Peculiar, Self Imposed Crappie Limits

[Minners N Jigs]

Any of you guys have any peculiar, self imposed limits when you're catching crappie to keep for your own family ? On the majority of the Arkansas waters I fish we're "allowed by law" to harvest up to 30, which is awesome ! However, I never have kept that many. Partly because I don't usually catch 30 good en's that I would want to keep, but I have on occasion. When I am keeping fish, I set myself a few parameters: Minimum of 10 fish. Maximum of 15 fish. I don't keep fish under 10". I don't keep fish over 2 pounds.

With that being said, I have kept both types of fish that I "claim" to not keep. I have also kept fewer than 10 fish on occasion, (7 good en's being the fewest). I've kept 9" fish. I've kept 2+ pound fish. To stay within my parameters I have a couple of things I do. First of course is catch fish. I put anything and everything over 10" in the livewell to begin, and I just fish. If and after I've got 15 in the livewell, I begin my culling process as I add another fish. I begin by releasing anything I have over 2lbs, (after snapping a picture of course). If or once, I don't have anything over 2lbs in the livewell, then I cull the smallest fish I have. This is just by (eyeball method). I never put a shorter than 10" fish in the cooler early. If and when I keep a short fish, (assuming it's legal to do so) it's later after I already have "some" fish but not yet my 10 fish minimum.

I didn't have any legit reason to come up with this, other than, I have a family of 5 and we can eat 20-30 filets in one sitting so I package and freeze my filets accordingly and this limit fits the bill. Prior to coming up with rule for myself, it made meal planning a little tricky, this seems to make it easier. As far as my 10" minimum and 2 lb max.... That's just the size fish I prefer for table fare.

*Disclaimer* I'm only sharing for the purpose of sharing. I have ZERO, NADA, ZILCH issue or complaints with folks keeping whatever their state limit allows. Whether it's 30 8" fish, or 30 state record fish, this is not a thread condemning anything that's legal.

So, do any of you guy have any peculiar self imposed limits ?

[rnvinc]

I strive to keep my fish alive ...

Simply because I release them if my day consists of less than 5 legal fish (regardless of size) ...

Rickie

[Bartman]

Here's my parameters.. No more than 25 and only keep 9.5-10.5 inchers in the fall.. Reason being, I clean them old school with fillet knife. I just can't get all the rib meat with an electric. The rib meat is my favorite part!! I don't want to clean anymore than 25 at once. I only keep them in the fall once the water drops below 55. They just taste better than in the spring when reproduction is on their mind. 9.5-10.5 are my preferred size for eating. We catch plenty over 10.5 but I like to put that gene pool back in the water and let someone else try to catch them.

[NIMROD]

Only set rule I have is 10'' min even where there is no length limits . I only jig fish and mostly verticle jig brush , stumps , and stakebeds . Try to keep limits every trip and usually give them all away to those I fish with or old folks and neighbors . As long as spider riggers and yoyos are used in a lake I refuse to release legal fish for them to catch . Would like to release them all some trips if it would help and was not lots of folks trying to catch them every way possiable that will not release them. Even more so the big ones but with folks dragging 8 or more poles with double minnow rigs or yoyo fishing to fill freezers, don't seem like it would do much good to let them go.

[huntinslabs]

I keep a minimum of 7 fish and max of 25(limit), unless another person is with me who also wants fish, and mostly 10"-12" fish with a few over 12" for grilling and blackening. Won't keep under 10" unless hooked deep and will die, under 8" and Osprey food if hooked deep.

[blue-jig]

On KY Lake we have a 10" min. and 30 fish limit. I usually throw them back and don't if I don't have 5 or more. I think 10" is a good min. I have tried to clean fish under 10" at Reelfoot and personally I think they are too small to mess with.

[fishervet]

I like to catch at least one fish per outing....only keep what I have room for in the freezer...never more than what we can eat over a 2 night meal...I like this thread.Thanks.

[Cmj]

I never keep fish unless my freezer is low or I have promised someone some fillets, OR I am with a client. My family doesn't eat a lot of fish, so a few Spring catches will last me all year. If I am keeping fish, then I dont discriminate too much on size. If not, then I am after the bigguns and I dont care too much about numbers. I am normally just looking for a few thumpers to photo and release.

[INTIMIDATOR]

I only keep fish over 11 inches and never over 15...I fill 2 freezers when the water is still cold before the Spawns. Then I catch and release the rest of the year,...unless I want a fresh batch in the Late Fall.
Trophy Fish go back into the lake,....I figure if they managed to survive that long, I feel they deserve to try and live longer....I'm not gonna be the reason that they died!
I also give back to my lake, we have dropped cover in it for the last 10 years and pick up trash a couple times a year!

[scrat]

I am a fish eater. I don't keep the small ones very much unless they are hurt. My Wife don't like fooling with small whole fish just fillets. But if he is big enough to fillet and make a good sandwich he is in trouble. I very seldom catch a limit but do keep and eat what I catch.