5% Rule

[ifish]

I have been thinking about what a creel survey guy told me on Kentucky Lake while he was measuring my fish a few years ago. We where discussing how the fishing was that warm spring morning and I had just about got my limit that day when Rory said I was one of the few he had checked that was doing any good. I kind of puffed up a litlle thinking I had finally figured out how to catch the elusive crappie but I thought in the back of my mind I had gotten lucky. Rory told me that all the 28 years he had been a creel survey officer he had come to the conclusion that 5% of the crappie fisherman catch 95% of the fish and his records proved that point. I have been trying to think of all the reasons why the 5% do so well. Why do 5% of the fisherman catch 95% of the crappie?

[NIMROD]

That 5 % puts in the time to learn how, when, and where. Alot of the time they fish familar water and probably have put out structures or just know it.
Example , I have fished my home lake over 40 years and have over 400 cover locations on GPS. I've been accused more than once of netting fish after catching good limits of fish when the lake is busting most folks chops. I consider myself verstile and if small fish bite I move on. Some days I fish a full day when it starts bad instead of throwing in the towel. You study fishing and put in your time , you will be more successful.

[Crestliner08]

A lot of folks just go out and fish a spot that "looks good" vs. knowing it's good. Like NIMROD said, you just put in your time on the water and learn. That goes for any species you fish for.

[crappiedoc]

I have some similar numbers for you 10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish. Upon further breakdown it's that elite 3% accounting for upwards of 85% of total fish caught. Eerily similar numbers, are you that 3%?

[Rees Guide]

time on the water and experience. Know a young man down this way that told me last year, "You got to learn to think like a crappie". He is on to something there, fishing flood control lakes all my life I learned to think like a green carp and am now learning to think like a white perch. Water rising or falling what are the tendonsies? Same thing spring, summer, fall and winter. Why are crappie so fat and thick in the spring? They eat in a frenzy all winter is why. Yesterday was a tuff day for us on the water, we managed a dozen GOOD fish but we spent 7 hours with the poles out. Couldnt find a pattern but I marked a dozen or so waypoints for future reference that i quarantee you will catch fish, couple of em when the lake has fallen another foot or so and the others down the road.

[arkansasbowhunter]

Agree with nimrod

[Mrs. Crappie Stalker]

Maybe, if I'm blessed to live long enough and get to retire, I'll get to fish a lot more and be in the 5%. But then again, if I were in that elite top percentage, maybe it wouldn't seem as challenging. I catch enough to maintain interest and enjoyment in the sport and enough to eat when I want it. The more you fish, the more you learn and I'd love to spend more time fishing, but work, family and life's regularly thrown curve balls make it difficult to get out there as much I want to. But that's okay, because it makes me appreciate my fishing trips that much more. Speaking of, that eagle flying around us on Saturday was awesome!

[CrappiePappy]

Ifish ... maybe it has something to do with the saying that "90% of the fish are in 10% of the water". So, if those 5-10% of anglers doing all the catching, are fishing the correct 10% of the water ... they're most likely to be more successful.
I agree with the others ... those that do their homework & learn the habits & habitats of the fish they pursue, put their time in, and form a game plan considering the conditions at their respective locations ... are going to be in that upper echelon of successful 'catchers', more often than those that just "go fishing", or those that just go by "what the fishing reports say". (which is why we have the old saying "you shoulda been here yesterday" )

... cp

[crappielimits]

Many people can catch the fish. It's the locating and finding the pattern, thats hard for them. You can show a fisherman what you are doing and thye can catch fish till something changes, but have trouble adapting to changes. Many don't follow the fine details that explain why the fish are in the area, what they are feeding on, and most important what will they do next. It's important to know these things not only from day to day, but hour to hour. Every had fish just shut down mid morning then bite just before dark or the next morning? The fish are still there, but maybe deeper! You have to understand the why. Then you get into many other factors like color and jig weight. It just keeps going.

[deathb4disco]

Why do 5% of the fisherman catch 95% of the crappie?

This concept has a name. It's called the "Pareto Principle", and it applies to a lot more than just crappie fishing.