Females with eggs.

[crappiepastor]

I'd like to get your opinions regarding females with eggs. I've noticed a lot of guys will keep large females that are full of eggs. I've always felt this is a big mistake as it potentially reduces the population. So, I never keep a female with eggs - but then I practice catch and release most of the time.

Years ago I fished for walleye a lot in Minnesota. Guys would bring back coolers full of walleyes until the lakes were all but fished out. It has taken years for the walleye population to recover up there. Now, I know crappie are more prolific, but I think we need to be good stewards of our fisheries.

What do some of the rest of you think?

[TapOut64]

I've read that you should release the males as they are the ones that guard the nest and without them the eggs will most likely be eaten by other fish. I also read that females can lay up to 30,000 eggs per pound. If you factor in how many eggs that crappie has layed in it's lifetime, keeping an older one with lots of eggs should not have any real negative effect.

[feelay]

I've been told by a wildlife biologist that it would be more prudent to release the males, I guess since they make and guard the beds. But he also said that crappie are such prolific spawners that it's not really necessary.

[blairarnold]

I've been told by a wildlife biologist that it would be more prudent to release the males, I guess since they make and guard the beds. But he also said that crappie are such prolific spawners that it's not really necessary.

I've heard and read the same thing. I don't know, though, whether it would make a difference on the northern lakes.

[yankee doodler]

For all the aforementioned resons.

[hnd]

most walleye fisheries unfortunately can not just rely on a spawn for their numbers and have to have a good stocking program as well.... however, crappie are an entire different story..

i keep about 100 crappie a year to eat and some are males and some are females...some are full of eggs....