
I usually head up river past no wake zone or go over by dam in early mornings or late evenings. I still have yet to find some good areas by the Dam but I still like to try every now and then. Lately I have been going up river. Just outside Crappie cove and just north of the first island you come to north of no wake up river. We found most of our slabs in the 20-26 ft in Heavy brush in both areas.
My buddies called me early monday morning after I sent them some pics and said take me fishing right now. I said ok lets go im tired but lets go. We ended up with 22 and kept 18. 4 nice ones. one was 2lbs other just under.
I am going to try and get out this weekend but waiting on some carb parts. my motor starting not running good so tore apart carb and bunch of nasty stuff came out. Now I need 3 new seals. I ordered them earlier today so hopefully they'll be here by friday. I heard maybe supposed to be getting rain Fri and Sat. Here are some pics from Mondays Haul!!!
-
Great work and report! Thanks for sharing!
-
Great job - looks like you've found the spot!
-
Thank you so very much--'Tis supposed to rain Fri ans Sat but I am going anyway--if anyone is coming up, I will be at SB Cove--welcome to drop in for a cold one---I will not have internet service, nor cell --However, I check my messages regularly. If you are coming up and want my latest status, text me and I will respond within 10 hours--I'll be there from Friday -12/9-- +/-
-
Very nice, glad to see that spot is producing again. Always lots of fish there on the graphs.
-
'Tis supposed to rain Fri and Sat but I am going anyway--if anyone is coming up, I will be at SB Cove--welcome to drop in for a cold one
Fish Hawk & I MAY be out on Saturday depending on the forecast & rain. It's not looking good though! Game time decision. Might hang under your awning between rain drops for a brew - no promises……
-
'Tis supposed to rain Fri and Sat but I am going anyway--if anyone is coming up, I will be at SB Cove--welcome to drop in for a cold one
Fish Hawk & I MAY be out on Saturday depending on the forecast & rain. It's not looking good though! Game time decision. Might hang under your awning between rain drops for a brew - no promises……
You never know. I remember last year someone went out in low pressure ice cold condition at Roosevelt and caught a good amount. Bring your ponchos though!
Surprised menrats or anyone else hasn't had Roosey fever yet and mentioned trying there again. Tough to when positive reports from Bartlett keep showing up.
-
K I just check on my parts and not supposed to be in until next week. I new I should have waited and ordered parts first before tearing apart carb :banghead: So if rain is not to bad I'll be out with just the trolling motor. I'll probably just hang out around cat bay, cliffs area and mid lake area.
-
I just checked and double checked---and--no matter how and whom I check with, there is a 10% chance I will be on the lake and dry---90% chance I will be enjoying the thunderstorms---anyway--I'll be there--BYOB---unless you like diet 7 up--I have not had a brew in over 5years !!!
-
Desert Rat - I may try and get out there next week. Will text you ahead of time and then use radio when I'm there.
-
Thank you so very much--'Tis supposed to rain Fri ans Sat but I am going anyway--if anyone is coming up, I will be at SB Cove--welcome to drop in for a cold one---I will not have internet service, nor cell --However, I check my messages regularly. If you are coming up and want my latest status, text me and I will respond within 10 hours--I'll be there from Friday -12/9-- +/-
be careful in SB cove, they are talking up to 3' of rain outside Phx. in the foothills that wash was can get to flowing pretty good in SB cove, good luck
-
but in weird years they can spawn as soon as February so not all the rare for them to start producing eggs for the coming springs spawn if and when it happens
Looks like the fish knew all along it was going to be a weak winter with virtually zero runoff.
Weather forecasters take note?