Releasing big fish

[micorps]

Not sure for crappie but have read studies in the past for walleyes that say they are not fertile once they reach a certain age/ size. Who knows honestly, seems you can find anything these days that fit one side of an issue or another.

[scrat]

Never heard of anyone releasing any fish when I was a young boy. Then came along Vergal Ward , Bill Dance and other Bass fishermen that put TV shows on throwing back big bass . Then came along the Bassmasters tournaments and they threw back fish alive or it was points against them. Then rich people started to hunt and fish and most quit playing golf to do so. That's when hunting leases and sporting goods like guns and boat prices when through the roof. They just want to catch trophies they don't even care to eat the fish. Now they are crappie tournaments starting and now they want to keep the big fish as trophies. It is not really to help the fish population it is just a deal like the deer clubs saying you can't kill anything under a 10 point on our club and it has to be a 5 or 6 year old. I said all this to say I am not a rich man but a meat eater and I eat crappie,bass, catfish, deer,turkey,etc. so please don't ask me to throw my supper back in the lake.

[bandchaser]

I release crappie over 13 bluegill anything around 10 goes back and bass around 18 .It's just what I feel I can do to help alittle .

In my humbled opinion, releasing the bigger fish is not helping. There is such a thing called fish mortality, and they will eventually die I'd not caught by someone that throws it into their livewell. Average crappie lives 4.5 to 7 years here on Ky Lake. And that age will vary plus or minus depending if your north or south.

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[lowe175]

Not sure about all that has been mentioned but I do know if you put 6 crappie in a smaller lake or pond in 2 years you will never catch them all out of that small body of water so how can you catch all the fish out of a large lake or river.

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[doggone]

Not sure about all that has been mentioned but I do know if you put 6 crappie in a smaller lake or pond in 2 years you will never catch them all out of that small body of water so how can you catch all the fish out of a large lake or river.

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It's not really an all or nothing proposition . It's really just about improving the overall quality of the fishery. Improving the number of fish caught per outing and the overall average size of the fish.Also when you improve the numbers and make sure they have adequate forage the fishing gets good enough that the average or novice angler can have better success,not just the guys who know all the best spots and use highly effective catch methods. It use to be a lot of people had good success bank fishing from spots that a person may be lucky to even catch one now. Reelfoot lake use to have so many crappie they commercial fished it with nets.Some of these reservoirs had a fifty fish limit and sometimes the average size would be 14" or more.Just does not happen as much anymore.And if it does it's usually highly skilled anglers. Years ago some anglers about the only fishing they did was spring crappie fishing and they would go and fish one or two poles and never get out of the creek arm they were staying in and catch some pretty impressive limits of fish. With a cane pole and red and white plastic bobber a crappie rig and minnows.

[Yaker]

Never heard of anyone releasing any fish when I was a young boy. Then came along Vergal Ward , Bill Dance and other Bass fishermen that put TV shows on throwing back big bass . Then came along the Bassmasters tournaments and they threw back fish alive or it was points against them. Then rich people started to hunt and fish and most quit playing golf to do so. That's when hunting leases and sporting goods like guns and boat prices when through the roof. They just want to catch trophies they don't even care to eat the fish. Now they are crappie tournaments starting and now they want to keep the big fish as trophies. It is not really to help the fish population it is just a deal like the deer clubs saying you can't kill anything under a 10 point on our club and it has to be a 5 or 6 year old. I said all this to say I am not a rich man but a meat eater and I eat crappie,bass, catfish, deer,turkey,etc. so please don't ask me to throw my supper back in the lake.

Dang Scrat,we must be cut from the same cloth.

[lowe175]

I see your point but I'm thinking that might have a lot to do with the increasing in fishermen. I remember the days when you could fish any brush pile and catch a mess of crappie but back then you might see 5 boats all day. Now you can't find a place to park you boats trailer on a weekday and forget about Saturday. Like I said I see where you're coming from I'm just not sure if it will make much of a difference. I'm blessed to have great fish in my home state of Alabama and I hope it stays that way.

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[cevans]

If you guys want to release your fish in Indiana me and Billbob would greatly appreciate it so that we could catch bigger ones to eat. Just let us know where your releasing them please.

[try'n hard]

I put back a 16 1/4" Saturday - it hurt but I just don't want to eat one that big. She was full of eggs. Don't care if y'all do or don't - just me

[Gabepeeps]

Crappie don't live long, 5-6yrs, so keeping monsters is ok. They won't be alive next year.