size and creel limits?

[alexava]

i posted or tried to post a similiar thread 2 days ago and it never appeared. but i have been wondering if i am alone in wishing the size limit would be raised to at least 10". i dont keep many 10" fish and no 9" fish. the creel limit of 30 is very generous and i would not oppose 25 or even 20 but if the size limit was increased it would help the catches for all of us imho. what i would not want to see is a limit in poles, lines or hooks. i think georgia does this and maybe other states. i have been 5 times this year and released over 100 legal fish, but i know people who keep them if they can stretch them to 9". i just wonder what other fellow crappie folks think. i do remember the days of 50creel and no size limit. i think the restrictions have helped. i almost only fish wheeler lake , no time to go anywhere else.

[Ditch Basser]

I usually only keep 10 inches or larger. Might keep a few 9 1/2 inch fish finishing up a limit. I say raise it to 10 or even 11!

[keith dodd]

I am with you don,t keep anything under 10" apply that rule to yourself it is bad to say but even if they made it law we dont have enough game wardens to enforce it. As far as the pole limit this never made sense to me what does it matter how many poles you use. If I use 8 poles and limit in 4hrs and someone else has 3 and takes them 8hrs the same # of fish get cleaned.

[MePreach]

x4

[RogerA]

10 inch size and a lower creel limit would be fine with me. I just hope they don't put any more pole limits on, they just don't make sense to me. We also need more enforcement of the laws we already have on the books.

[alabamaal]

A 20 fish limit sounds with then reason.Anything under 10 inches is desperate..Is far as game wardens go they must have to much free time on their hands already ?since they have time to harass arrowhead hunters walking the river banks.

[alexava]

i have been checked few times and only once did i have a fish that the game warden even take out of the cooler to measure. i know one person who has got at least 2 citations for small crappie. i also remember after his 2nd or 3rd ticket for fishing with no license the judge ordered him to purchase lifetime fishing license. yes i guess he is a rogue.

[Bob D]

I agree that a 10 or even 11" size increase would help the fishery. A decrease in creel limit to 20 or 25 would help too. When I first started concentrating on crappie fishing I was proud to see a 9" fish, now I rarely will go with the intent of taking anything that measures, just good quality 10"+ fish. It is amazing how big a difference that 1" makes on the size and quality of the fillet you get off that fish! The first time I fished Weiss with the 10" size limit I was amazed at what a great qualtiy batch of fish that turned out to be. I would not have a problem with different sizes on different bodies of water either, obviously it has helped on Weiss, look at MS they even have a 12" limit on one of their lakes that I know of. We obviously have water here in AL that could support those type of size and creel limits with the end results of better fisheries, with more and bigger fish for all!

[Mickeytred]

I also agree with a 10" size limit. I only fish Smith Lake and a 9" crappie is a waste of time and fish if you filet them. I would also like to see them stop stocking the lake with strippers. They are ruining crappie and bass fishing.

[[email protected]]

I agree with 10" but really hope the pole limits and 30 limit isnt messed with. 30 seems to be a perfect cookout for my gang on an afternoon.