Catching East Tennessee Crappie During Spawning Season, And How Dark They Can Get.

When Crappie spawn, both Black and White Crappie get really dark in colors. More times than not, the really dark colored crappie are males compared to the females that are a little lighter than the males. However, some females can get just as dark as males, so it can be very difficult to tell. Best way to decipher between male and female is males will pee if you squeeze their bladders.
This video was shot in the middle of April 2023 with the water temps in the upper 60s, after several straight days of high 70s and low 80s. Using the bubble gum colored Bobby garlands on 1/16 oz jig-head was what did the trick.