The Big Crappie?

[CrappieMagnet]

I'm curious...Does anyone think the state record black crappie is swimming in one of our great lakes,ponds or rivers?

Our state record is 5lbs.
Vermillion River
1940

Where's the next state record coming from?
Is anyone besides me on the search?
Think about all the endorsements one could have if?

Any replys?

[Bogsucker]

No, and I wonder about the validity of the 5 lb record. I caught a Black Crappie a couple winters ago that weighed just short of 3 lbs, it was 17" long and by far the biggest I've seen. I would love to see even a honest 4 lb'er. if anyone has photos of an honest 4lb plus crappie please have them posted.

[CrappieMagnet]

Bald Eagle lake a few years back...1993..my neighbor,who is now deceased caught a 4lb.3oz black on a pink and white flu-flu.
Straight-up...and no talk.

CM

[iffwalleyes]

I am sure their is one out there somewhere in a lake that is bigger. But they don't get big by being dumb.

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Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes
[email protected]

[Guest]

Black crappie... hmmmm. If those crappies in the Cabelas tank get any bigger... then possibly-lol. Have you seen those things? Theres 3-4 that are pushing 18" as it is!. White crappie? Definately. Backwaters of the Miss will probably be the spot.

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-FNC

"get on the natch"

[uffdapete]

I would think there are a few 5 lb. swimming in MN waters - probably larger systems. The limiting factor would probably be if a crappie could get big enough before old age took them out in water this far north.
I agree there a few crappies in the tank at Cabela's that have to be all of 18". I've caught a few 16 1/2" that are not in the same league as those.

[SCCO9803]

I agree with FishNChester, probably in the Mississippi. I would be willing to bet there is a record fish for every specie in those waters.

[jimh874]

i have some pics from anouther sight that i have saved, a few 3 plus pounds and one 4 pounder. these crappies come from down in Mississippi except for one, i have a pic of a 17" pool 4 crappie.

down south they always run huge, two to three pounds.

i will send them to who ever can post them.

jim

[Kidd]

I agree with the Mississippi prediction. I have seen a few real pigs (of course on the end of someone elses line) get caught right here in the middle of St. Paul. I have to believe they were pushing 17 1/2 - 18 inches and we were fishing walleyes at the time.

[Guest]

I'm thinking Rainy Lake myself.

We saw some the natives had netted on the Canadian side that were 5lbs.

We caught many in the 3.5lb. range on #4 Mepps Spinners and #13 Rapalas!

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Chells

[dougger222]

A Cabelas employee said the crappies were brought in by a guy from Iowa who caught them in his farm pond. The employee also said another Iowa farm pond yeilded a three pound sunny a couple years back.
7/7/97 DNR netting on East Chain Lake in Martin County showed some interesting crappie numbers.
Two whites between 15-19 inches and one black in the same length.
The black was reported at 17.1 inches. The white as the DNR reported it, "the 17-inch fish sampled approached state-record proportions." In the winter of 2000-2001 the 6 foot deep 485 acre lake froze out. The next year only two small crappies were found.

[Bogsucker]

Sorry guys, no 5 lb'ers in Minnesota, not gonna happen.

[Bogsucker]

The IGFA world record Black Crappie is 4 lb 8 oz. there are also claims of a 5 lb 3 oz and a 6 lb crappie but I can find no official verification of those two. No 5 lb'ers in Minnesota!

[This message has been edited by Bogsucker (edited 01-21-2004).]

[jlm]

I believe there will be one over 5 pounds caught one of these days. With all the private ponds/lakes and controlled fishing pressure, it is bound to happen. All the above could yield that big of a fish at anytime. There are a lot of other little lakes out there that nobody fishes that also have some big craps. Records are made to be broken! I will be on the quest to do so! So will others! Good luck!

[Guest]

Bobb-o....
Just curious as to how you were able to fish Lower Red?

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-FNC

"get on the natch"

[Bogsucker]

Nope, not in Minnesota, no 5 lb'ers, never happen.

[Guest]

Back in the late 90's I was on Long Lake NewBrighton fishing from a boat. That summer the whole lake had record water levels from all the rain. I specifically remember trolling up to the creek mouth near the boatlaunch area to check if any fish were hanging around. The current was really coming out fast so I thought, hey...what a good place to scope out some smallies. I will never forget: I saw two smallies idling on the sandy bottom. They were around 4pounds or so. Nice Smallies. Then, I noticed next to them were two black crappies about the same size in thickness and were about 2 inches longer. I know they were crappies from the tail, color, profile etc. I couldn't believe it! I tried a few casts at them and they darted off forever. Shucks... I went home that day in disbelief. That's the truth fellows.. Believe it or not I don't care. I know what I saw and I am an accomplished fisherman of 25 years....

[Beckman]

I think it can happen, best chance is the same area as the current record... the Vermillion River/Pool 4 area.

How many times do you need to say it ain't gonna happen Bog?

[grouse_grits]

When me and my family went up to a lake called called bear island lake we caught a 16.5, 15.5, and a 15 incher. The biggest weve ever seen is a 17.5 my dad caught on the liou (St.Louis river)it was a decent sized crappie.

[Eyewitness]

While fishing the canal in Breezy Point that comes out of Moosal Bay on Pelican Lake back in the mid 70's I was sitting next to a fella who pulled out a black crappie that went over 4 lbs. There were at least 20 people there who witnessed it. He asked if we would watch his stuff while he ran to Marv koeps to have it weighed immediately as he was sure it was a new record. Can't remember the exact weight, but he said it was just shy by less than 1/2 lb. it sat in the freezer up front for all to view for at least a couple days. It was really huge. It would barely fit width wise in a 5 gallon pail. He almost lost it too as there is a wooden wall in the canal that you have to fish from and it is a grassy hill from the top of the wall up about 20 ft. at maybe a 40 deg. angle. It got off when it hit the ground and he pounced on it so fast it was amazing. Of course we were all so amazed that no one wanted to get in his way, just stare in awe. I'll never forget it. I do think that 5lb's is an incredible size for a crappie in this state though. Their lifespan is roughly 12 years in this cold climate and their growth is slow as well. I'd have to say that the Ole Miss would put one up if anywhere at all. I doubt Red Lake only because the competition for food in the bulk of their growing years there was too steep. Once the walldogs take over the food chain (think they already have) it will be even tougher on those big crappies in there. Sure would love to see another 4 lber in my lifetime though. It's surrealistic....

[Guest]

leech, crosby mine pits, millacs, rainy who knows, but that would be a battle on 4lb test with the ultralite, my knees are week already

[Bogsucker]

Beckman,

About as many times as people say it's going to happen. It's not going to happen, unless someone shoots a 500 lb whitetail in Minnesota, again. Nah, can't happen. And I still don't believe that the 1940 fish weighed 5 lbs! Not trying to be negative, just realistic.

Bogsucker

[dougger222]

Hard to believe the world record sunfish blows the world record crappie out of the water. I think the latest world record sunfish is in the 8 pound region. It was caught in the Carolinas were the record has been beaten a few times a year for a few years now. There calles shell crackers downn there and feed on clams in the lake. I read an article in Field in Stream a while back about Georgia giant sunfish that reach five pounds in farm ponds.
Guys, a bigger debate is if there's a new world record largemouth swimming around in the southern states. Many say NO some say perhaps.

[LocalGuide]

I would have to say someone will pull one out of red lake while walleye fishing in the future. After what was the best crappie fishery in minnesota, there will most likely be one that will hang around and be near the 5lb mark.
Just remember though, anything is possible!

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AKA PikeEye 300

[Guest]

Yea I hate to say it too but 5lbs? If there is a 5 it's in the Mississippi River or Rainy Lake. 5 lbs would that be a 20 inch crappie?