Crappie growth rate

[cache22]

'bout 10 weeks ago, all I could catch out of one of my honey holes were crappie averaging about 7 to 8". Went back yesterday and everything was between 9 and 10". Got me to wondering if this was a normal growth rate for crappie this size?? If they keep going, they will be ready to start harvesting this fall Thumbs Up. Anyone had any experience like this?

[CrappiePappy]

'bout 10 weeks ago, all I could catch out of one of my honey holes were crappie averaging about 7 to 8". Went back yesterday and everything was between 9 and 10". Got me to wondering if this was a normal growth rate for crappie this size?? If they keep going, they will be ready to start harvesting this fall Thumbs Up. Anyone had any experience like this?

LOL ... no, I don't think they grew 2-3" in 10wks. The dinks just left, and got replaced with slightly larger fish.

... cp

[feelay]

LOL ... no, I don't think they grew 2-3" in 10wks. The dinks just left, and got replaced with slightly larger fish.

... cp

+1

[deputyking]

I read somewhere that the crappie in Wheeler Lake here on the Tenn river grows to 9" in 3 years and that's why the size limit is 9". They live until 5 or 6 years.....

[CrappiePappy]

I read somewhere that the crappie in Wheeler Lake here on the Tenn river grows to 9" in 3 years and that's why the size limit is 9". They live until 5 or 6 years.....

Yeah, Deputy ... they grow that fast here in KY, too ..... just not 2" in 2 months Doh They might put on 2" in a years time, in some of the better waters, but they just don't go from 7" to 9" in any 2 month period. Usually, they get to the 9" range in 3yrs (growth spurt) ... then add an inch or two each year afterwards. Instead of just getting longer ... they also get bigger, as they get mature & are able to spawn. It also depends on how long a growing season you have in your state/waters. Northernmost fish live longer, but grow slower ... Southernmost fish grow faster, but don't live as long (on avg). And it also depends on whether you're talking about White Crappie or Black Crappie.

... cp

[NeonMoon]

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[sparkie51]

Genetics will have a lot to do with growth rates also.

[BigRiverMarine]

+1

+2

[Little Skeeter]

Did this happen to be near a Nuclear Reactor by chance? lol

[Tank 1]

Thanks for the link Moon. I was wondering this the other day when we were putting fish in the cooler. So I did a search here to find out the growth rate. I was feeling guilty for keeping numbers of large fish. It looks like a 14 inch fish would be roughly 12 years old.

What are the thoughts on keeping these fish? Do you keep them since they may be at the end of their life cycle or let them go because they will reproduce for maybe another year or two?