Thread: Restocking

Dee made the commit about the big 4 getting restocked as needed in a closed forum. I contacted MDWFP with the question, What lakes of the the big 4 have been restocked, what kind of fish and dates.
I guess I'm old enough to remember there was no limit, 100, 50 limits long before the 10" 30 creel limit. 500 to 200 to 100 hooks per boat to this new rule we have now.
I remember my dad standing in chest deep water at the Sardis spillway catching crappie when the water was low. Now they throw yellow tape up if it gets 3/4 that depth.
Nader spillway use to have some big stones, big enough for a small family reunion. We picked our stone and fished all day. Left with a #4 wash tub full of crappie. Back then no one sold ice except the railroad ice house which was closed on weekends.
At Enid, Long branch bridge. We tested the waters to find that 12' was ideal. After working on the barn at mom's place my son and I would stop at the Long Branch store for minnows. Get to the bridge and slide the boat in. Paddle out to the 4th piling, a rope from front to rear of the boat was centered on the piling bolts. Bait the hook, place rod tip where you wanted it while holding minnow. Drop minnow and watch the float. Just at the point of the float standing it would go under. We would leave when the minnows ran out or the 5 gallon bucket was full.

Originally Posted by canebreaker

Dee made the commit about the big 4 getting restocked as needed in a closed forum. I contacted MDWFP with the question, What lakes of the the big 4 have been restocked, what kind of fish and dates.
I guess I'm old enough to remember there was no limit, 100, 50 limits long before the 10" 30 creel limit. 500 to 200 to 100 hooks per boat to this new rule we have now.
I remember my dad standing in chest deep water at the Sardis spillway catching crappie when the water was low. Now they throw yellow tape up if it gets 3/4 that depth.
Nader spillway use to have some big stones, big enough for a small family reunion. We picked our stone and fished all day. Left with a #4 wash tub full of crappie. Back then no one sold ice except the railroad ice house which was closed on weekends.
At Enid, Long branch bridge. We tested the waters to find that 12' was ideal. After working on the barn at mom's place my son and I would stop at the Long Branch store for minnows. Get to the bridge and slide the boat in. Paddle out to the 4th piling, a rope from front to rear of the boat was centered on the piling bolts. Bait the hook, place rod tip where you wanted it while holding minnow. Drop minnow and watch the float. Just at the point of the float standing it would go under. We would leave when the minnows ran out or the 5 gallon bucket was full.

I was sure told that years ago when I took my son through the fish hatchery up there.

Originally Posted by Rees Guide

It's not Enid and that is where fish were introduced that maybe weren't native to that water.

I've always been curious about this. After the flood lakes were created did they have to stock crappie in the lakes? Or are these giant MS crappie remnants from an old genetic line of fish that were already in the rivers to begin with before the rivers were dammed and the valleys flooded?

Originally Posted by Snubbys

I've always been curious about this. After the flood lakes were created did they have to stock crappie in the lakes? Or are these giant MS crappie remnants from an old genetic line of fish that were already in the rivers to begin with before the rivers were dammed and the valleys flooded?

I would say the fish in the lakes were native to those waters. My father in law fished Turkey Creek and Scuna River before there was a lake and talked often about how good the fishing was. Keep in mind these rivers in Grenada had ferries at one point and sometimes some cargo traffic. In the delta all the rivers were used for cargo traffic, one bridge in Greenwood actually turned to get out of the way. Landfish Bridge over at Charleston was built very high to accomodate the traffic. It was a different world then, the flood control (much needed) changed a good bit.

Kind of my thoughts to John, my fishing partner and I have had conversations about this. We would talk about the old days before the lakes were made, I envision a bunch of folks catching 4lb crappie from the banks and not thinking a thing in the world about it, besides it being dinner. I remember in elementary school in Grenada we took a field trip to the Grenada Lake Visitor Center and they showed a film of Grenada lake being dammed, I have searched for that video, but cannot find it, guess I need to go back up there and watch it again. I do not recall them talking about the fish much, but then again I think I was only like 8 or so..

Originally Posted by bird down

I'm not as old as most u guys but I've seen a stripe or walleye on the big 4. I started crappie fishing in 97 and Enid was slam full of fish. We mainly jigged the under water brush piles in 5 to 6 fow. We could sit there on one brush pile and catch 20 fish. There are times I remember catching 50 plus keepers off of one brush pile. The fish were small in length but healthy. Back then you could keep 30 fish 10 inches or better. You didn't have to measure the fish. We didn't even have a ruler in the boat back then. Times have changed, I haven't caught 10 plus fish off a brush pile in a long time. The fish are bigger now though. Before I started my older friends tell me the lake had some really big crappie. I think the guide curve and the loss of structure really hurt Enid until they moved to the 12 inch size. Who knows, I'm no biologist

(think the guide curve and the loss of structure really hurt Enid until they moved to the 12 inch size. Who knows, I'm no biologist.)
BD, I think this statement hits the nail on the head for all 4 of our lakes. But especially Enid and Sardis.

Originally Posted by Snubbys

. I do not recall them talking about the fish much, but then again I think I was only like 8 or so..

They had TV's back then????


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Yes sir, bigguns took two fulled growed men to budge a 20" television back then in the 80's