Crappies go through cycles?

[slim1]

Does anyone know if a lake will go through cycles? By this I mean I was on a area lake and all the crappies which where a lot, where tiny. I mean 2-5 inches but hit like wildfire. This lake has been down now for the past 2-3 years for larger crappie numbers so that is why I ask the ?. Sunnies seem smaller to, but have seen over the past few year guys drag a lot out of the lake. thanks for info. Slim

[FishinChad]

I am not the best person to answer but my guess would be that if the lake does hold big panfish at times, it could be "cycling" from fishing pressure, or it may be possible to location on the lake you are fishing is where the smaller fish are, and the bigger fish are elsewhere in the lake. If the lake didnt have many big fish in it in the past, it could just be a stunted lake, in which it may never grow big fish.

[SWMuskeye]

Slim,

Is this a shallow lake that could experience winterkill every couple of years? If thats the case it can be a boom or bust fishery depending on the year and severity of our winters.

[Dances with Walleye]

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Does anyone know if a lake will go through cycles? By this I mean I was on a area lake and all the crappies which where a lot, where tiny. I mean 2-5 inches but hit like wildfire. This lake has been down now for the past 2-3 years for larger crappie numbers so that is why I ask the ?. Sunnies seem smaller to, but have seen over the past few year guys drag a lot out of the lake. thanks for info. Slim

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I've been keeping a detailed journal for a while now...

One thing I've noticed (Assuming their isn't a winterkill situation going on) is that the Pan fish and Walleye population is almost directly linked to the pike population...

The less small pike their are in a lake population, and the more big pike there are, the less likely the stunting problem is.

I've watched one small lake in the last 6 years, practice a selective harvest of pike practice... The entire lake association subscribed to it, and it appears to have completely turned the lake around, from being a 250 acre aquarium sized fish lake to being a champion pan fishing lake... Just by keeping smaller Pike for table fare, and tossing back anything over 22 inches.

[Cooter]

Years ago we fished Wapogasset every year and the crappies certainly varied in size from year to year. Not sure why, maybe good and bad spawning years? Anyways, if they were mostly small one year they would progressively get bigger in following years until you would again have mostly little ones with a few dandies. From what I saw the 'cycle' was usually about 5-6 years duration. Funny thing though is I haven't noticed that in other lakes.

[Black_Bay]

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Does anyone know if a lake will go through cycles? By this I mean I was on a area lake and all the crappies which where a lot, where tiny. I mean 2-5 inches but hit like wildfire. This lake has been down now for the past 2-3 years for larger crappie numbers so that is why I ask the ?. Sunnies seem smaller to, but have seen over the past few year guys drag a lot out of the lake. thanks for info. Slim

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I've been keeping a detailed journal for a while now...

One thing I've noticed (Assuming their isn't a winterkill situation going on) is that the Pan fish and Walleye population is almost directly linked to the pike population...

The less small pike their are in a lake population, and the more big pike there are, the less likely the stunting problem is.

I've watched one small lake in the last 6 years, practice a selective harvest of pike practice... The entire lake association subscribed to it, and it appears to have completely turned the lake around, from being a 250 acre aquarium sized fish lake to being a champion pan fishing lake... Just by keeping smaller Pike for table fare, and tossing back anything over 22 inches.

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You've figured out something that many people don't understand, including many in DNR fisheries. Congratulations!

BTW I'm not kidding.

[slim1]

the lake is lake Ripley in Litchfield and it does have a lot of small northerns in it, never seen winterkill but definitly the little northerns. I can hit all the spots that I had in the past and it won't produce like it had in past years so if we start to take the hammerhandles out will this help?

[FishinChad]

I grew up fishing Lake Ripley, camped at the campground every summer, I fished just about everyday. Back then there were alot of nice northern in there, but the couple times I have gone back, it seems to be FULL of dinky northern now, and doesnt seem to by "cycling" out of it. I think it has to do with the massive numbers of big pike that are taken out every year by campers. My cousin did catch a 23lb northern out of it about 5 years ago. I never got into slab crappies out there, did find nice gills, but I am sure the change in northern population is responsible for any change you have noticed in the panfish.

[fisherman-andy]

Hmmm. I'll share some info. I know of a small 10+ acre lake where none of the Crappies seem to get large lengthy wise. They are suprisingly very thick and fat but only about 7 to 8 inches long. It's been like that 4-5yrs now. I have never caught a 9"+ out of there. They seem to be eating really well. I would've thought to catch a larger one by now but haven't been able too.

The sunnies are definately stunted as they don't get any bigger either. The bass however are decent, and so are the few eyes.

Funny thing is I know of similiar sized lakes and they don't have the same problem. The panfish are large and in charge and the Crappies are slab quality. It just doesn't make sense much.

Another example would be Cedar in Scott County which is no secret I know has had 4-6 inch Crappies for several years now. Don't seem to be getting bigger but there are occasional large one present. But I guess fishing pressure and fish kill has contributed to that also.