With the local lakes closed down to all activity, the local fishermen are looking for something to do. Hopefully within a couple of weeks the lakes will reopen and fishermen can start to enjoy some of the best times of the year. April and May are when the bass and crappie move into the shallows to spawn.
Without question, crappie are fast becoming one of the more popular species of fish in Clear Lake. The reason being is that they are plentiful and easy to catch. In fact, crappie tournaments are more popular on the lake.
At one time, crappie was the top game fish in Clear Lake. Bass took over that title in 1990.That was mainly due to bass tournaments. At one time tourists from throughout the state and the West would visit Clear Lake to catch crappie, and not because the fish put up a fight, such as a bass, but because they were delicious to eat. In fact, many of the old resorts around the lake were built to accommodate the crappie fishermen. The fish became so popular that most resorts had crappie cleaning machines, which resembled large clothes dryers. You put a quarter in the slot and the machine would scale the fish. In those days there were plenty of bass in the lake but most of the fishermen were after the tasty crappie.
Clear Lake holds two different species of crappie. Both species of crappie are nearly identical. However, counting the spiny rays on the dorsal fin can identify them. A black crappie has seven or eight spines and a white crappie has six spines. As the name implies, the black crappie is normally darker overall. The white crappie usually has markings arranged in vertical bars. They spawn during the months of May and June. Like all members of the sunfish family, the male guards the nest and young fry. The young feed on zooplankton for their first two years. They mature in two to four years and their life expectancy is eight to 10 years but most don’t live past four years.
Crappie aren’t native to Clear Lake or even the West. Actually, Clear Lake was the first lake in California to be stocked with crappie. It was back in 1908 when crappie were brought to the lake from Illinois. These were of the black crappie species and Clear Lake offered ideal habitat. The fish flourished. In 1951, white crappie were planted in the lake.
Crappie, both black and white, can grow to large sizes. The world record for black crappie is 6 pounds. For white crappie, the world record is 5 pounds, 3 ounces. Clear Lake holds the state record for white crappie with a 4-pound, 8-ounce fish caught in 1971. Two-pounders are common and an occasional 3-pounder is caught. Several crappie weighing more than 3 pounds were caught last year. In fact, one fisherman claimed he caught a crappie earlier last year that weighed more than 5 pounds.
Crappie are nearly always found in schools and some of the schools can be huge, holding up to 500 fish. Crappie seek out docks to hide beneath and that’s where most of the fishermen concentrate their efforts.
The downfall of crappie is their table quality. Few fish can match a crappie for eating and that’s one reason most of the fishermen catch and keep the 25 fish-per-day limit. Biologists say that in most cases catching and keeping a limit of crappie probably has little effect on their population. But with the number of crappie being caught each year it could have an impact on the fishery.
Once the fishermen will be permitted to launch their boats and be able to spend a relaxing day on Clear Lake, the world will be okay. It will also make to businesses that cater to fishermen happy. The coronavirus has made sportsmen and women appreciate Lake County again
