4.5 pound crappies.

[harvey lee]

I stopped in a Hermies Bar,Bait&Tackle and the guy that sells bait showed me a pic of this crappie that was caught last week and he did weigh it and photo it.It was a huge slab.The guy would only say he caught it in the area and would not name the place.

[fisherman-andy]

That is huge! Congrats to that person. Last time I caught one that size was like almost 4years ago on the Croix.

[Matt Johnson]

I take it that fish was a black crappie? Or else we'd have a new state record white...

A 4.5 pound crappie is a brute! Very nice fish to whoever caught it!

[harvey lee]

Sorry,yes a black one.It was a dandy.I tried to find out what lake holds monsters like this but he said the guy would not even give him a clue.

We could have caught some real big ones and I would let you help me do it Matt.You could also be the camera man.

[Matt Johnson]

Tom,

You just let me know when and where and you can count on it!

[Deitz Dittrich]

I have a camera and a boat... I'll help find them big crappies!!!

[lars0926]

4.5 sounds big, but it's entirely possible even here in Minnesota. I did get one at 4.3 in 2003. I posted a couple of years back when I caught two 20.25". In the same lake though, I was up there last weekend and almost all were around 11.5". I think it's just a numbers game and the more craps you catch the better your chances of laying into a 15"+ fish, coupled with hitting the right year class on the right year. Both the 20"s I caught were in the middle 3lb area. That 4.3 I got though in 2003 was 18.5" and by far the fattest dump I'd ever seen. I'd betcha a dollar that the guy who caught the 4.5 was fishing a mesotrophic lake (maybe late stage). Those lakes have a tendancy to get some really old fish if the pressure isn't very heavy.

As far as age goes, I'd safely put a 4lb.+ crappie in the 14-16 years old. If you'd like more info, I highly recommend the book "crappie wisdom". I think the last printing was in the early 1990's, but you could probably pick a copy up at Amazon.

[jjohnson5150]

"mesotrophic lake (maybe late stage)"

Could you please explain what that means. It sounds like me need to find one.

[jjohnson5150]

I found this on some UK HSOforum, which explains it a little bit. So, in MN terms, would it be a farmland / prairie lake with a low sechi disk reading?

Mesotrophic lakes

Mesotrophic means 'middle-nourished' and is applied to standing freshwaters which have a moderate amount of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus). In reality mesotrophic lakes form part of a continuum of lake types, with eutrophic lakes having more nutrients, and oligotrophic lakes having lower concentrations of nutrients. Mesotrophic lakes are therefore productive, but not to such an excess that their ecology is dominated by algal blooms.

[DEADhead]

Quote:

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So, in MN terms, would it be a farmland / prairie lake with a low sechi disk reading?

---

sort of... you can divide the state into three sections based on bedrock composition/geology and its biome. For example, the arrowhead region is mainly granite bedrock and dominated by coniferous forest. As a result, waters will be nutrient poor and fall in the oligotrophic state. Waters are often crystal clear or stained from the tannins found in pine needles.

The Prairie sections of the state in the west and southwest are dominated by glacial till and moraine, as well as sediment deposited from glacial lakes. These lakes tend to be very fertile and are classified as eutrophic. These lakes are often very turbid and have a very high tendency to experience algal blooms.

In between the prairie and the coniferous forests (central and se mn) you will find the eastern deciduous forest, dominated my maples, basswoods, oaks, etc. Limestone and sandstone bedrock is quite prevalent. Lakes in these areas tend to be in the middle grounds as far as nutrient availability goes. These lakes are in the mesotrophic state.

here's a DNR map classifying state waters:

[lars0926]

I think deadhead's explanation works fine. There are many lakes in the state that are relatively flat and you find those in farm country (often this land was selected for farming because of flat/easy to till topography and those lakes tend to be, well, not as steep/deep). The fish in those lakes often grow slightly faster, but have a shorter lifespan. As almost an exclusive crappie fisherman here in MN, I like the mesotrophic lakes. The fish grow a little slower, but if you find these lakes with little fishing pressure, they can have fish that make it past 10, 11, or even 12 years in age. Those fish, from my experience, typically are large simply because of age. Unlike us humans, crappies can continue to grow in length until death. Like us humans though, you'll find some fish (regardless of length) that are fat and some that are skinny.

JJohnson, you asked about sechi disc reading. That's basically water clarity level which is influenced by nutrients. Interestingly, on the mesotrophic lakes I fish here in MN I see huge swings in the water clarity. For example, I've had times where I couldn't see down more than 5-6 feet, but I had a day in such a lake a couple of years back (sunny day) where I could see the bottom in 40' of water. In general though, the visibility is pretty good. That makes the craps more sensitive and difficult to catch (again, from my experience). Some of the best fishing I have in meso lakes is on cloudy (not rainy) days with a stiff wind.

P.S. This is not science, but experience. If you can find a mesotrphic (between Oli & Eu) and find one that is leaning towards Eu, and it has crappies, you have a better likelihood of finding some bigger fish. If you find this same lake and it is heavily spring fed, and has little fishing pressure, you can find some really big fish.

[SupaMan]

I use to catch many 4 or so pounders a long time ago. At least 16 years ago. Late at night, around 11 p.m. during spawning season they use to come right up to shore at this one lake. However, there doesnt seem to be any of those anymore... Those were they days, I tell yalls...

[Guest]

I have caught a few really big crappies in my life.. every one of them fishing for walleyes. 4 pounds? I doubt it, but my largest was a thick 19" crappie, followed by a 17.5" crappie at Laq Qui Parle about 10 years ago. Both caught on a blue weasel with the head of a fathead. couple years later I got a 17" crappie while my fiance got a 15.5" crappie at the same time trolling shad raps at Fall Lake by Ely Minnesota. Both fish swallowed the #7 shad raps on a troll.. big crappies are efficient feeders. I have caught tons of crappies bumping the 15" mark, and slightly smaller. Most of my really big crappies have been caught in pool 2, and lake millacs years ago. I have noticed that crappies average bigger in the prairie region of the state, but there are several northern minnesota lakes with big panfish.

I kept the 19 & 17, I never put them on a scale. I kept them to be mounted. I had them sitting in the kitchen sink after my fishing outing while a ran to a neighbors house to bring him over to show him the fish.. I got to show him *king size fillets* and giant crappie heads with skeletins attatched because my sister did me the favor of cleaning the fish for dinner! I actually had a tear coming from my eye!

They didnt taste very good btw.. very muddy.

[harvey lee]

That guy

There were pictures taken of the fish and the bait shop owner isnt a story teller. Its true. Those bigger fish never taste very good. Just like eyes, I keep the smaller ones to eat and the rest are released for someone else to enjoy another day.

[Guest]

Harvy Lee.. I wasnt doubting someone caught a 4 pound crappie.. I was saying I had serious doubls my 19" weighed 4 pounds.. over 3 most likely, 4, no.

There are lots of lakes and rivers in thi state capable of producing a true monster crappie... I wouldnt doubt the next record will come from Millacs from some musky fisherman throwing a chunk of wood, or someone throwing a rapala for a smallmouth. It could come from pool 2 next spring from someone dragging a ringworm or vetricle jigging a fathead. Maybe it will be on red lake caught by a guy who has a tip up out with a sucker minnow for pike.

There is a lot more swimming around us than we will ever know.