06-03-2007, 12:41 AM
[cool][#0000ff]There are still crappies in Willard, but they really have a tough time making a living and staying out of trouble (predators stomachs).[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In the days before gizzard shad, the fertile waters of Willard Bay provided a lot of zooplankton for baby crappies to get up to surviveable size. After that, without minnows in the lake, the crappies slowed down and never got huge. But, there were a lot of them. The walleyes made them their main food source and grew fat on easy to catch crappies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Once the gizzard shad hit the lake, the baby crappies had a tough time finding enough zooplanton and other microscopic tidbits to live on, since that is what gizzard shad eat too. Fewer baby crappies even live to beyond the fry stage. And, once they get big enough to appeal to larger predators, they have to outrun wipers, walleyes, catfish, smallmouth and largemouth. Tough duty.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Now, once again, we also have the low water situation. Crappies need structure in which to spawn successfully. They can't get a good spawn over plain mud or gravel bottoms. The crawdads and the carp eat their eggs as fast as they can lay them. So...poor spawning, poor "recruitment" of fry and heavy predation on young surviving crappies all add up to fewer catchable crappies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The two marinas used to be money in the bank for crappies both during the spring spawning period and again during the fall transition time. Of course they were also good through the ice. But, with the wacky drought situation, followed by a couple of good years, and now the low water drawdown, it is really tough to know where to look for crappies and how to fish them. Anglers catch them once in a while, but mostly by accident. Nobody has been able to count on limiting out more than one trip before conditions change and the fish move.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Best bet for crappies these days is Pineview. The numbers are up and the size is good. Lots of 12"-14" fish around the shoreline stickups. Fish them about 4 feet below a bobber anywhere there is structure. Lots of nice perch in the mix too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In the days before gizzard shad, the fertile waters of Willard Bay provided a lot of zooplankton for baby crappies to get up to surviveable size. After that, without minnows in the lake, the crappies slowed down and never got huge. But, there were a lot of them. The walleyes made them their main food source and grew fat on easy to catch crappies.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Once the gizzard shad hit the lake, the baby crappies had a tough time finding enough zooplanton and other microscopic tidbits to live on, since that is what gizzard shad eat too. Fewer baby crappies even live to beyond the fry stage. And, once they get big enough to appeal to larger predators, they have to outrun wipers, walleyes, catfish, smallmouth and largemouth. Tough duty.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Now, once again, we also have the low water situation. Crappies need structure in which to spawn successfully. They can't get a good spawn over plain mud or gravel bottoms. The crawdads and the carp eat their eggs as fast as they can lay them. So...poor spawning, poor "recruitment" of fry and heavy predation on young surviving crappies all add up to fewer catchable crappies.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The two marinas used to be money in the bank for crappies both during the spring spawning period and again during the fall transition time. Of course they were also good through the ice. But, with the wacky drought situation, followed by a couple of good years, and now the low water drawdown, it is really tough to know where to look for crappies and how to fish them. Anglers catch them once in a while, but mostly by accident. Nobody has been able to count on limiting out more than one trip before conditions change and the fish move.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Best bet for crappies these days is Pineview. The numbers are up and the size is good. Lots of 12"-14" fish around the shoreline stickups. Fish them about 4 feet below a bobber anywhere there is structure. Lots of nice perch in the mix too.[/#0000ff]
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