BIG CRAPPIES /small crappies

[crappie todd]

Bet that got your attention , Crappie fisher- persons..
A 12 inch crappie being about one pound. A black crappie that is. lets here from some folks and the length of the fish your catching. Then comment on the new 10 fish limit begining in May 2003.
Where I fish , my crappies all go back in the lake. My biggest this year was 15 inches. (released) the average is 10.
My position on the 10 fish limit is..... there should be slot limits instead. But I will abide by the 10 fish limit as I catch and realease anyways.
The new rule as to conservation officers inspecting boats will make some people take chances and keep more. Also, before it even begins, fisherman will say they didn't know there was a change. I look for the 1st year to be little change.
Crappie Todd

[Pig_sticka]

usually catchin craps thru the ice i get em around 10-11 inches lots of smaller ones on other lakes. but the main one is 10-11.

a 10 fish limit would be just fine with me. but as i said in a earlier post i think it should be like 10-15 crappies under a certian size and maybe 5 over that size. that would be the best. makes it so the smaller crappies get harvested and the sizes in the lake can still be kept. i dont really keep fish so the limit could be 1 fish a day and i wouldn't be doin anything different. i just love the fact that i am catching fish. i wish there were catch n release lakes, i would be all over them.

[Dano2]

I would judt love to catch ONE this year.
If anyone would be kind enough to share
lakes around the DL area and were to go for crappies, I would be pleased.
I tried the DL area section, but dont get much reply there.
about the limit on crappies I cant really say becasue I cant seem to catchem ice fishing.
But as far as sunnies, there just seems to be thousands of them so I dont know why it was decreased, but I'm sure they have their reasons.

[Ice Hole]

10 fish feeds 4 people anyways...If more than 4 people are eating, get more people on the ice I never keep more than 3 for myself.

[Guest]

Dano 2

I was in the D.L. area from wednsday last week till last monday. I fished mostly on Lyda lake (north) on this lake the craps have to be at least 11 inches. I walked out from the P.A on the north end broght home 5 keepers and a mess of sunnies. Went back on Sunday and got one dump l2in. and one l3 in. On sunday eveyone was driving out which made it a lot easier.
A.W

[fisherman]

I fish a private lake in central minnesota for BIG CRAPPIES we dont keep any unless there going on the wall over 17 inches. Most of the fish we catch are 12-14 with a decent number of 15-16. My biggest there is a 16 incher. Last year my brother got a 17 and a 17.5 back to back. The largest weighed 2.75 lbs a day and a half after being caught. This is the only lake I fish crappies because its not much fun for me to go out and catch a bunch of little ones. I'd much rather fish for walleyes. Will be at this lake in the next few weeks I'll send some pictures.

Good fishin'

Merry Christmas

[This message has been edited by fisherman (edited 12-24-2002).]

[knoppers]

fisherman, why keep them, get replicas made, they don't cost any more, plus the fish has a chance at getting even bigger. anyway those are some nice fish.

[almosthaddabite]

The lake I live on is producing lots of 9-10 inch fish due to a heck of a hatch a few years ago. There are plenty of 12-14" fish here too.

I think the new 10 IP limit is going to be a good thing. When the bite is hot it's very easy to get your 15. And I have noticed that, on the lake I live on, some guys will be there all weekend (3days) that's 45 fish. Five guys doing this on a 180 acre lake, well you do the math.

After 25 years of fishing this lake you can see the pattern. We have a good hatch, three years later the pressure is very heavy, 2 years later you see noone on the lake until the next good hatch. We have been lucky to have had 2 good hatches in the past 7 years. The bad part is that I have caught no "silver dollars" this winter.

[fisherman]

knoppers,
Do you know any taxidermists that make replicas that look as good as a mount. If I did I would much rather let the fish swim. I dont eat fish just love to catch them and throw them back. The only time I keep a fish is if it is really big fish for the wall.

Good fishin'

[Guest]

n ny. the limit is 25 and nothing under nine inches,this is a good limit because it keeps the small lakes from being fished out and get the abount small crappies out so there is more feed for the fish to get larger

[Cyberfish]

Phish, I think that would make things worse, with all the bigger fish going home in buckets, leaving only the smaller fish.
I think the ideal would be 5 over 9 inches.and 20 under 8, then you could keep enough nice ones for one meal, and if you want more, then you gotta keep the dinks.
More big fish, and less overpopulated stunted fish would be the result.

Just my opinion...

Tight lines!

Cyb ><{}}}}}("<....><!>------

[This message has been edited by Cyberfish (edited 12-25-2002).]

[Cyberfish]

Fisherman, IMO replicas look better than the real thing, and last longer too.
Now... How much would you charge to guide me for a day on this lake looking for a 17 incher catch photo and release only?

Set the Hook!

Cyb ><}}}}}("< ----><!>

[Guest]

FISHERMAN I was at the St Cloud sportshow last year and there was a guy there his replicas were out standing I believe way better then a mount and all he needed was a picture. Cant find his card but I am sure he will be back again. Pretty cheap as well.

I for one am glad to see the limits lowered it is to easy when the crappies are biting to have people come out and nail them.
Last year there was 53 houses in a bay on a 200 acre lake all catching limits of crappies for 17 days straight. Hows that math 53x2x15x17= not many left for next year. And what I found dissapointing is that everybody kept everything just to get there limit so they would not be embaressed to leave without one.
Ten 10 inch crappies are enough to feed my family of 4 so thats it.And remember there are plenty other species to eat? Call the fishery supervisor for your lake and ask him the best size to keep or release he will know and give you an honest healty answer

[Dano2]

Thanks alot angle worm,
thats funny becasue me and a friend were talking about going to Lyda next, or to Ida for some blue gills.
Could you tell me what depth you were fishing at, and how far out from the PA it is about, i dont have a vex.
hopefully next year.

thanks again

[BLACKJACK]

Crappie Todd, I would also like to see a crappie slot, with only one fish over 12 inch being taken home. Everybody talks about 'catching slabs' but if everyone is catching them and taking them home to eat, it doesn't take long for no more slabs to be in that lake.

I don't think that the 10 fish limit will make that big of a difference. Maybe I'm a poor fisherman but its not that often I catch over 10 fish (only once so far this year). More often its 4-5-6-7. Seven 10 inch crappies makes a nice meal for my wife and I. If I have her with and we start catching a bunch of fish, we won't keep over 20 because I don't like cleaning more than that. Anything less than 9 inches I throw back, just not enough meat on the fillets, let them grow for another day.