By Steven Crenshaw
The crappie fishing on Lake Blackshear has finally started. The few sunny days we have had caused the water temperature to warm to 60 degrees and it will continue to warm to the 65 to 72 degrees that the fish are trying to locate so that they can lay their eggs for the best chance to hatch.
Crappie started staging in February on the river channel as the water started to warm. The fish moved from 35′ to 25′ and now are in the flats in about 15′ of water. The males will leave the staging area first and go into the shallow water (2′ to 8′) first to clean off limbs, stumps and other structure in preparation for the females to come into the shallow water and lay their eggs. After laying their eggs the females will go back out to deeper water and the males will go in and fertilize the eggs. The reason this takes place in shallow water is because the shallow water warms quicker and the fish will only lay their eggs in the temperature that will produce a successful hatch.
As the season goes into April and May the fish will lay in deeper water in search of the right temp. The best early fishing will be in Swift Creek which is located in Warwick, Ga. In April and May the main river will warm to the optimal temp and fishing will be best in Cedar Creek, Collins Branch, State Park area and Pecan Slough. By late April the bream should start to bed and I will give locations for them next month.
Always remember to thank God for the world we live in and the opportunity we have to enjoy it.
BY STEVEN CRENSHAW
MR. WILDLIFE FISHING GUIDE SERVICE
CLBSIM@YAHOO.COM
229-947-1024