Took Out A Few Crappie Munchers This Morning

[Eager Beaver]

Jerry doesn't have to explain himself to anyone here, And not only does he "do" but he also "teaches" as well. And very well I might add. EB

[BigKyd]

[QUOTE=Jerry Blake;1251370]

I'm here to educate you!QUOTE]

And we're so lucky to have you!

How does the old saying go, "Those that can, do - those that can't, teach"?

And those that can't do or teach.......manage.

[captcall]

You are correct - if I wasn't guiding I wouldn't be spending several weeks each year putting habitat in the lake.

You are also correct in that very few newly hatched crappie survive to maturity - with little or no cover for crappie (and many of their food sources) to hide in. However, the more cover that IS available for hatch-lings, fry, young-of-the-year, dinks, eaters, slabs and good-ole-biguns to hide and feed in, the better chances they all have of surviving and the faster they grow.

I've been putting cover in Lake Greeson for over 25-years - 15-years before I started guiding. The size and numbers of bass, crappie and bream are better right now than they have been since I started fishing the lake and "Old-timers" that have fished the lake for decades say it's in better shape than they've ever seen it. There's been a MAJOR improvement in size and numbers of crappie in the last 3-years since we've been adding habitat in large quantities - habitat that would not have been put in the lake if I wasn't guiding there.

So if:
my guiding = a major increase in habitat
and a major increase in habitat = a healthier fish population
then my guiding = a healthier fish population

Sorta makes a statement like, "The main predator for Crappie is Crappie Guides!" sound rather ignorant doesn't it?

There is a BIG difference between a Fish Attractor and Fish Habitat. A Fish Attractor makes it easier for anglers to locate and catch fish and can be made from almost anything that fish can relate to.

Fish Habitat provides cover (a place to hide and feed) for crappie of all sizes from hatch-lings to hawgs as well as cover for their food sources and in the long run makes fishing better for everyone. Fish Habitat has both dense areas for small crappie to hide in as well as open areas for larger crappie to conceal themselves in - not only to hide from predators but also to ambush their prey from.

Hello Jerry, we have never met or even talked on this forum, but I know who you are and all the great things you have done for Lake Greeson. I can sure back you up in what you say. I have fished Greeson since I was a young man startin in 1964 or 1965 and the lake has improved as far as catching fish and the size of fish caught more in the last 5 years than the previous 45 years combined IMHO.
I have sank lots of brush in Greeson over the years like many other fishermen there. But what you and some of the local agri classes have done with the fish habitat has helped that lake more than a lot of people know.
I would just like to say many thanks for what you have done.
Hope to run into you and talk a while some day, till then Thank you - Steve

[GRIZZ]

I'll bet few lakes are managed more effectively for specifically crappie than Greeson. I wish some of you guys could knock some sense into northern fishery management.

[Y-SLABS]

I'll bet few lakes are managed more effectively for specifically crappie than Greeson. I wish some of you guys could knock some sense into northern fishery management.

X-2

[Jerry Blake]

Hello Jerry, we have never met or even talked on this forum, but I know who you are and all the great things you have done for Lake Greeson. I can sure back you up in what you say. I have fished Greeson since I was a young man startin in 1964 or 1965 and the lake has improved as far as catching fish and the size of fish caught more in the last 5 years than the previous 45 years combined IMHO.
I have sank lots of brush in Greeson over the years like many other fishermen there. But what you and some of the local agri classes have done with the fish habitat has helped that lake more than a lot of people know.
I would just like to say many thanks for what you have done.
Hope to run into you and talk a while some day, till then Thank you - Steve

Hey Steve:

Thank you and you're welcome. Hope to see you on the water.

[creekslick]

I hope ya'll catch all of those stinking thing. They are fit for nothing.

[Jerry Blake]

I hope ya'll catch all of those stinking thing. They are fit for nothing.

Believe it or not, they are quite delectable in this recipe:

Striper Boil

"A One Pot Meal"

Fillet stripers and remove ALL the red meat.
Start with a large stock pot and about twice the volume of water as the amount of food you plan to cook. Add about 1/4-cup Louisiana Fish Fry Products brand Crawfish, Crab, Shrimp Boil seasoning per quart of water depending on how spicy you want your food.

Bring seasoned water to a rolling boil and add the desired amount of small
new potatoes and boil about 10-minutes. Then add the desired amount
of mini corn-on-the-cob, and boil an additional 10-minutes.

Remove the corn (if you don't want it real spicy), add chunks of striper fillets (in a basket if you have one), turn the heat off, cover and let stand for 8 to 20-minutes. After 8 to 10-minutes taste a piece of striper to see if it's as spicy as you want it. The longer the fish stays in the water the spicier it gets. Remove the fish and then the potatoes with a large slotted or screened spoon (if you don't have a basket) being careful not to break up the fish chunks too much. Drizzle with melted butter and enjoy!

If you're cooking for a large crowd multiple batches can be made using the same water.

[Slipcork]

Maybe y'all should try what Jerry has shown us here in Arkansas. I have met to head man at the AGFC at one of Jerry's Crappie Camp meetings, and they are now starting to use the info that has come from what he has done. Most lakes as they get older, they lose their brush piles, tree tops, and such.

That is why is you will try, and it is a lot of hard work, to put in as many condo's has Jerry and the others have, you will have the same kind of luck he does.

If there is a problem with the number of crappie being then out of the lake, then maybe the game and fish should change the daily limit. Or if I get to go every day I, or anyone else can keep a limit of crappie, if they are able to catch them. We pay our game and fish people here in Arkansas to do there job to tell us how many we can catch or kill.

Maybe you should work with you state game and fish people to improve your state.

[skeetbum]

I've never met Jerry, but I've read all I can about what he does, for both habitat and education. My home lake, Woods Reservoir, used to give up large fish in large numbers. Now that Father Time is moving on the lake is still a good producer, but the bigger fish are not around like they used to be. Doing something like Jerry does toward that end would help bring this lake back to it's former self. We not only would have the TWRA to contend with, but a military installation borders on the lake also. I have hopes for the future improvement of our lake, but doubt that we could get everyone on the same page. My hat's off to you Jerry, keep up the good work. Maybe I'll get to meet you and attend one of your camps. A man never has too much smarts.