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Thread: Are They mad at the crappie or just unconscious idiots!!!

  1. #1
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    Default Are They mad at the crappie or just unconscious idiots!!!


    Two of us fished Hillsdale Lake today catching 29 legal crappie. I considered it a decent day of fishing.

    I again observed something that just grips the h*ll out of me. It is when the sublegals are caught and flipped into the water and left floating on the surface to be picked at by the gulls.

    To see the numbers of sublegals just floating and drifting down wind from groups of fishing boats just burns me when these fish could be put back into the water without leaving them floating.

    I'm just woundering if you other fishers around the country observe this while winter crappie fishing?

    Around the KC area when the fishing heats up the fishermen come out almost like they do during the spawn.

    Just curious is this a anal rententive attitude on my part or does anyone else share these sentiments?
    Last edited by CrappiePappy; 01-06-2006 at 05:48 PM.
    “There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide.” Ayn Rand

  2. #2
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    A lot of times when the fish are deep, they will not survive when put back in the water. Here in Texas there are several lakes that it is mandatory during the winter months to keep every crappie you catch regardless of size because they are sometimes 40 ft deep or more. It's kind of like a diver getting the bends if they come to the surface too fast.
    Scott

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    I'd like to hear how to "put back into the water without leaving them floating".
    Many states have winter months that you have to keep everything no mater the size. Makes since to me. I assume you know once you haul a fish up from deep water, their air bladder becomes overcome with air and they can't swim deep again. Don

  4. #4
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    A fellow told me that he closes their mouth and inserts them head first into the water. I don't close their mouth but I do insert them into the water head first so that they go a foot or two deep into the water and they swim off.

    I have done this on crappie that have been floating for 10 or 15 minutes and they have stayed down.

    I don't know if they survive or not but I don't see them floating on the water after this.
    “There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide.” Ayn Rand

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by LBM
    A fellow told me that he closes their mouth and inserts them head first into the water. I don't close their mouth but I do insert them into the water head first so that they go a foot or two deep into the water and they swim off.

    I have done this on crappie that have been floating for 10 or 15 minutes and they have stayed down.

    I don't know if they survive or not but I don't see them floating on the water after this.
    This has been my experience too - and not just in winter. Sometimes in the
    middle of summer they do this too. But if you can get them a few feet below
    the surface, they swim down and away, and seem to be ok... I tried something with a couple of dinks last time out - I stuffed the ounce and
    a half egg sinker on the line I caught them on into their mouths, then free
    spooled them back to the bottom - a quick jerk and it pops out. Don't know
    for sure that it's saving them, but they don't seem to come back up
    Shoals Area Crappie Association

  6. #6
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    J White....that sounds like a good idea, I may try it myself this winter. Thanks for the idea! :D

  7. #7
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    Never had this problem, most fish I get are in less than 18'. You guys ever seen those syringe looking things to bleed the bladders of fish. I remember seeing them used on saltwater fish on some fishin show. On this subject, it kills me to throw back a fish thats 1/4" short knowing it's doomed because it was gut or gill hooked. You try to remove the hook or cut the line but some your sure are not going to survive. You can't add them to your creel and chance a fine. This might add to some of the floaters we see also. izzy

  8. #8
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    Cane Pole is offline Crappie.com 2011 Man of the Year * Crappie.com Supporter
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    Default Good topic here....

    Dave Waters and I were talking about injured dinks. Sometimes they swallow the hook to their arsh. They usually bleeding before u boat em. I usually just cut the line, but I doubt they live. Hate to waste good fishes..Oughta be some goverenances concerning this. Dav and I agreed if there was a law that let u keep injured fish, that some scounderals would just injure them on purpose just to keep em. Catch 22 here.
    Member BS Pro-Staff and Billbob Pro-Staff
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  9. #9
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    I'm sure you guys are right on that. Some will try to bend a good rule to their advantage.

  10. #10
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    Sublegals? Got me there.

    Speaking of floating and/or injured dinks, that's one of the great things about nature - one way or another, nothing gets wasted. Other fish feed on them, birds get fed and if nothing else their decompositon will add nutrients back to the water.
    Quit Wish'in and Let's Go Fish'in
    Darryl Morris

    FAMILY FISHING TRIPS GUIDE SERVICE
    501-844-5418 --- [email protected]

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