Word of the Day: Zeitgeber

[ParrotHead]

Zeitgeber: An environmental agent or event that provides the cue for setting or resetting a biological clock.

Dafodils are the first flowers to pop up in the Spring. They bloom because of warmer weather, longer periods of daylight and who knows what else. Fish are using some of the same cues to migrate or move into the shallows or upriver to spawn or whatever their respective species are supposed to do.

The other day I told my wife that we probably would not get into the crappie in the shallow areas we were going to fish at Jordan during the Cub Scout Fishing Derby. When she asked why, I told her because the dogwoods haven't bloomed yet. Of course, she thought I was crazy. I don't remember when or where I orginally heard that the crappie don't move into the shallows to spawn until the dogwoods bloom, but I know it's always been the hint to go get some minnows. I know the crappie don't start feeling romantic when they see the pretty white blossoms. However, the natural zeitgebers that tell the dogwoods to go white or pink are the same indicators that make the crappie start singing "Let's Get It On".

I wrote all this to ask, do any of you either agree/disagree with the dogwood theory or know of other fish related zeitgebers?

Thanks!