Thread: Crappie Tournament on Greers

Might help if the director came from game and fish management instead of enforcement. My opinion-- not trying to put you on the spot, D10.

Unfortunately Greers is not have near the productivity (nutrients, algae production, shad production as the Mississippi Corps reservoirs. I wish is was as productive. You have to have the forage base to have the big fish. Those that know me who how I feel about your other point Wayne.

I know where you are coming from on the size of fish here vs Mississippi Matt, but I don't know why you would stock a fish that is not fit for human consumption that eats up all the baitfish in the lake and you have maybe 10% of the fisherman on the lake target them. Beside the fact they are mixing with the whites making a new hybrid. A lake can only sustain so many pounds of fish so lets try to get as many pounds of crappie bass walleye and catfish in here and get rid of hybrids.

Originally Posted by creekslick

I know where you are coming from on the size of fish here vs Mississippi Matt, but I don't know why you would stock a fish that is not fit for human consumption that eats up all the baitfish in the lake and you have maybe 10% of the fisherman on the lake target them. Beside the fact they are mixing with the whites making a new hybrid. A lake can only sustain so many pounds of fish so lets try to get as many pounds of crappie bass walleye and catfish in here and get rid of hybrids.

Creekslick for president!! I'll campaign for you too, might even contribute to your campaign!

Maybe it's me but the overall size of Greers crappie seem to be smaller in the last few years. It has not been too long ago maybe four or five years ago and I know I was pulling out abunch of 1-2 lb fish and there were plenty of hybreds in there then also. So why the decline in size? Over fishing, steady bait decline, decline in Nutrient's? Maybe Im fishing the wrong spots now days. Maybe a perfect storm of all. My guess is getting the bait fish population too boom, a 10 inch size limit on fish and an aggressive stocking will help get them back up to the average size we all like.

No offence to anyone, but when you see tourney results like this and it only took six lbs to win the CACA tourney last year on Greers. There appears to be a problem. No matter what you think of tourneys they are a good source to look at to see what a lake is producing. And what I am seeing off of Greers right now is a problem in the average Quality/Size of fish and the results we are seeing now... are not the results we would have seen in the recent past for Greers. The lake needs some help for the crappie.

I vote for more crappie and less hybrids!!!

Originally Posted by CrappiePro

Maybe it's me but the overall size of Greers crappie seem to be smaller in the last few years. It has not been too long ago maybe four or five years ago and I know I was pulling out abunch of 1-2 lb fish and there were plenty of hybreds in there then also. So why the decline in size? Over fishing, steady bait decline, decline in Nutrient's? Maybe Im fishing the wrong spots now days. Maybe a perfect storm of all. My guess is getting the bait fish population too boom, a 10 inch size limit on fish and an aggressive stocking will help get them back up to the average size we all like.

No offence to anyone, but when you see tourney results like this and it only took six lbs to win the CACA tourney last year on Greers. There appears to be a problem. No matter what you think of tourneys they are a good source to look at to see what a lake is producing. And what I am seeing off of Greers right now is a problem in the average Quality/Size of fish and the results we are seeing now... are not the results we would have seen in the recent past for Greers. The lake needs some help for the crappie.

Here is our theory of what is going on right now. I say theory because we are still collecting data, building models, and analyzing data. Because we had a record breaking high water year in 2008 (gage height and duration) followed by another high water year in 2009, Greers saw a boom in all species produced in the lake (forage and predators). Following this we have had 6 low water years out if 7. This has caused a big hit in the forage. What Greer needs is an extended high water year to boost productivity and the forage base again. Stocking more crappie wouldn't help the problem of no forage. A minimum length limit wouldn't be appropriate for Greers either due to slow growth and lower exploitation. Minimum length limits only work when you have really good growth and the majority mortality is due to harvest an not natural causes. While the forage base is down, we will not be stocking anyone predators. We have talked about stocking shad through the nursery pond but to be honest, this would at most only help the immediate area closest to the pond. Also, if we do stock threadfin shad (the preferred forage fish) we would need to budget for them an buy them. Due to issues with raising shad, AGFC does not grow them on the hatchery. But this is something we are looking into.

The fact of the matter is that a Hybrid fishery has been established on Greers for a long time. We will never be able to quit stocking them all together, but if data indicates that a reduction in stocking is needed, a reduction will made. This is a complex dynamic of Greers and much thought will be needed before any permanent changes are made.

I say the problem with the crappie at Greers is Creekslick!!