Biggest crappie that anyone has caught

[CrappieJohn]

Decoy.....if you go to the ice forum and scroll to the bottom of the first page you'll see page numbers listed on the right. It is listed in page 7 right now, but things move very fast on that forum and you may have to go back further depending on when you read this.

[Kylersk]

You're looking at it in my avitar. It was 12" and 3/4#. First year Ice fishing, so it's a start.

[Sergeant Slabber]

Biggest landed is a 15 1/2" white crappie from Minnetonka. I say landed because I know I have had bigger fall off in the hole. I hate when that happens!

[99ranger]

I have two of them on the wall a 16.5 incher that was 2.8 and a 17 1/4 inch that went 3.4 Caught them a week apart four years ago next week.

[lars0926]

In 2003 I caught two crappies that were both 20.25". In fact, I caught them both on the same day. Surprisingly, neither weighed over 4lbs. One was 3lb 8oz and the other was 3lb 5oz. Out of the same body of water though, I did catch a 18.75" fall 2003 that weighed in at 4lb.3oz. During fishing that same day I broke one off at the side of the boat (yes I have a witness) that appeared to be at least 23" long (and just as fat). The lake is 33 acres, gets down to 59' deep, and has no fishing pressure besides me and the occaisional guest.

[bigbucks]

My biggest one was 13 1/2", but weighed a 1 lb. 8 oz. caught it on a wally diver fishing walleyes. It is on the wall, it has a big scar coming up from the underside between the tail & the bottom fin that the taxidermist was able to preserve, which adds some character. I assumed it had been grabbed by a big northern at some point.

I've caught several over a pound before, but none quite as big as that one. Strangely enough unlike another poster said most of the times when I've caught big ones, they were mixed in with smaller sized crappies, maybe averaging a 1/2 pound or less, not tiny ones, but certainly not big ones. One year we were getting a lot of crappies in September & you'd get one or two big ones per outing & the rest would be just nice eaters.

[lars0926]

When you get into crappies (not necessarily ice fishing), try to move outside of (deeper) and try your luck. I've found that crappies have a hierarchy of feeding, and often the bigger fish are outside of, but near to, the medium and smaller classes of fish.

For example, a favorite spot of mine in the fall, is a drop-off about 18'. Around dusk I can always get a good bite of 8"-12" fish. If I can keep the boat positioned, I like to vertical jig my way up the entire water column in the 20 yards past the drop. That's where I ususally pick up the bigger 12"-16" fish (almost always suspended). This same system has worked for me in many lakes, especially any of the mid and late stage mesotrophic lakes.

[PikeTipper]

14.5" for me but that was on Red. Other than Red I would say about 12".

lars,

Sounds like I need to bribe you into taking me fishing.

[Powerstroke]

This summer I caught a 14" crappie out of a very overlooked metro lake. This lake is part of a city park. I haven't figured it out on the hard water yet though.

Als oI fish a 50ac. lake near Mille Lacs where we've realeased hundreds of fish over 12" including a 16.5" fish this summer. We have a pic of me holdingmy 14" fish and my sisters fiance holding the 16.5" and they look totally different. Both black crappies, but the appearance is amazing.

[Bobb-o]

my personal biggest was 17 1/4 at my cabin, when i was fishing for bass with soft plastics. Couldnt afford to get it mounted so i snapped some pics got the measurements let her go, and i will get a graphite when i can afford it.

[muskybuck]

I saw what they said was a 5-6 pounder and I believe it. It was 34 years ago in Oklahoma in the back of a small pick up truck. It seemed to fill up the bed of that truck. I wish I would have run for the camera but never thought of it. It was caught out of a farmers stock pond. The width across the back was at least 4 to 5 inches and I would hate to guess on the length but like I said it more that took up half of the small pick up bed. God's truth.

[CrappieJohn]

Gotta love it MB. Been waiting on this. Now, was this a ranger, s10, or a full sized with a short box?

[efgh]

My father-in-law and myself used to go to Brainard for the croppie tournement they had in late spring, it always took a 2lb. plus croppie to get in the money, my brother was along the last year they had the contest, it was rainy and cold and windy, he caught one just under 2 lbs, wouldn;t weigh it in, would have won first place as a 1 /3/4 lb took top money. my personal best was a 2 1/4 lb croppie I caught on Gilbert lake just on the outskirts of Brainard in front of the swiming beach in winter 20 years ago.

[muskybuck]

It was a small truck.

[crappiefishnfool]

Mine is 16 3/4" and it is on the wall..most crappies i catch are around 13-16". and i know that a moderator can speak for me..just ask Fishmeister86 in the rainy lake forum. Also i have pics..feel free to view them. Fishin Pics Well Hopefully you will believe me but i know what i have caught and hopefully someday you too can catch some big slabs!!!

[cyberamish]

My biggest was a 2.5 lb slab that I caught trolling for Walleyes on Upper Red, in 1976! There were big slabs in there back then, but nobody (but the locals) went after them. I remember when I got the thing up to the boat we all thought it was a Sheeps head!

[decoy]

fishnfool,

Did you catch those crappies on Rainy Lake?

I never get up around international falls..... Nice pics.

decoy

[freighttrain50]

me and my old lady (20) caught a pair of 15.5's in a matter of minutes on day. i have also caught 16-16.5's which i have released. my good friend caught a 18.5 incher that he kept and is getting it mounted. a lot of these fish have come from a lake with an hour of the cities. you just have to put in your time and work at it.

[lars0926]

For those of you interested, a crappie in the State of Minnesota that achieves a length of 16+ inches is, in most cases, a fish at least 10 years old. Most crappies do not live past six years old. Crappies move in four-year class cycles (more in some very large bodies of water).

Here is a comparison of age to length common in MN:

Years 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10+

Length 3" 4" 6" 7" 8" 10" 13" 1 4" 15" 16"+

[Matt Johnson]

Great info lars! Can you drop me an email...

[email protected]

Thanks

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Corey Bechtold]

lars, if that scale is correct, that 33 acre lake that you caught those 20+" Crappies would have to make them older than me! Either way a 20 inch Crappie seems unfathomable for our cold waters. Do you have any photos of the Crappies you caught?

Corey Bechtold

[Matt Breuer]

Lars, sounds like you're a crappie magnet!

A lake that I took Matt J. and Corey to holds large numbers of crappies in the 12-16 inch range. The chart would make those fish all over 6 years old, disputing your theory on most fish not living beyond 6 years, in this lake anyway. I've only seen 10 fish under 12" maybe.

I will second a request on the 20+ inch crappies, I would love to see 'em!!!

[crappiefishnfool]

Decoy-

Yes those crappies are caught on rainy lake. I will be heading out in the morning for a few slabs. Thanks about the comment on the pics. I will be getting some more pics on there. We just got the digital cam for x-mas, so i have to find time to get some more fishin pics and get them posted. Just keep checkin, i will get some more pics soon. If you enjoy catchin big slabs, come fish rainy lake, Lots of slabs and big ones at that!! Most Big slabs caught in the winter on rainy are caught on the canadian side of rainy. But that is ok for me cuz i married a canadian and the father in-law has a cabin on a bay that produces those big slabs. Come try out rainy some day!!

[lars0926]

Matt & Corey, I don't have pictures of either of those, but I can do you one better. I have video. I'm almost strictly a crappie fisherman and I know the difference between getting an 15" fish and a 20" fish. I've told Matt Johnson the exact lake that I've been working at that is producing those fish.

With regards to the age, I will stand behind my findings. You'll also find some quality studies by ichthyologist that support the age and length that I've quoted to you. Most crappies do not live past 6 years. Sure, both you and I have caught a number of fish in that 12"-16" range. Those fish are exceptions to the rule, and are usually eight years old. The only exception that I've heard of are some examples of quicker growing fish in resevoirs. There are resevoirs and empoundments in the south where the fish do grow faster, but not here in good old MN.

P.S. I'm going to leech February 4-6 on the hunt for crappie. I'll video is for FM/iceleader.

[LOWinEYEin]

Lars, the graph makes sence, the DNR states that the crappies in URL that are being caught are from the '95 hatch, which would put the average caught (14-16")to be about 10 years old year or so give or take.

I'd like to see a pic of that 20"er too..and fish the lake of course