Grenada changes GIVE THEM FEEDBACK

[sac-a-lait]

They are accepting public comments for 60 days I think and I'm gonna tell them TO OUTLAW THE YO YO's on Grenada too!!!

[izzysfishin]

I know it's absolutly none of my bee's wax. If they go to a 12" min length limit, I'll make a prediction. 3to5 years and Grenada will be full of dinks. You guys will be throwin back 200 to 300 5" fish to every keeper. Mark Twain here in Mo. is that way now and their is no length limit. Seems like once the dinks get a hold on a lake it just get's worse every year. From what i've heard and read about Grenada it must be an awsome lake, I hope they don't ruin it for you'all...izzy

[sac-a-lait]

There's been a TEN INCH min there for YEARS. So I think it can onyl help.

[Billbob]

it will kill the lake

[Tunica]

[QUOTE=billbob]it will kill the lake[/QUOTE


if it slows the southern migration to the lake ok

[CaptnT]

Mississippi officials try to preserve reservoir's colossal crappie

By Bryan Brasher
Contact
January 29, 2006

While gazing at the weigh-in photos from major crappie tournaments held recently on Grenada Lake, skeptics might wonder if the images have been digitally enhanced to make the fish look so big.

Crappie, after all, are known as "panfish." But it would take an awfully big pan to hold some of the giants people have come to expect from this 36,000-acre flood-control reservoir on the lower Mississippi River.

That reputation for producing gigantic crappie has spread like wildfire across the country during the past decade. And with fishing pressure at an all-time high, state conservation officials are proposing restrictions to ensure Grenada's status as a producer of monster specks.

On Feb. 7, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks will hold a public meeting to discuss potential new trophy management restrictions for Grenada crappie. Under the new restrictions, anglers would only be allowed to keep 15 crappie per person instead of the current state creel limit of 30 per person. The minimum length limit for crappie would be raised from 10 inches to 12.

The restrictions are as stringent as any you'll find in the country -- but fisheries officials say they are necessary to protect Grenada's budding reputation as a dream crappie destination.

"Grenada has always had big crappie because the fish there have a fast growth rate and they live for a long time," said Keith Meals, a fisheries biologist with MDWFP. "But with the fishing pressure increasing like it has, the fish aren't going to live as long. If people want to keep catching those big fish, we have to tighten the restrictions."

National reputation

Though Grenada has always been recognized as a big-crappie lake by devoted Mid-South anglers, the lake didn't gain widespread notoriety until the late 1990s when the national tournament trail, Crappie USA, began making frequent visits.

The winning weights for Crappie USA events on Grenada were so impressive that anglers from around the nation began taking notice. According to state surveys, the fishing pressure at Grenada doubled from 1997-2001. It has since doubled again from 2001-05 -- and many of the anglers are coming from far away.

"I heard the other day that a group from Canada was down to fish Grenada," Meals said. "People don't travel from places like that to catch 3/4 -pound fish. They're looking for the big ones."

A popular T-shirt sold in marinas and bait shops around Grenada sports the phrase "Grenada Lake: Home of the 3-Pound Crappie." Tournament results show the shirts mean business.

A Crappie USA event held on the lake in March 2004 produced four crappie that weighed 3 pounds or more. The Crappie USA tournament held on Grenada in March 2005 produced 11 crappie that topped the 3-pound mark.

During that 2004 event, Tiptonville anglers Ronny Capps and Steve Coleman set a Crappie USA record with 10 fish that weighed 25.83 pounds -- an average of 2.58 pounds per fish.

That record was broken during the 2005 Crappie USA event on Grenada by Rick Solomon and Mike Walters. The Ohio fishermen caught seven fish that weighed 20.46 pounds for an average of 2.92 pounds per crappie. Their catch included four crappie that weighed 3 pounds or better.

"I don't think there's a lake in the country that Crappie USA anglers get more excited about than Grenada Lake," said Crappie USA president Darrell VanVactor. "In my mind, it is the No. 1 lake in the country for big fish right now. Our fishermen get excited at the mere mention of Grenada."

Most in favor

Those who operate the marinas and bait shops around Grenada Lake also get excited when they experience an influx of crappie anglers -- and many are in favor of new restrictions to ensure the lake's continued success.

"I get a lot of business from out-of-state fishermen," said Gary Collins, owner of Collins' Bait Shop in Grenada. "Those folks can catch crappie anywhere. They come here because they know they have a chance to catch big fish. I don't have a problem with it at all if it will help the lake."

That sentiment was echoed by a majority of anglers questioned during a recent state opinion survey.

During the survey, more than 500 crappie anglers were asked about stricter regulations in the face of the increasing fishing pressure. Of those surveyed, 93 percent supported stricter regulations.

Meals said he suspects any voice of opposition to the new restrictions will come from local anglers who would prefer a return to the good old days when they had the lake to themselves.

"There are certainly some locals who don't like seeing all of these folks come from out of town to fish the lake," he said. "With stricter regulations, they feel like they're being punished to help keep the out-of-towners happy. But we have to manage the lake as best we can for everybody -- and in the end, most people will be just as happy with 15 crappie that measure 12 inches as they would be with 30 that measure 10 inches."

The public meeting to discuss the proposed changes is scheduled for Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. at Hugh White State Park in Grenada. If approved, the new regulations will take effect March 23 – just in time for the peak of the annual spring crappie spawn and just two days before the next scheduled Crappie USA event.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GRENADA'S PAST

Results from Crappie USA events on Grenada Lake illustrate the lake's crappie-producing prowess:

September 17, 2003: Grenada hosted the Crappie USA Classic -- and though crappie were running smaller during the fall, anglers caught 22 fish that weighed 2 pounds or better.

March 27, 2004: Tennessee anglers Ronny Capps and Steve Coleman set a Crappie USA record with 10 fish that weighed 25.83 pounds -- an average of 2.58 pounds per fish.

March 26, 2005: Ohio anglers Rick Solomon and Mike Walters broke the previous year's record with seven fish that weighed 20.46 pounds, an average of 2.92 pounds per fish. Their catch included four crappie that weighed 3 pounds or better. The tournament field caught 11 crappie that topped the 3-pound mark.

STATE SURVEY

During a recent survey by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks, crappie anglers were asked about stricter regulations in the face of the increasing fishing pressure.

Of those surveyed:


93 percent supported stricter regulations.
Of those who supported stricter regulations:


30 percent wanted a higher minimum size limit only.

5 percent wanted a lower daily limit only.

65 percent wanted both a higher size limit and a lower daily limit.
CAN'T MAKE IT?

[Cajun_Sac-a-lait_Killa]

Hell Im for it...keep the big crappie coming...Id rather catch 10-14" crappie over any amount of 10" any day. I just hope it dosent backfire, and over populate the lake with small fish...I think a slot limit, like 1.9lbs{15"} to 2.5lbs {17"} crappie would be better for keeping Large Crappie numbers up...Thats how they managed the Redfish in LA years back...now there's Hog's everywhere.

[stickum]

You can call the Fisheries Dept. in Jackson, MS @ 1-601-432-2207 ask for Bubba Hubbard or e-mail your comments/feedback to: [email protected]

[Kit Papermouth]

Here's my two cents.

It's hard to say what the effect of a 12" limit would do to this lake. If it is true that the Crappie live longer and most will get to the 12" size limit, there probably won't be a problem. Crappie in Grenada get to 1 lbs. in three years. Most lakes Crappie take 4 yrs or more to get to the 12"/1lbs. mark. The farther North you go, typically the slower the growth. (The exception is hot water lakes with power plants)

It's easy to say that size limits will hurt a fishery by comparing it to past negative effects on size limits on other lakes. But all lakes are different in their forage, cover, size and genetics of the fish.

i.e.
When I was living in Illinois, Clinton lake had large crappie when it first opened. After a lot of fishing pressure the large ones disappeared. They instituted a 9" limit and the size improved. When they moved the size limit to 10" there were a lot more dinks and it hurt the fishery for many years. They moved the limit back to 9" and the size improved.
What happened with that lake is the fish stall out around 9" and it take a few more years for a fish to get to 10". This created an over population of fish around 9". You could catch a lot, but couldn't take them home.

Another factor to take into account is how consistent the spawns are in each lake and how is the water level being managed during the spawn. My understanding is Grenada has consistently good spawns.

I think we can all agree that quantity limits help more than anything. I've heard of pick up beds filled with Crappie in the old days when the fish were spawning. This couldn't be good for the population.

Regarding Tourism:
I'm Traveling 9 hours from Missouri to fish the lake for three days. Why? I want to get a pictures of me with a Crappie over 2 lbs. It's the best lake within a days drive to catch a crappie of a lifetime. Let the big ones go and keep some 10" - 12" crappie for the frying pan. On my home lake Table Rock I hope we get a problem with Tourist coming in to catch 2 - 3 lbs. Crappie. I'd like to have that problem.

Keep in mind that most of these tourist are average Joe Fisherman that aren't proficient at catch crappie unless it's during the spawn.

I say the only way to find out if a 12" limit would work is to try it. If it doesn't work, change it back.

Overall though, It's been my experience that when Man tries to manage nature, nature can through a major curveball affording man a swing and a miss.

Just an opinion.

[PieEye]

You're fortunate to have state officials that care about crappie. Most biologist think that crappie can't be managed and that it is either boom.. or bust for the year. They are considered "bread and butter" fish with little or no trophey value. It seems they are waking up to the fact that big crappie bring big crowds. Crappie fishing as become the most atractive to new fisherman. I know some died-in-the-wool bass guys have swithched because that sport has become blood and guts. ramble...ramble..ramble......

The best thing about the change is that if it doesn't work... it can be changed. I would like to see some of those freezers checked. OMG... how many fish can a fella eat. Anther thing that may be regulated is pole numbers. "spider rigging" was invented to replace techniques used by commercial fisherman. That would be a clue. Here in Illinois... most lakes are two poles... 4 hooks. Trollling limits otherwise are three poles.per boater.