Ohio response to crappie limit questions

[SpeckWick]

This goes back to a thread I posted a while back about the possibilities of size and creel restrictions for Ohio lakes. The Division of Wildlife finally returned my email. I warn you, this is somewhat long, but I am impressed at the depth they went into to answer my questions:

The Ohio Division of Wildlife for years has had a strong interest in determining the potential that minimum size limits have for improving Ohio crappie fisheries. The first special crappie regulation in recent times was a 10-inch minimum size limit imposed at Delaware Lake in 1991. At the time, Delaware Lake had all the necessary conditions for us to predict a great response to the size limit: quite consistent recruitment of young fish into the population (unusual for most crappie lakes); very fast growth rates (they definitely had the potential to grow bigger if they weren’t harvested); and finally, it appeared angler harvest was excessive (approximately 60% of the adult crappies were being removed by anglers each year). However, we were disappointed after six years that the number of 10-inch plus crappies had not significantly improved. Furthermore, the majority of anglers were not happy with being able to keep only one fish over 10 inches when they had to release lots of 9 to 9.5-inch fish. As a result, we changed the regulation to a 9-inch minimum size limit at Delaware Lake in 1997. Although there have been some year-to-year fluctuations over the last 9 years, the crappie fishing at Delaware Lake has remained consistently good. Based on the success of the 9-inch regulation at Delaware, we examined crappie population data from other lakes to see if other lakes might benefit from a 9-inch size limit.



In 2001, we imposed a 9-inch minimum size limit on crappies at Caesar Creek, Deer Creek, Alum Creek, Tappan, and Seneca lakes. Of the18 lakes where he had collected crappie data in the late 1990’s, these five lakes had the crappie population characteristics (fast growth rates, low abundance of older fish) that best predicted a favorable response to a 9-inch regulation. The jury is still out on these 5 trials, but we should be wrapping up our evaluations of these regulations in the next year or so. For example, Caesar Creek Lake crappie fishing was excellent in 2003 and 2004, but painfully poor in 2005.



Since 2004, we have been conducting standardized fishermen surveys at lakes across Ohio to monitor anglers’ success. In 2006, the results of the creel survey at East Fork Lake showed that crappie anglers from May- July caught an average of 2.6 crappies per hour of fishing. This is quite a good catch rate for crappie anglers when compared to other lakes (e.g. 1.2 crappies per hour at Rocky Fork in 2006; 0.88 crappies per hour at Paint Creek in 2006). For 2006 at East Fork, the sizes of crappies harvested were as follows: white crappie—average 9.6 inches, largest 11.9; black crappie—average 9.0 inches, largest 12.2. This statewide data on crappie angler catch rates and sizes harvested will be important when considering crappie regulation changes.



When it comes to making decisions about crappie fishing regulations, we must also take into account angler attitudes and preferences. All anglers are not the same. Your message indicates that your definition of a quality crappie is at least 12 inches, or perhaps 2 pounds. Based on statewide creel surveys, many Ohio crappie anglers appear to be satisfied harvesting 8 – 11 inch crappies. Also, past surveys have shown that anglers at different lakes respond quite differently when asked the question “How important is it for you to eat the fish you catch at this lake?” Furthermore, anglers at different lakes have varying levels of support for minimum size limits and bag limits. The Division of Wildlife would be irresponsible if we didn’t consider all these angler attitudes and preferences when making decisions about crappie regulations. Given the declining trend in fishing participation in Ohio over the last 20 years, we must guard against imposing regulations that cause significant numbers of anglers to reduce their level of fishing, or give up fishing entirely.



Over the next 15 months, Division of Wildlife fisheries biologists will be compiling both population survey data as well as angler survey data in order to make recommendations about changing fishing regulations for crappies and other species. For crappies, we will obviously examine the results of crappie netting surveys and angler surveys for lakes across the state. Further, we will carefully examine the results from the 5 experimental 9-inch crappie size limit lakes to determine if they were successful, and then determine if any other lakes are good candidates for this regulation. Again, we must consider angler attitudes and preferences in the process of recommending new regulations. Although I can’t predict what set of recommendations will be produced from this process, I feel fairly comfortable in predicting that a statewide minimum size limit for crappies will not be one of the recommendations. Our statewide crappie population survey data shows that there are lakes where minimum size limits would have little or no impact at improving the quality of crappie fishing.

I'm not 100% sure I like the answer, but at least they've looked into it. By the way, I never said a quality fish had to be 12" or 2 pounds, just said that you rarely catch them here.

[CritterGitter]

Now that is some darned good information right there! I like it!

CG

[Bubba222]

Thanks for all the Information.

Bubba

[bttmline]

I don't believe it has to be 10 inches, even 8"would help. What I would like to see is a limit such as 20 fish per day. And this could even be 20 per boat so a pontoon with 20 people could not take 400. NOT MENTIONING ANY CERTAIN GROUP.
Tim

[jmk112]

I agree with a Creel limit of so many crappie per day instead of a size limit. This would do a lot more for a lake.

[SpeckWick]

Call me greedy, but I'd like to see both a size and creel limit. 9" and 30 fish a day maybe. I agree with the # per boat instead of per fisherman. But this horse has been beaten enough. It's not likely to change, and I'm gonna leave it lay. Just wanted to share the info the state finally sent me. Obviously, they care more about the money from fishing liscenses, gas taxes, trailer tags, boat registration and whatnot than they do the quality of fishing in Ohio. That's why the southern lakes will keep getting the money from our serious crappie anglers looking for better fishing. This state likes to run people off to spend their money elsewhere.....smoking ban for instance....

[GatorBait]

I think it is fine as it is but a 30 fish limit seems reasonable not 20

[AEFISHING]

I agree that a 30 fish limit per person per day would be good for all Ohio lakes. I am not concerned about a size limit. I don't know of to many crappie anglers that want to keep a crappie under 8 inches.