10% of the Water?? How far will they Go!

[Lonnie84]

I've heard the old saying about 90% of the fish will be in 10% of the water; just wondering if there is any truth in that ole tail?

And if so, just how far will fish travel when on a good sized lake say 20,000 acres?

With today's technologies I would like to see more RF tagging to put some solid answers to these questions.

In fact I'd like to do a little on my own so I could just go straight to 'em.

[deathb4disco]

I've heard the old saying about 90% of the fish will be in 10% of the water; just wondering if there is any truth in that ole tail?

There's a lot of truth to it, and it applies to a lot more than just fishing. It's usually 80/20 rather than 90/10. It's formal name is the "Pareto Principle". Google it.

[CrappiePappy]

That's probably pretty accurate, if you consider that the fish are not going to be evenly distributed throughout the lake ... shore to shore & surface to bottom.

As far as how far one will travel ... one female in the KY Lake Tagging Study was reported to have traveled away from & returned almost 2.5mi from her eventual nesting area, in ONE day. But, overall ... I believe they tend to stay in a "home range" area.

[Ketchn]

a bud told me they (the state folks) tagged some with radio thingeez and ...the white crappie .....traveled about the same as posted above on nightly forays for food items .
I think this is why on some days they are on one pile or location and other days on the other end of the lake to some degree . sun comes up and its to far to go where they came from and they rest in whatever location until darkness comes once again .
one thing for certain if one eliminates the places they don't frequent and concentrates on the places they like one will stumble upon them sooner or later ....
10% of the water seems to apply in many cases to me ......large or small waters

[Cane Pole]

I believe the fish are where you find them. Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I don't.

[feelay]

I helped a University biologist by catching crappie for him to tag several years ago on Sardis. We tagged with radio transmitters and released at the dam. Next day, he tracked several of the fish almost 6 miles up the lake from where we released them.

[Cane Pole]

I helped a University biologist by catching crappie for him to tag several years ago on Sardis. We tagged with radio transmitters and released at the dam. Next day, he tracked several of the fish almost 6 miles up the lake from where we released them.

Interesting. I have been told by 2 marine biologist ( Tim Broadbent in Tn and Paul Rister in Ky) that crappie rarely roam more than 2 miles from where their spawn area. I also believe there are deep water fish and shallow water fish of both species. This is based on many years of fishing the same areas and also agreed with and told this by Paul Rister marine biologist Ky.

[feelay]

Interesting. I have been told by 2 marine biologist ( Tim Broadbent in Tn and Paul Rister in Ky) that crappie rarely roam more than 2 miles from where their spawn area. I also believe there are deep water fish and shallow water fish of both species. This is based on many years of fishing the same areas and also agreed with and told this by Paul Rister marine biologist Ky.

Surprised me. later on in the study, he lost track of several fish...don't know how far they went....lol

[Cane Pole]

Surprised me. later on in the study, he lost track of several fish...don't know how far they went....lol

Probably in someones frig in Illinois.

[Eagle 1]

I helped a University biologist by catching crappie for him to tag several years ago on Sardis. We tagged with radio transmitters and released at the dam. Next day, he tracked several of the fish almost 6 miles up the lake from where we released them.

Those fish knew if you were there ,K David would be there shortly . they left .