Thread: The Future Part 2

I don't know if a size limit will work on some of our lakes,because of the life span but reducing the limit sure would help.Hope everybody emails or calls this guy.

Originally Posted by mtnman

One example of needing a 10" limit is one night last summer my wife and I were tied up in the stumps down by the dam at oconee fishing under lights. Well here comes this guy and his buddy in a boat and they tie up 50yds from us. Had the whole place lit up with colemans. They fished a few hours and left with a cooler full. Was catching fish every time we dropped a minner down. But not once did I see him throw a fish back. All went in the cooler and all were about 8 inch fish or less. The wife and I caught a bunch ourselves but I threw them all back. Heck by time you cut the head off there's not much left to eat.

Those of us on the forum can only make a small dent in our problem,thats why we need to hammer the state to change these rules so everybody has to abide by them.South Carolina changed there rules this year to 20 per person and a 10 inch size limit.And other states have also.

I agree. 10inch may not work on all lakes. I only care for filets myself. I guess I am a sissy but I don't care to pick through bones. I like to take a bite and enjoy it. Lol! Even if we didn't do a 10inch limit I'm game for reducing overall limit to 20 as well. Leaves 10 more fish to grow and have a chance. Even if we went to 10" limit those that like whole fryers still have an opportunity to keep 10 or 11" fish to enjoy whole while at the same time helping those that enjoy filets.

if you like picking bones just don`t filey. my aunt would rather have the backbon evewn if you did filey.bone in any meat makes a better tast to me . i throw back small ones . becouse my wife will not clean them .
she wilnot clean the big ones either

Tennessee has a 10 inch limit and 15 count...................

there aren't enough wardens to enforce if it was to go. the only people that it would effect are those of us that follow the rules to begin with, and from what it sounds like we all already have self imposed limits. its a great idea but i feel it will have no effect on the future.

That is true but there are a lot more law abiding fishermen than just the ones on this forum. I tend to over think things so here is my equation... if 50 people on a lake kept 20 fish instead of 30 just one time that leaves 500 extra fish in the lake. If those 500 happen to be females and lay eggs and 1000 of those eggs per female survive mother nature and predators and grow into fish then in 1 year you just added 500,000 crappie in that lake. Even if the number was only 50,000 you will have more odds of catching fish. Maybe i am overthinking this. Haha! In 5 yr thats 250,000. In oconee that would be 13 more fish per acre in 5 years. Thats how i try to look at things.

Originally Posted by EricP

there aren't enough wardens to enforce if it was to go. the only people that it would effect are those of us that follow the rules to begin with, and from what it sounds like we all already have self imposed limits. its a great idea but i feel it will have no effect on the future.

This is the truth...its been years since I have been checked by the Georgia DNR on the water or in the woods.