Thread: Livescope

Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

I wonder how much of a role the shutdowns due to Covid have impacted fishing. Lots more people in the outdoors than there used to be. More people fishing means increased impact on fish. Pherhaps it is the natural ebb and flow of fish population.

I witnessed an estimated 40 anglers catch limits of crappie one spring. Limit was 30 fish over 9 inches. If everyone only kept 20 fish, that's 800 less fish that made it through the spawn. I would say the average that day was 12 inches. This was from a small area of a large lake. If this happened in 10 different bedding areas. The numbers really start to add up.

3 years ago on the lake I currently fish. We had spring flooding during when the crappie spawned. Enough that cities along the lake were flooded. If fewer numbers of fry survived or hatched do to the flooding . Less mature fish to catch now. This lake has. 10 inch minimum lenght. Most of the fish I have caught have been just under that benchmark. Most everyone is reporting the same sized fish. If people get to where they can't catch fish they will move on to something else. Then possibly the fish will rebound

Minimum length limits don't work on all lakes. Years ago Nimrod had a 10'' length limit and with Crappie over populated they stacked up just under 10'' . Even the biologist admitted this was a mistake as they were growing to slow with the high numbers competeing for the feed .

I have caught a lot of fish just short of 10 inches this year.

I think the wide use of livescope without slot limits is ruining our lakes. Soon a two pound crappie will become a rareity. I'd love to see a regulation where anything over 14" would be illegal to keep. Some guides at Sardis require customers to return all 3lb crappie after taking a photo unless they want a fish to mount. Several weeks ago, we caught 17 keepers at Arkabutla with no fish over 13-1/4". We've always seen 15" crappie when catching that many there. Same at Sardis last week, caught about 60 fish (mostly shorts) with nothing over 13". I don't keep big crappie but I really like to catch one now and then.

Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

You would think as a Guide you would want to ensure a healthy supply of large fish to let your clients catch, photo, and release. Otherwise it could be bad for business

A guide is not all about fish although it is a big part of his day. A good guide should be teaching the technique being utilized, the electronics, the thinking, the season, the movements, etc so that the client learns to catch fish on their own. At least that is what I do. I always ask if there is something specific you want to see or learn and I will spend time on that and then apply it so the client can catch fish and see that in action. Big fish do sell trips, but sometimes lots of small fish sell trips.
I utilize and teach livescope. I think someone nailed it about the greedy fisherman. Keep what you can eat.

Very valid point.

I think the technology is great. With that tech advantage, we need to be better stewards of our resource. My neighbor has a Livescope and I still consistently catch better fish than he does. That’s because I have spent countless hours fishing and scouting. I am planning to get a Livescope soon but I don’t want it to increase my numbers, but to more efficiently scout new waters. I usually catch 6 to 10 and quit for the day. If I want to keep fishing, I smash the barb down on my jig for easy release.
If crappie populations are being harmed, it might be time to reduce limits. A 10 fish creel limit would not bother me a bit.

I don’t feel that livescope if fully to blame for the decrease in numbers I feel that it is decreasing our number of big fish! I know people will hate me saying this but the shear number of “guides” we have around Grenada is what is killing our lakes it’s a double edged sword! Guys plugging away chasing the big fish with livescope then the guides plugging away 7 days a week at the numbers! Just my opinion


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These live scope threads amuse me. People say there is a problem and it is because of livescope, But openly admit, I won't release my big fish, because the other fisherman keep theirs. This ideology is the problem. Ask yourself honestly, Where does the problem really Lie? Livescope does not think for the fisherman, therefore livescope does not make a fisherman keep all the big fish they catch. Some fisherman seem to be using livescope as justification for all the fish they catch, thus stroking their ego. To me it seems that if you are willing to complain about livescope and yet still use it, then the problem lies with the fisherman's ethics and mentality, not the electronics. If livescope is such a problem, then the best solution to preserve the big fish numbers is to regulate keeping the big fish, the AGFC would need to regulate the possession limit to no more than 5 fish over a set length per day and the remainder of the limit would have to be 10"s and up also reduce limits back to 20 where 30 fish limits now apply.