Thread: What do yall consider a slab crappie to measure??

1.5lb is a slab crappie in my book.

There are always the exceptions...There were some 14 inch fish being caught on Washington this spring that would easily go into the slab category. Those fish were super thick and had backstraps on'em looked like a boar hog!!! There were 15 inch fish being caught that would go 3 lbs.!

I've always said 16".

But a river fish is almost always (all species) way thicker than a lake fish (generally speaking).

One of my pet fishing peeves is the crappie guys who call anything worth keeping a "pound and a halfer". I got a scale to figure it out, and learned quickly that not many crappie weigh 2 lbs, even the great big long ones. I think that's why we like 'em.....so much meat on a one pound fish! That being said, the little ones taste JUST like crappie!! It is way easier to measure one (and required in some places) than it is to weigh one. Few of us weigh crappie....I almost never do. But when I do, I'm always surprised at how much less they weigh than what I guessed.

All good views. Up North crappie don't get as big as they do down in say Sippi. I've seen shorter crappie that are thick, thick too! I used to say there are long narrow ones and short dumpy fat ones. Seems like the black crappie I have caught are short dumpy, thick ones. Last year me and dad went and only ended up with like 6 or 7 crappie but shortest one was like 12" and we had 2 crappie that measured in at 16.75 and the other was right at 17". We weighed both the biggest ones and one weighed a 2.04 while the other was a 1.97, both dandy crappie either way.

In the mid '50's an older gentleman taught me that anything between 10 and 15 inches ought
to be ate soon as possible. Anything smaller should be stored in the freezer and fed to visitin' family.
Anything over 15 inches put back to replenish the waters. I never could abide by that way of thinkin',
so I just ate everything I caught until I got old enough to buy a fishin' license. That was when I
decided to take the advice of the older gentleman. Of course, this was before limits was put on any
species of fish. Terminology varies by region and I had never heard of slab crappie until a few years
ago. I was always told they was barn door crappie if over 15". My biggest at 17 1/2" has caused a
fever I can't get rid of. I caught it in April and kept the measurements just in case I ever win the lottery
and can afford to get a replica made of it. At the time, I was catchin' 15's & 16's and eatin' 'em as fast
as I was catchin' 'em. I mean they didn't see the inside of the fridge or freezer.

I personally have never caught a slab over 16 inches so I don't know if I would consider those a slab or not. In my lifetime, I've caught several 9 -14 inch slabs. If I ever catch one like ole tripple R, with the length already stamped on its side. I'm putting the original on the wall

Any longer than a 5 gallon bucket works fer me. Sounds like one of them ''you know if yor a Redneck jokes'' I can hear it now ''' You know your a Redneck if you use a 5 gallon bucket for a measuring device.''Rofl

I think it is all a matter of whose eyes are on the fish as to whether it is a slab or not. I personally think that a slab is over 2 lbs. I guess if I have to put a tape on them then it would be over 16". As far as having a fish mounted, I personally like all of them mounted on a plate for my eating pleasure.

[QUOTE=yankee doodler;1949669]

Originally Posted by BigRiverMarine

Depends on what part of the country you live in. Up north, it might be a 12-13"er. Down in Sippi, it might be a 16"er.QUOTE]


Yeah Bill, up here anything over 10" is a slab..yuk, yuk.

I've seen some 3lb Hawgs on the Maine board tho. That guy up there catches some of the purtiest specks I've ever seen!!!!!'


Big River Marine
Bill Burnett
870-635-0202
Member-- Tri-State Crappie Anglers
Pro Staff-- Southern Pro Tackle, Meatgetter Jigs, Minner Critters, Ozark Rods, and Crappieholic Apparel.

I don't know too many people that I fish with, that catch a fat 14 inch plus measured fish and dont call it a slab. A healthy 14 inch plus fish is a slab in my book.