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12 a p c s hor e l i n e s.c om | 2017 Vol :1 crappie into Weiss Lake every year. The state's hatchery can produce about 500,000 hatchlings in a season, Holley says. That production can be equaled by about 15 pairs of crappie. A mature female crappie can produce 30,000 to 350,000 eggs a year. "Our hatcheries can't even get close to what can be produced naturally," Holley says. He adds that surveys indicate that fingerlings released by the state make up only about 2 percent of the total catch in Weiss Lake. Professional crappie guide Mark Collins says there is a pattern that results in successful spawns. "Over the years, they've noticed a trend that when we have wet winters and high spring water levels and hot summers, we have a good spawn," says Collins, a guide on Weiss Lake. The heavy rains sometimes make good spawning habitat available to the fish, Holley says. Then, the dry, hot summer weather promotes the growth of the zooplankton that crappie fry feed on. Catching spawning crappie and bass can be difficult. Both species shut down their feeding activity when spawning begins. But some of the best fishing occurs immediately before bass and crappie spawn. "The peak time for fishing covers about a week before the spawn," Holley says. Both species of fish move into the shallow water as the water temperature rises into the high 50s. They feed aggressively in anticipation of the spawn, when their feeding activity will cease or decrease. The sunfish species – bream to Southern anglers – don't really need help with their spawn. By the time they spawn in late April or early May, water levels have usually stabilized, Holley says. Species like bluegills spawn multiple times during the year, usually on the full moon from April through August. So many variables affect the spawn that it's hard to know just how much impact stabilizing the water level has on fish populations, Holley says. But he does know that it improves the chances for a successful spawn. "We have a really good relationship with the Department of Conservation and support them in efforts they feel benefit the fish community," Anderegg says.