What's a keeper?

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Just kind of wondering what everyone considers a keeper size fish to eat when ice fishing?

would like to know on these fish.

1.Perch

2.Walleye

3.Blue Gill

4.Crappie

[PerchJerker]

For me, the best keepers are fish that someone else has offered to clean

Otherwise, the fish I keep are usually perch that are 8 to 11 inches, and walleyes or saugers that are 13 - 18 inches.

It's not too often that I keep sunfish or crappies, and if I do they're usually metro-area potato chip-size fish that my kids want to keep.

[Rope]

I'm like PerchJerker,whats free is OK with me I keep 12"crappie,18"saugeye,6"-7"gills and redears.Don't get yellow perch here,sure wish we did.

[Walleye Guy]

10 Perch

14 Walleye

8 Sunfish

11 Crappie

[marshmallow]

I MYSELF LIKE TO TAKE PICTURES.. "SELECTIVE HARVESTING".. C.P.R CATCH PHOTOGRAPH RELEASE.. FOR THE ONES TOO BIG TO EAT TOO SMALL TO MOUNT.. THIS MOSTLY WITH WALEYE N NORTHERN.. I LIKE TO KEEP SOME MEDIUM SIZED PANFISH FOR ME AND MY GRANDMOTHER.. I DONT HAVE KIDS AND NOT MARRIED.. I ICE FISH EVERY WEEKEND, SO THAT IS WHY I LIMIT MY KEEPINGS.. I ALSO WILL SHARE MY CATCH WITH MY FISHIN' PALS.. 8-10 PERCH 14-20 WALLEYE IF NO SLOT 6-9 GILLS 10-13 CRAPPIE.. I HAVE A 15 1/4 CRAPPIE ON THE WALL..THIS WINTER HOPE TO CATCH A 16 OR 17.. SOUNDS DELICIOUS RIGHT NOW, FRESH SUNFISH OR WALLEYE.. SOON..

[AndyM]

10"+ Perch

15"+ Walleye

8" Sunfish

12" Crappie

[BobT]

Perch 10+

Walleye 16 - 19

Bob

[crazyice]

Perch 15"+

Walleye 25"+

Sunfish 11"+

Crappie 14"+

Just kiddin'

any perch over 9" will usually see the pail

Walleye it's hard to beat a nice fat 18"

Sunfish are great at 8" and over

and crapnecks are darn nice eating at anything over 10"

[polarsusd81]

For me, I tend to throw the biggest back and keep moderate sized fish. For Perch and Eyes/Saugs I am with PerchJerker on the sizes.

For bluegills, I tend to keep em at 6.5 up to 7.99. If it hits 8, I am going to let it go, especially on a metro lake. Crappies I keep from 9-11 maybe 12. I know most people will keep all the big ones but I like to think I could do my part and put some back hoping they make it to the spawn.

[JimBuck]

16-19 on the Walleye. I CPR everything else.

[Far-I]

Walleye 13-19 inch

Crappie up to slab size ('cept one nice one i mounted)

bluegills (not to picky) not too small and not too big

rainbows 13-16 (maybe a little larger or smaller if i've been skunkin' it lately)

[cRaPpiEMaN8265]

Gills- 7-8"

Crappies- 8.5-11 inches maybe 12 depending on lake

Walleye- 13-18 if no slot

Perch- Junk fish i get very little meat off even a large one unless on Mille Lacs then I will keep em

Ryan

[hanronson]

Depends on how long its been since I've had a fish dinner. If its been awhile, the numbers are 9,12,6,8. If I have had fish to eat recently, the numbers go up an inch or two each.

[Esox_Magnum]

Walleye 14"-17"

Crappie 10"

Gills 8"

Perch 10"

[skee0025]

14+ for the eyes.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

'eyes, 14-18 20 is the absolute max.

'gills, 6.5-8. it gets to me to see big 'gills fried up.

crappies, 9-11

perch, 10+. i usually only fish them on mille lacs and i prefer not to release those fish brought up from the deep water. I would release 13+ if could.

[andrew chadwick]

crappie- 9-12

perch 9-13

walleye-13.5-18

bluegill, 7-8

Every once in a while a pike goes home. 20-24 inches. Never, ever any thing over 24 though. I don't keep pike when I fish the metro.

[OldBear]

Gills 7"

crappie 8"

Depends how hungry I am and if the fish are bigger to start with I'll keep the minimum higher.

[Lotwfisher]

crappie 8-11

walleye 12-16

perch over 10

no gills present

pike 20-24

[walleyewild]

Gills 7.5+

Craps 7.5+

Perch 10+

Walleyes 14.5 to about 18"

Still am looking for my first 30"+ walleye and then I would measure her and snap a photo and send her back to be caught again.

[Beege]

Live in Michigan so at least

15" for a walleye

24" for a pike

9-10" for gills

perch anything over 10"

[fish_on]

eyes' 14-17

crappies 9-11

I like to toss all the gills back. I wish the state would lower limits on all fish and put in slot limits for everything as well.

[Wookiee]

9 to 13 perch

8.5 to 11.5 crappies

7 to 8.5 bluegills

13.5 to 20 walleyes

20 to 24 pike

[Jesse Drummer]

I was told if you have to ask if its a keeper. you should throw it back! but i agree what toomuchfun said!

[dan z]

9-12 crappies

8-? gills

8-13 perch

15-21 walleyes

20-25 slimmer

12-? bucket mouths