Thread: Livescope

"fishing" pressure in general has risen to the point that reduced limits and slots should be applied on some lakes .
sonogram technology has made it tough on the big fish and to be sure the folks that guide take large numbers too .
in the past when a "big" fish lake name popped up in the "wrong" circles and it was a smaller lake , it was just a mere moment in time before it wasn't a big fish lake anymore .....
that was pre sonogram , AND now just look what we have ......

Originally Posted by NIMROD

Look at the big Crappie tournaments results . The young livescopers leaving the old pros in the dust for the biggest part .

this is so true , a bud of mine is a pro and he had to go out and get a sonogram unit to keep up .

I've read every comment here on this post and most have really good points that were brought up. As I have said here before, the average fisherman that has gotten into Livescope will see a dramatic decrease in the numbers of fish caught compared to their spider rigging days. They will eventually get more proficient with use. I personally, will release all fish much bigger than 1 1/2 lb and only keep enough for a fresh fish fry. I didn't always do this. I too kept all the big ones and had to have my limit every time.
I do live right on Lake Nimrod and have the luxury of doing this. I understand completely someone driving great distance or rarely getting off work to fish catching and keeping as much as they can on a trip. Yes, my Son is the local guide here on Lake Nimrod and fishes several crappie tournaments a year. He keeps what his clients catch daily to send them home with their catch but rarely worries about "limits" as a measure of their success.
Some days when he and I go out to scout for upcoming guide trips we probably won't even keep anything we catch. The biggest threat to crappie fishing with the Livescope is the mentality that You've got to have a "limit" of the biggest crappie you can pull out of a body of water every day that you fish.
How many livescope fishermen balance out their creel with a fair amount of sizable fish but also an abundant amount of the most plentiful size in the lake? For example, If your lake is full of 9 inch crappie take out 10 or so with your "limit".
I respect everyone's views. These are just my thoughts.

Some lakes overpopulated . With as much pressure as Nimrod Lake gets , a few releasing big ones is about like trying to put a house fire out with a kids water pistol . Used to see many days with no one on the lake but crowded more often than not most of the year . The lake is historically full of short fish . One thing the fishing pressure has done is fewer really short fish and lots 10'' . Draw back is few big fish and it won't change till pressure slows down . Fewer big fish on the lake than I have seen in over 50 years on this lake . Most lakes I fish in this area all are seeing less big fish . Only reduction in fishing pressure I can see is people going back to work . Crappie fishing has gotten so popular and Covid has more people with time on their hands . Most fishermen including some locals always kept short fish . This does help with overpopulation and stunting . The high numbers and slow growth just a result of spring flooding most years . The 10'' minumum the AGFC placed years ago just made things worse and once they saw this it was removed . If you want fish keep your limit of Crappie here and don't worry if you keep shorts . Some just want a good meal and it helps this lake . I just rather not clean them my self .

This is just my opinion and I can careless cause I don’t fish in Arkansas but do you think that maybe nimrod gets so much pressure because every other day you post pics of a cooler full of fish then you complain about the crowd well news flash if you post it they will come. And if your concerned about big fish versus little fish why not send some of the big fish back home and target the 10 inch fish. From what I see you always say you give the fish away to someone who can’t fish anymore and I’m pretty sure they could careless if the fish is 10 inches or 15 inches they just glad to have fish. I guess my point is you can’t complain about lack of big fish if your part of the problem.

Originally Posted by slabin

This is just my opinion and I can careless cause I don’t fish in Arkansas but do you think that maybe nimrod gets so much pressure because every other day you post pics of a cooler full of fish then you complain about the crowd well news flash if you post it they will come. And if your concerned about big fish versus little fish why not send some of the big fish back home and target the 10 inch fish. From what I see you always say you give the fish away to someone who can’t fish anymore and I’m pretty sure they could careless if the fish is 10 inches or 15 inches they just glad to have fish. I guess my point is you can’t complain about lack of big fish if your part of the problem.

I actually fish several lakes , fish other lakes more than Nimrod these days . I seldom tell which lake I am fishing . I share tips , tackle and methods but seldom share locations .. Don't matter if I release big fish when nearly all the rest taking them out . I know we released a good number of big fish on some lakes they are gone the next season . One lake I fish the fish and game tagged a bunch and over 1/2 the tags were turned in within a year . Fished a lake on last Sunday . We caught 65 good fish and never even put water in the livewell .

Originally Posted by slabin

This is just my opinion and I can careless cause I don’t fish in Arkansas but do you think that maybe nimrod gets so much pressure because every other day you post pics of a cooler full of fish then you complain about the crowd well news flash if you post it they will come. And if your concerned about big fish versus little fish why not send some of the big fish back home and target the 10 inch fish. From what I see you always say you give the fish away to someone who can’t fish anymore and I’m pretty sure they could careless if the fish is 10 inches or 15 inches they just glad to have fish. I guess my point is you can’t complain about lack of big fish if your part of the problem.

AMEN !!!! Well said and 100% correct !!

I think some of you guys not looking on facebook . There are thousands of Crappie fishermen hauling out coolers full of slabs ever week . A few guys releasing all their big fish is not going to help . . Tightening regulations only thing that will assure some lakes will have any big fish left soon . We will see slots and/or reduction of big fish in limits or slabs to be very scarce most places . I see just a fraction of the good fish I was seeing a year ago on several lakes . I posted lots of big fish to get our Game and Fish to take notice . They say they want people to catch fish and livescope is no concern . Bet they wake up soon just hope it is not too late . It will take most lakes 4 to 5 years to recover once all the big fish are gone .