Thread: 4 Pound Crappie in Lake Harney?

That is awesome....Same thing happened at Talquin about 4 years ago....They are out there, we just gotta find 'em!!!

Back 12 or so years ago pappy and I fished harney quite a bit..... We never weighed or measured anything..... But by comparison of what I know now those were some BIG fish.... I'm positive they were in the 17" range..... And 14/15" were common catches. We fished it a few years and the big ones got harder and harder to find.... Wasn't even worth the trip. Over the last few years It seems like it has rekindled itself.... But after seeing last Saturday's boat ramp it may not last long! Not wanting to start a rant but I would support a slot or 12" minimum.

I dont think you will see much if anything done. Personally feel that a slot of say 10" -13" with 20 limit and 1 over slot per day might have a very slight chance of raising an eyebrow of the FWC. That said I really do not think you can hurt a fishery on the river system. Yea the big girls might become fewer in numbers as seen, but who is to say it is not just a cycle. Now the landlocked lakes, if not enough acreage, especially around all the snowbird headquarters in Lakeland, yes I imagine a hurting could be put on em. Till any legislation is passed all we can do is hope it may come full circle, but they better have their ducks in a row as heavily as Crappie reproduce. Could swing way bad with stunted fish real quick. Some places now are begging people to keep bass and they are not near as prolific as Crappie. Till then as long as someone is within the laws and only taking what they can consume, I will congratulate em on a great days fishing. Now the guys out there passing off fish to other boats and people at docks to keep fishing, that is just wrong. You can keep fishing and throw em back, everything ain't gotta go to a table. And if ya are gonna pass em off, still should not be able to take over a limit even if they went to someone else. There is my 2cents and remember Speckanator started it!

And back to Stu's post, I bet there are 4 pounders in many of the lakes around here. Just gotta find the few and make em bite. Just like 10lb to 15lb bass. They are there just gotta find em and make em bite.

Originally Posted by huntinslabs

There is my 2cents and remember Speckanator started it!

Sorry !

Originally Posted by Speckanator

Sorry !

Ain't no need in that, I was pokin fun at ya.

Originally Posted by huntinslabs

Ain't no need in that, I was pokin fun at ya.

oh Yea...I know I shouldn't have added that cause I know how sensitive that subject is.....You betcha come Saturday I won't be throwing back any monsters til after weigh-in anyway! I got Mr. Red Fish himself in my boat.....and he says..."I need beer money"....so the pressures on for a good run!

Well written & explained Mike. Thanks for your thoughts - many, many of us
agree whole-heartly with you on this subject.
One problem we presently have regarding fish and harvest numbers - is between
FWC & Florida Dept of Tourisam.........The latter being a heavy hammer on what
FWC can and can't do................Got to keep the "God Almighty" buck flowing into
Florida economy....(that is another tuff subject to keep down without puking)