Peculiar, Self Imposed Crappie Limits

[Minners N Jigs]

But if he is big enough to fillet and make a good sandwich he is in trouble.

That's great stuff right there ! Ha ! "He is in trouble" !! You should have that made into a bumper sticker !

[LowePro]

It depends on the lake and fish population for me. For instance if im fishing a lake that i think is overpopulated or the biologist say it is, then I keep everything I catch to fill my limit. In my smaller reservoirs where crappie populations are high and will over populate if not kept in check, I keep a limit if i can catch em while throwing the bigger fish back. Now when fishing lakes that have the proper management and the population is where it needs to be I like my Keepers 10-14 inches and usually keep to 15-20 ish. My family and friends really enjoy eating fish, doing big cookouts, and fellowshipping. We even do a couple of church fish fries every year. So There is never fish in my freezer from one year to the next. We eat em all no matter how many fish I have in my freezer. Im not greedy in my opinion and I do not keep my fish, just so someone else wont catch em. I keep my fish because I love them and need them.

[BAMA S]

I let the state set my limits. I have so many request from people who don't fish for some fish. I let who ever fishes with me have first shot at the catch then I look at my needs. I have a fish fry for my bible study and usually three for family a year. My freezer never has more than a fish fry in advance. I find pleasure in taking others (especially kids) fishing and giving to those who are not able to fish.

[Cane Pole]

I eat what I catch. So, why am I fat?

[skeetbum]

First of all, great thread. This is how we educate one another on why we do what we do.
Second, I have a collection of some of what has already been said. I feel kinda out of place because I feel we are so darn good at what we do that it takes us no time at all to gather enough fish for a fry. I have seen and had folks with me that just gather fish for the sake of gathering fish. I have stated before that we have better technology than ever before. That in mind we can find em and stack better than ever before. I feel this is a finite resource that we need to protect whenever possible. I have 4 granddaughters and I want them to be able to teach their kids what I'm showing them now. We can already say that we remember when........
I mostly realize that this is my opinion and not that of anyone else or the majority. There are many times that I will release fish for several trips because I have some in the frozer. I have also taken a limit to benefit others because it is our job to take care of others. Neighbors, elderly, and others who use them to feed others en mass that are no longer able to do for themselves. Seldom, if ever, have I given more than I would have taken in a regular trip between me and whoever was in the boat. The look on the face of the person that runs a senior center that feeds folks for $4 a meal at most and turns no one away for lack of funds when I showed up with a limit of solid fish that will provide for those that cannot do for themselves. That is a payment worth more than hard currency. As you can tell, this is one of my weak spots.
As to large fish, I don't believe we can grow large fish from small fish genetics. Biologists have never directly addressed this and that bothers me, sidestepping the question is all I've ever gotten when asked of someone in a position to know the real facts. I have taken a few fish of real size in the past but now I release any of more than 13" and seldom keep more than my Queen and I can eat in a meal or two. I package them in 4 or 5 filet packs cuz that's about all we can eat at a sitting.
Mostly I realize that everyone's needs are different and I can not change things on my own. All I can do is state my opinion and hope that the ideas appeal to some and maybe change the way they think just a little. All of us have the rights dictated by the state as to how much we can keep, and following that is all i can hope for. We have all read of those caught harvesting everything that they catch and this hurts the fishery. I hope that what I do helps balance things somewhat.
All that said, lets go fishin---I hear they're biting. What you do with them is on you........Skeet.

[doggone]

I always leave my options open...I do whatever I feel like that day. Keep no fish,keep some fish,keep a limit (if I catch that many). No rules. I generally try to have some idea of what the population consist of in a lake by researching the creel surveys and the fisheries studies. If I go to a lake and I know that roughly 75 percent of the fish are 10" or less and I get into a year class of decent 9" fish and they are legal and I want some I will keep them. My overall preference is sort of a slot limit. I like fish in the 10 to 13 inch range the best. I think they taste better,and the bigger fish have larger bones in the lateral line and I have to cut them out or my wife complains. The general consensus now on most waters with some pollution is eat the small fish,the larger fish have accumulated more toxins. In general I try to harvest based on what the body of water needs to remain healthy or to improve the fishery. I have no interest in damaging a fishery. If biologist say they want some small fish removed of any species I'm their man. I can make a meal of most anything in the wild....country boy can survive.

[chulai1968]

I fish Sardis a lot, just once I would like to know what a limit looks and feel like.

[Ketchn]

I really don't have a set plan other than not exceed what the state says in the regulations if I chose to keep fish.
some spots I never keep fish
others I might keep a couple ..say 6 or so ....
and on a rare occasion in I keep a bunch ...say over 15 ....
I fillet them old school and prefer fish about 11 inches to fillet for eating
mind ya if we go and you want them then we might load up
I think in my case it depends on where and what my objective is on that trip and what water body I am visiting ....

[trypman1]

I keep 6 to 10. My wife and I both love Crappie. I like 10" or better, depending on which lake I fish. Some of the TN. state lakes do not have 11/12" fish on average. Many days, I catch and release.

[NJcrappie]

I only keep what I "need". My last few trips have been 100% catch and release. NJ allows 10 fish over 8" a man per day. 4-6 fish would probably be my average take home when I feel like a fish dinner.