New 12 inch Length Limit at Grenada Lake

[FW15]

At the February 21, 2006 meeting of the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks new sportfishing regulations were approved. The issue that generated the most interest and comments concerned a proposal by the MDWFP Fisheries staff to change the crappie length and creel limit regulations at Grenada Lake.

The Commission voted to have a new 12 inch minimum length limit (which is an increase from the current 10 inch minimum lenght limit) on crappie at Grenada with a creel limit of 30 fish per person per day. No more than 5 of the 30 crappie can be under 12 inches.

Responding to the wishes of crappie anglers, the Commission also approved limiting the number of poles for fishing at Grenada Lake to no more than three poles per person with no more than 2 hooks or lures per pole.

These new regulations become effective March 21, 2006.

Dennis Riecke
MDWFP Fisheries Biologist

[jfraley]

Having never fished the lake I can't comment on the size regulation other than to say that it must be one h*ll of a crappie lake to have that many over 12". However, I don't really see the reasoning behind the rod limit. They have a creel limit, why impose a rod limit as well? They have the same restriction a Weiss lake.

I'd like to hear your comments on the rod limit.

[crappierascal]

Of those 5 that can be under 12", are they still required to be 10" and above, or any size? Can someone clarify.

[TOMMY4UA]

im a spider rigger and the new number of rods law just made it were i will never spend a penny fishing on grenada.all that is doing is running people off.

[dockfishin]

I have fished the lake and there are alot of good fish there. I'm not sure why the rod limit. It seems to me the creel limit would be the most important factor in maintaining the fishery. There was talk about going to a 15 fish limit but I guess that got tossed out and instead they went with a rod limit.
The creel limit was the better idea in my opinion. Any lake, no matter how good, will only have so many big fish and when they are taken out it takes time to grow more. Seems like a 15 fish limit would have done more to help sustain quality fishing, (more than limiting rods).
Also the 5 fish under 12 inches thing is just plain confusing. We definitely need clarification on that.

[abarkley]

we've got a trip planned for the week before this change, and i know for sure that this will be my last one over there. i went over last spring and had a great time, and didnt even catch a lot of fish. we caught big fish, but not a lot of them. i thought to myself that this could be an awesome spring trip for me every year, but not now. i can almost understand the 12 inch limit to a certain point, but i dont understand the pole limit. if you want fewer fish caught lower the limit. i live in alabama and wont fish weiss and neely henry, because they have 3 pole limits. i'm sure that this will keep numbers trolling fishermen away from grenada from now on. i hope that the people who have decided this have considered the possibility that this could harm that community's economy. if you've ever been there, then you know that lots of people in that area make their living off visiting fishermen. i'm not just talking about bait shops either. congratulations to the locals who got their way. they can now single pole jig their spawning stake beds 2 weeks out of the year in peace. i hope it's worth it. try searching for fish multi pole trolling with 3 poles and 6 baits in God only knows how many acres of water during the prespawn postspawn summer and fall.

Next spring it will be Talquin here i come. i know you north florida boys will appreciate my money.

[J White]

abarkley, glad I'm not the only one who sees it that way!

[Crappisaurusrex]

I'm not familiar with the lake. But it brings to mind a resevoir here close to me. It s a water supply lake but couple of years ago they closed it to the plublic. So the wine and cheese crowd could sail around in the evenings without seeing any jon boat trash. (ranting) Do you think they are trying to cut down fishing on the lake?

[abarkley]

abarkley, glad I'm not the only one who sees it that way!

i'm glad i'm not the only one either. i can promise you something else. we're not the only two. i feel like this decision is going to cost that community some money in the long run and fill that lake up with small fish. it'll be funny as h*ll when they cant catch a 12 inch limit there in a few years.

[sac-a-lait]

Alright,

Here's how it's shaking out.

You are allowed 30 fish per day per person, of those, ONLY 5 per person can be under 12"...The 5 can be of ANY size. I doubt many folks will be able to go with a friend and catch 60 fish over 12", so we will have 10 to take home no matter what. Sounds like a pretty good plan to me. Better policy than before, 10" min at all times. An 11" Crappie can slam down a 5" crappie or shad.

The reason they took out all the poles? Who knows, guess they want to give the fish a chance.

Oh and the community is so small anyway that most of the economy is based on the fact they are on I-55 and near Ole Miss for football game revenue....NOT fishing...to a point. It ain't no Lake Gurrearo (spelling)...So easy with the threats of "Not spending our money down there".