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Lake Roosevelt Crappie

1K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  GhettoRig 
#1 · (Edited)
Went to Rosey Sat (5th Apr) and bass fishing was very slow. Tried the whole tackle box. Disappointed after all the great reports from the previous week. Just shows how fast it can turn off or on!. On another subject... when does the spring crappie usually take off at Rosey? I read somewhere that average hrs of daylight for the spawn was 13 point something hrs to 14.6. We're a litte away from that here (1-2 weeks) in AZ and it's warming up. Any old crappie pros have any insight?
Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Went to Rosey Sat (5th Apr) and bass fishing was very slow. Tried the whole tackle box. Disappointed after all the great reports from the previous week. Just shows how fast it can turn off or on!. On another subject... when does the spring crappie usually take off at Rosey? I read somewhere that average hrs of daylight for the spawn was 13 point something hrs to 14.6. We're a liyyle away from that here in AZ and it's warming up. Any old crappie pros have any insight?
Thanks!

I've never heard of the hrs of daylight. I go by water temp. But than again I'm not an old pro.
 
#3 ·
Yep, have always heard it was temp too, but was reading a fishing mag the other day that had crappie spawn based on average hrs of daylight so wondered it there was any truth to it. Figure longer days, equal warmer days, equal warming water so all the same I imagine. Hear crappie at San Carlos are hitting, and since it's further south and lower in a tad warmer area, Rosey must me any time now, but I'm new to crappie fishing in AZ. Sure seen some big ones from Roosevelt and want to catch some!! What temps are we looking for and what is it now?
 
#5 ·
OK. We won't call you "old pro", but we'll call you crappie pro then, Bill. :wink:

I'm planning on going to either Rosy, Bartlet or Pleasant this Saturday, but not sure which one yet. Me and my buddy will take his brother-in-law from LA and we will try to catch some nice size slabs if possible. Anybody have any info whether which of these 3 lakes are producing slabs right now?
 
#6 ·
VU, hope your wrong. The last crappie I caught at Rosey where full of eggs, so lets hope they finish spawning.

Sam, No pro here(LOL) but if where going out to catch some nice slabs I would go to San Carlos or Bartlett

Coherent, water temp 68° or warmer
 
#9 ·
If they are spread out what is a good search bait? I have read a lot about people trolling at 1-2 M.P.H. but if they are up in the brush getting ready to spawn then it seems casting would be a better way to get your bait in front of them? When they are inactive do you fish slower and smaller? Or faster for reaction bites?
 
#10 ·
casting at rosy the last two times produced very few crappie (I don't troll) back in 2005 when the lake went to 96% it was assume it started the last week in march and lasted for several months, you could not go to shallow to find them spawning I had numerous 75+ days and literally had the troll motor bump the bottom up shallow and then casted from there so the thought of them to spread out is not likely, back in 05 the weather heated up quick and then was stable, this year the weather and temps have been up and down like a yo yo, bartlett is doing the same thing right now and san carlos went off weeks ago but you have to remember carlos does not get the same fishing pressure and it is a lake that wont be permitted to go above 35% because of the dam being in need of repair, I think if rosy was at 35% etc it would be happening right now, last year at 55% the crappie went nuts mid march and I was sight fishing for males (it was a blast) and casting in the back of coves with a crappie every cast for what seemed like forever--and that was fantastic and the crappie were finishing up the main spawn by crappiethon time, I think it is a matter of time and if it holds like it has in the past the lake will start with spawning in the salt end then to the tonto end and move to the south coves etc etc, once it does start it should be a blast for casters, I search all the backs of coves on the salt end first in many cases casting a 1/32oz jig with BBC or JD if they are real real tight to the brush you can use the weedless jig but you will miss fish since the crappies mouths are so soft but it is lost fish versus going nuts tying on new jigs when it is caught up in brush under water and won't come off?? I hope to ck things out thursday if casting shallow does not work then "dupont" lures with 6-8 second fuses should work?
 
#12 ·
Seems like they were catching them good in Pinto creek and the cove just north. Shad seem to be there and spawning. FYI
 
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