Thread: Grapevine

Its real simple....fish with me or Wannabe. We catch our ONE fish and go home.....That's not by design, its just the way it works out for me. Ill let WB defend himself, if he chooses. lol

Seriously, though....I come down and partake in the spring frenzie at least twice a year, and for me, the uneducated crappie fisherman, soooo much of catching has to do with wind, weather, barometric pressure, COE messin with the water depth, some would say moon phase, and probably many more issues I have no clue about. NOW, there are those die hards (bless them) who, through sophisticated electronics, etc., can zero in on them quicker than the average, twice a year migrating crappie warrior, and good for them. But, restricted areas for spawn, and the like, seems like trying to engineer mother nature. She'll spank you EVERY TIME!! My heart of hearts tells me, fish, enjoy the day, the company and keep what you want to eat, but not over the limit. I usually keep 6-8 per day and release many more. Just me....and thats the way I'm wired. Maybe that makes up for the poachers, law breakers, and asundry folks with no character or morals when it comes to our 'sportsman's way of life'. Personally, I find much solice in reporting those kind of lawless folks....they make ALL of us look bad.

I thought spider riggin was ridiculous when I first saw it employed. I'll never to that, seems like cheating. Well, after going thru a bunch of 12 and 14 footers, and messing with just the right reel, seats, rod holders and extended nets, different magic techniques, and now waiting to try my new 16 footers, ...I have found riggin to be a hoot. Unlike Sat and Torch who have this thing down to a science, I catch a few fish, and spend 80% of my time untangeling lines, cussin and goin thru way tooo many cigars. But it is fun, no matter which way you roll on methodology.

Let the 'experts' tell what they will. Just hit the water, thank the Good Lord you are there, enjoy the day, and oh yeah....maybe catch a fish or two and make a new friend. And that's all I have to say about that........

I think a solution, which many may not like, is alternate closing the Big Four to fishing in March and April. One year, Grenada is off limits, the next year Enid, Sardis next, and Butla last or whatever. I think a few years of this will bring up the populations significantly. I dont think anyone will have a problem fishing another reservoir when one is off limits, since they are so close together. I know it's tough for some people, but sacrifices will have to be made to preserve our sport for our kids, their kids, and future generations. Natural resources are not UNLIMITED, and they can disappear very quickly if no sacrifices are made to protect them. A lake off limits for 2 months every four years is not going to cause anyone to go hungry. Just a thought.......................

Only problem I could foresee is the unintended consequences of over loading the other lakes during the time when a particular lake is closed. May, MAY, help one lake but really pressure the other lakes. Jus sayin.....

Blah blah blah blah and blah.

Some of you sound like a bunch of women griping and complaining because you ain't getting your way, because everybody don't fish the way you want them to fish, and because you're too afraid somebody else is catching more fish than you. 2014 was the worst year I've had as far as crappie fishing goes, and every time I voiced an opinion on how to ensure that I caught more fish in the coming years, my posts ended up being either closed or tossed in the No-No Zone that requires a special password that I neither know nor care to know.

What I did have to do was do some hard praying, and praise God, He told me to stop being so hard to get along with and enjoy living while I can. It allowed me to stop assuming that "they" were doing something "to" me. People fish. Some do it for fun, some do it for food, and some do it for both. If there is a problem and we can see it and if we feel compelled to take action, we should do what we can to fix it. In sticking to that, I read one really good idea: Be the one to change. If you think less fish should be kept, keep less fish. Tell others what you are doing and encourage them to do the same, if they like it. I think some of you made a suggestion that was more damaging than helpful.

I believe we need fewer politicians and fewer law enforcement officers. Any suggestion having more laws and/or more law enforcement officers as one of its constituent parts is unhelpful at best and damning at worst and should never be considered. Every stinking time something happens that we people do not like, we scream for more or stricter laws, or we say if we had more badges on the street to enforce the existing laws it wouldn't happen. Please, stop being such little girls wanting your Government to come protect you and your rights. Learn to take care of yourself. If you have a right, it is your right to ensure that your right is not violated. If you lack that level of commitment, stop whining about it. It does not really mean anything to you.

Me? I am going to keep doing what Mo suggested. I will fish the way I think fishing should be done, and I am going to leave it to others to do the same. I am not going to try to make everybody get in line with me. I don't even like lines. I encourage the rest of you to join us.

Be the way you want others to be.

This same discussion comes up every year about the same time. Ironically, everyone still catches fish every year. People get penned up inside their houses in the winter and fret over fishing and fish populations and how there are not going to be any crappie left, etc. Funny that when fishing season gets going, folks kinda forget about all their worries and still catch fish.

Originally Posted by 27458

Maybe I'm oversimplifying things. But Less Structure, Less Water, More Fishermen, More Poles, More Technology, Year around Fishing, more Striped bass. All equals less fish. About the only thing to help are cycles in bad weather that keep people off the lakes. And/or changes in regulations. There is nowhere close to the numbers of fish in Sardis as there used to be--regardless of size. Some of its natural change in the lakes and much of it human induced!!! Social media alone (like this website) has made it more popular and just about anyone can learn quickly how to fish just searching the computer. Crappie tournaments and the like. Commercialism and $$$$. All that used to be just for Bass Fishing. Not anymore. I read an article more money spent on crappie fishing now than Bass fishing. Bottom line, this is a debate that won't end. I'm happy to get off work a few weeks and be on the lake. Catching a few fish is a bonus. But one I'd prefer to keep!

I don't know how popular striped bass fishing is in Mississippi , but them dang fish will eat the heck out of crappie for sure , and the crappie get the heck out dodge when the striped bass goes to feeding !!! here in South Carolina we have a lot of people that fish for striped bass but they don't get to them all but try to manage them , now for me I will take a striped bass and Lm bass out I look at it as taking out the fish eating crappie and they don't taste that bad either nothing a little hot sauce and cold beer wouldn't take of !!! but look at it this way striped bass , Lm bass , white perch and crappie all feed on the same baitfish shad !!!! out of the 4 fish mentioned which of the 2 do you think prevails !!!!

Max is on a stump again....and I like it. Good to hear from you my friend. Like the way you roll.

I'll agree with CCCW on this one. It's folks catching a limit, taking them home and going back and catching more. That, and folks going 5-6 days a week, catching a limit. One or 2 folks won't hurt but when you have 15-20 folks doing it that often, yeh it hurts the population. The more fish caught, the less that are around to spawn. Same thing on Barnett. I've seen folks catch WAYYY over the limit, then meet someone at the ramp with a cooler, then go back fishing. YES, I called the GW and always will. Limits are put in place to keep the fish population where they need to be. Catch to many fish and there won't be as many later on