If I measure crappie, it's mouth closed, tail together instead of flared, and COVER the line, of course I made my line at 9&1/8"------ BUT hopefully the fish I catch you can just LOOK at them and know they are over 9" but it doesn't always work that way. I've been checked a few times and the Warden has always looked at my fish and has never measured any, the people I know of and have seen get tickets for short fish were keeping anything over 6".