Thread: AGFC Constant Contact Crappie Article

Originally Posted by rockmike

If you fish the “Big Four “ in MS, you can’t keep a fish smaller than 12�. These lakes get a lot more pressure than anything in AR and they keep producing year after year. Just because a few vocal fishermen catch fish using Livescope, you can’t assume all fishermen using it do so. My observation is that 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish, most of the time. A high percentage of crappie are more pelagic and stay in open water where the bait schools are, so this doesn’t lend itself to Livescope so much. Respect limits and let AGFC manage the fisheries and we’ll be fine.

Last year on Lake Overcup during the spring angler creel survey, 16% of crappie anglers were using LiveScope. I bet it was higher this spring.

Although I do not have a LiveScope unit, I have talked with a lot of anglers who do have one. I think they are pretty effective in open water, if you know what you are doing. I believe this is how the tournament guys are catching the large fish. They are searching open water for slabs and chasing them down with the LiveScope. I could be wrong about that though.


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There is definitely a big increase in LiveScope users. But, there are a lot of anglers that still struggle to use them efficiently. I think creel and length/slot limits would be possible options to look at if there is significant impact. I would hate to see anything happen to LiveScope usage as I have witnessed first hand how our younger, technology dependent, youth have really taken to LiveScope fishing. I watched a 14 year old young man that couldn't stay off his cell phone texting during a camping trip. His Grandpa was so aggravated about it. I put him up in front with the LiveScope fishing and the phone never came out! He had a blast and couldn't wait to go back out. He even went out, just him and my son, for a very successful night fishing LiveScope trip.

I have caught a lot of fish and kept them for a fish fry. I have also caught a lot of fish, cleaned them, and given them away to others who do not or cannot go fishing for themselves. I have also caught a lot of fish and felt real good about pitching them back in to be caught again. There's a one eyed crappie and a 3+ pounder swimming around in White Oak Lake thanks to my friend P.R. and me. Both he and I caught some a couple of weeks ago at Greeson and released them.

I know now a guy who has gone to Millwood and caught 30, took them to his parents house, then went back out for 30 more......and this happens for days in a row during the spawn. What does he do with that many fish? I also have talked with a guy at Greeson who goes almost daily and chases them down with his live scope and gives fish away nearly every time. I've seen him do it. Why can't he just pitch em back every once in a while?

I guess the bottom line for me is if you are hungry for fish or you have a relative or friend who would like a fresh mess of crappie, then by all means get after them and catch em. If you don't really need them and you're just gonna throw gallons of fillets in the freezer......why hoard them up like that?

With my opinions there on the table, I'll say that it's been a long, and I mean long time since I caught and kept 30 crappie. It's been a long time since I caught and kept 20. I just don't need that many at one time. My dad does like small "scrapers" and I hope that a size limit is not imposed. I've been asked why I keep small ones instead of turning them loose.......my dad has a standing order in every time I go fishing for five scrapers, which could include bluegills too. So the first five are going in my live well because that's the size Mom & Dad like best.

I do not have a live scope and probably not gonna drop the dough to get one. I just don't feel like I gotta have it to catch a mess of fish, but I'm sure they do improve the likelihood of doing so.

Good read! Thanks for sharing


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Originally Posted by rockmike

If you fish the “Big Four “ in MS, you can’t keep a fish smaller than 12�. These lakes get a lot more pressure than anything in AR and they keep producing year after year. Just because a few vocal fishermen catch fish using Livescope, you can’t assume all fishermen using it do so. My observation is that 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish, most of the time. A high percentage of crappie are more pelagic and stay in open water where the bait schools are, so this doesn’t lend itself to Livescope so much. Respect limits and let AGFC manage the fisheries and we’ll be fine.

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Originally Posted by steve48

Several things to look at here. and yes I am guilty of owning one. 90% of the time I am using 1 12 pole, but if I am needing fish, I am not above adding couple of more poles. I am seeing bigger crappie this year but less fish also. The boat companies are doing good business, at least I've never saw this many people on the lake. Wonder sometime if we see other ways to cut down need to go back to 20 fish, plenty of fish for a normal family. I will abide by the rules but can see 8 poles sticking out of one boat could do as much as one or two with livescope. Nobody wants to not fish the spawn but look at the eggs and size of females we take out of production. Just my opinion

Steve everytime I been livescoping around spider riggers the livescope outdoes them . I hear this from lots of folks . Even many of the big time tournament fishermen are switching from rigging to livescoping with one pole . Some guys will never have boat control skills to hurt much but ones that can been killing them .

D10 So when can we see the live scopes be outlawed. If fish are being caught by the tons, want we be in trouble soon. To me it just like the spinning wing duck decoys that had to be outlawed. There was being way to many ducks being kill off if them. If livescope is a game change like the electronics was in duck hunting. I see it being outlawed or everyone will have one.

Originally Posted by Gindog

D10 So when can we see the live scopes be outlawed. If fish are being caught by the tons, want we be in trouble soon. To me it just like the spinning wing duck decoys that had to be outlawed. There was being way to many ducks being kill off if them. If livescope is a game change like the electronics was in duck hunting. I see it being outlawed or everyone will have one.

I don’t see the technology being outlawed. I see potential regulation changes, such as reduced creel limits and possibly a limit on harvest over a certain size. Something like a daily creel limit of 15 or 20 and only 5 can be over 14-in. Don’t quote me on those specific numbers, but if we find out the technology is having a significant impact, we will likely implement regulations similar to those.


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