give em away or keep em?

[STUMP HUNTER]

Well said ShellQuacker.

[go dart]

my point is I commonly watch experienced/good fisherman keep fish with their only intention is to give them away. Keep all you want. There just seems to be a no release policy in effect specific to crappie. the females are already laden with eggs and can only bolster the spawn. Keep, eat, enjoy the fruit of your skill, just realize releaseing them is an option. They arn't badges

[rocket rich]

I guess I need to say one thing . I'm lucky to be able to fish as much as I want which is at least 4 days a week. retired 68 years old and have a cabin, that's another reason why I don't keep more than 5 a day and most days none. Sorry didnt mean to offend anyone.

[Michael D]

I release far more crappie than I keep, but sometimes I keep fish to eat or to give away either when I get home or sometimes when I am at the dock. I don't see a problem in giving away fish. I fish a small lake that has an over abundance of small crappie. I would actually like to see more people keep their limit of these small fish. Maybe if we could thin out these small fish (7" to 8" fish) then I am sure it would help our fishery. Crappie are so prolific; when the become overpopulated it takes a great deal of effort to get their populations in check.

[cityboy]

i dont release nothing not a 1 not even a shellcracker! but i can tell you my freezer never has more than 10 pounds of fish in it. so option1 i eat alot of fish
option2 i dont fish very often
( or reality option 3 i dont ever catch crap so when i do i keep them)

[crataegus]

Depends on the lake's resources--but I usually let them go. I really enjoy a beer-battered treat from time to time, but I generally prefer porkchops to papermouths.

[feelay]

I'm really big on catch and release . i even have a bumper sticker that says Catch and Release Crappie on my boat had them made at a sign maker $3. what any body needs a freezer full of fish I''ll never. Don't be a meat head and keeper more than one meal at a time my limit is 5 keeper's above 10 inches. Rocket Rich

Don't know about you, but I crappie fish because they are so tasty. Do you only buy the groceries you need for that day? More than likely, you have some beef or chicken in your freezer. If you're only fishing for the pull, you should be targeting a species that puts up a bit more of a fight like bass. I make crappie, venison, and ducks, when I can get 'em, a significant part of mine and my families diet. Turn 'em loose if you want ,just more for me to catch.:D

[8fishermen]

Don't know about you, but I crappie fish because they are so tasty. If you're only fishing for the pull, you should be targeting a species that puts up a bit more of a fight like bass.:D

I don't green carp fish, they don't taste good as crappie and they don't fight nearly as well as a striped bass. A stripe is still ticked off when you put him back!:D:D:D

I have elderly neighbors that are on a fixed income, they really enjoy it when I bring them fish and I know it helps with there grocery bill. I give them a lot of fish. we eat fish once ever week or two. All these fish consumed and I still release more every year than I take home. I guess it is all relative. Lots of people would look at what I take as excessive unless they saw what I released and what I give back to the sport. There are a lot of ways to promote fisheries other than just releasing fish.

[Billy]

For me its 10 over 10 or they go back in. Billy

[hnd]

there have been a few years where i've thrown away fish inthe freezer that was over a year old....i've adjusted over the years to where nothing in my freezer is 8 mo old let alone a year....