Culling / Catch and release

[JigginPoleJoe]

MAYBE folks won't get their feelings hurt and rage out in this one...

How do y'all feel about culling?

There is an ole'... Well, lets just say this guy that fishes Conway's cove in the fall, Clyde I believe is his name.
It seems every time I ask "What's Happenin ?" His reply is "Oh I've had my limit for some time, I'm just hogging now!"
I assume he is culling?

When fishing deeper water I use a 1/8th oz jig head, if you catch a 6" crappie quite often that big ole hook is right through the eye ball. When I catch a fish and it appears to be injured ill keep it. No matter the size it goes against my limit.

I hate to see a waste..

[Buckrub]

Small crappie have always tasted just like crappie to me.

Plus, I REALLY like corn meal.

I hold 'em up and see right off if I can get any fillet meat off of it. If the answer is "Yes", then it goes in the livewell. If the answer is "no", it goes back in the lake. Apparently there is an unlimited supply in every lake on Earth, best I can tell. I see tons of Hogs come out of Lake Whatever every day on here and yet there are always more the next day, next month, etc. Sort of like South Carolina deer!!

But I'm not necessarily against culling, if big ones is what you want.

[luvpt]

The females are slap full of eggs right now. It makes sense to cull all the very large females to #1) keep their "big fish" DNA in the gene pool; #2) renew the resourse. There is no point whatsoever right now to keep a big sow unless you just have to have it mounted. The "eaters" make better fillets anyway..... Do our sport a favor and release those big mammas after you've had the thrill of catchin' em and then be able to keep this resourse renewed for both us and our children on down the trail.

[Buckrub]

Hmmmmm.

Weirdest thought just went through my head..........I wonder if wimmin fish ever go through menopause and don't have any more eggs?

[Gomer Snerd]

Hmmmmm.

Weirdest thought just went through my head..........I wonder if wimmin fish ever go through menopause and don't have any more eggs?

Why do you think they call it minnow pause?

[jackie53]

Where we fish most of the time the limit on crappie is 20 per person not boat no length limit"don't need to be).If fish by myself (hardly ever) we keep 19 "if we can catch 19" in the livewell or cooler over 10" in case we hook one deep.Then cull one from the livewell or cooler(alive) still have 19 and one to go.Have worked with our local Green Jeans not to mention the former head of game and fish fishes with us or in the same area.If they ever catch ya over you are marked and they will check ya every time.The Game and fish folks work hard trying to manage our fisheries the least I can do is Honor their LIMITS.We have great crappie fishing if you don,t believe look at the top crappie fisheries in the nation arkansas is only 2nd to our brothers across the mississippi.The reason Mississippi has great hunting and fishing you read their forums they Work AT IT and take care of their fish and wildlife.

[Buckrub]

I always wondered how they'd check for bream. I mean........I can't imagine them counting to 50 on a hot day.......

And besides, the crappie limit should be 30 with a 10" minimum statewide. NO REASON for the 20/30 deal.

[jackie53]

We have had them (green jeans) get in my boat and check our fish "count" one time on Dardanelle in the mouth of piney bay!!! Have had them pull their boat over a shoal(get out of their boat and pull with waders on) and count our fish(take them out of the livewell) and count to see if we had over the limit which we did not!!!!

[jackie53]

20/30/50 deal

[rtark]

I have no problem with catch and release. I usually only keep enough (10-12) for a couple meals for my wife and me then I catch and release the rest of the day. If one gets hooked deep I will release him in hot grease. And, I do like to take a picture of those big fat sows and turn them back in the water, its a pretty site to see.