Crappie yet?

Anyone know if the crappie bite is on yet?

I think the tri lakes around 4C . Usually prespawn happens are 9-10 degrees where the males prepare the nests and the spawn 2-4 degrees warmer. If it gets warmer maybe next week or the week after for prespawn . Hope that’ helps !

Mcgregor is correct on the temperature for prespawn, just over 10 degrees consistently and rising in the shallow Kawartha Lakes. There has been people out already on the lakes and rivers that are ice free, from all over. Southern Ontario to the middle/central Ontario, is in full swing. Boats come out very early for spring crappie fishing. If the ice is gone on your favourite crappie lake, it's time to get out there. Timing is the key with a nice sunny day the crappie will move from mid morning, until the afternoon. One day they will be there and the next may change, then back again the next. At ice out crappie feed voraciously on anything they can find. This is not prespawn, this is an ice out buffet. Water temperature is irrelevant in late March or early April. I am usually out there the day the wind pushes the ice away from my favourite crappie fishing areas. I have posted pictures of thin ice where I fish in the spring, from a canoe, boat or from shore. My niece just had another baby so I will be hanging out with family for the next two weeks. I am up to 18 nieces and nephews including all their children as well. It's a busy family, so no fishing for me yet. Two of my friends already started ice out crappie fishing days ago. Just depends on what depth you like to fish at what time of day. Twelve to fifteen feet of water from dinner, overnight until early morning. Shallow on a sunny, warm or cold spring day, mid morning until the afternoon. Good luck, wish I was out there today.

Never too early to try for early ice out crappie. There is always some debris on the lakes after winter, stay safe. Sometimes you have to search for the crappie in deeper water if the sun is not out. Usually the first drop offs near the shoreline.

You are spot on. Here on Rondeau Bay we can get on the crappie first ice out, and have to wait until the water warms up. Late April/early May
Can be very frustrating, but that's why we love them

Thats a great spot down there. Some of the biggest crappie in Ontario are from where you are, down to Leamington and Kingsvillle. I lived in Kingsville for a few years, when I was a kid. Our mom's always knew where to find us, by the water. Quite a bit of rain coming your way this week. Good luck, lots of water this spring equals lots of crappie.

The boats on Scugog is out of control. There won’t crappie in that lake soon. It’s going to be a fishless lake in a few years. Surprised the MNR aren’t out there. It’s just boats side by side touching.

Alot of tiny ones around

With livescopes and other techknowlegy I tend to agree with you.Its time to seriously take another look on the limits for this resource. Maybe shut it down at spawning time for a bit.IMO

Not too surprised with the amount of fishing pressure on Scugog (and even some of the Kawartha lakes that are further from the GTA). After my experience this winter on Chemong, which was shocking enough, I can't imagine what a nightmare Scugog is being so close to parts of the GTA.
I agree with DbFish that crappie are one of the most vulnerable to livescope type sonar. Makes finding them much easier if you have any knowledge of what this species does (esp. in the spring).

Word is out!! Loose lips , sinks ships!!! Crappie are easy prey especially in the spring……

The current water level does not give us access to creeks that hold a ton of crappie. I have been fishing my buddies marina on sunny days but not much happening. Water temp is getting close, 8C today.
We have caught some beauty black crappie over the years on Rondeau

rice lake is like an invasion there was a video last year there had to be 50 boats out there big boats, kayaks rubber dinghys you name it . One person catches some and then they the phone comes out and the next day there are 50 people there. The cottage owners were p##### off because they could hardly get down the road and some driveways were being blocked. There are always 4-8 people in a boat and they are just raking the lake. It is disrespectful and disgusting.

You should see Hall's landing in winter

With livescopes and other techknowlegy I tend to agree with you.Its time to seriously take another look on the limits for this resource. Maybe shut it down at spawning time for a bit.IMO

Totally agree Dale. The crappie season could close down March 1st and open again 2nd Saturday in May with the walleye opener. They could also bring the crappie limit down to 10 instead of 30. Many states in the U.S.A. protect their crappie quite well...slot sizes...minimum sizes etc. I would be very interested in an 11 inch to 13 inch slot size on crappie. Under 11 inches must be released and over 13 inches must be released. They do this in a variety of configurations in a few states and it works great. Crappie is a very popular fish to harvest in Ontario. Would it not make sense to start protecting crappie now. This would give the crappie a couple of years to spawn and grow larger before they are harvested. 10 bigger crappie weigh double a smaller crappie so 20 small crappie is the same weight. This way you still get a lot of weight, and kill less fish. Proactive regulations are much better than reactive regulations.