Thread: Cane Creek Crappie-Napper!

Originally Posted by percher

Before anyone gets the wrong idea I'd like to say most people understand what an honor and privilege it is to fish on your great lakes. I spent four days fishing CC and released everything I caught on the spot. Not one fish was harmed. In addition, I met fishermen from several other states that also released everything other than something they intended to have mounted.

It would be easy to justify by saying " he bought the license and fished within the law". True enough however it is my belief that a guest should show respect and restraint when visiting other states. The large majority of Sportsmen will agree.

Thank you for sharing your great state!

Don Stamper

I'm not quite sure of the intent of your post, Don. If anyone has gotten the wrong idea, I believe it is you...

It seems as though you are trying to single out certain people with these comments. Is it your beliefs that people who keep crappie from out-of-state are "unsportsman" or is it that anyone who keeps crappie is "unsportsman"? I've eaten quite a few Louisiana-born crappie, so I guess I'm guilty of both. I believe you should consult "the large majority of Sportsmen" before you make comments of their behalf. Ethically, Markham did nothing wrong from my view...

If Jerry and Willie sez it's OK, then it is Ok by me. One of these days I might want to hit the Magician up for a trip on Caddo.
DP

I have always looked at it like this, it isn't fisherman against other fisherman, it is fisherman against the fish, no matter if I am fishing in state or out of state. I don't see where magician did anything wrong as well and I am as much of a sportsman than anyone on the board. If I take a trip to Vegas, spend a grand and win 10 grand, you can bet that I am not giving it back and chaulking it up as a great experience...

Originally Posted by CEB

Ethically, Markham did nothing wrong from my view...

Thanks for having my back Chris. I think by keeping most those old fish alive I treated them well. And I do not feel I was rude to any Arkansas fishermen through my actions or directly... I don't really know why Don is bent out of shape... Oh well I got a saying, "Hate is a loosing battle and only the hater looses". So I am not going to sweat it.

Originally Posted by DrPepper

One of these days I might want to hit the Magician up for a trip on Caddo.
DP

There is a standing invitation guys. Just send me a PM and I'll meet yall at the lake! :D

These are the ones I am most familiar with near Shreveport. (*) denotes the more consistent ones...

-Grand Bayou*
-Caddo*
-Claiborne*
-D'arbonne*
-Black Lake
-Bistineau
-Cypress
-Black Bayou

Just pick some Louisiana water I know and I would be more then happy to help you get a head start on finding some fish. Oh and btw you can keep however many you want they will repopulate to the carrying capacity of the lake, simple biology... If you don't believe that look at Caddo. 50+ years getting hammered by fishermen and not only does it still have bigguns it still has numbers... Its all about the habitat. (ok I'll get off my scientific soap box) :D

~Fishin' Magician~

Markham, you are always welcome to fish here, just as everyone makes me feel welcome in La. Hope to see you soon on a lake somewhere.

I once had a cooler stolen with 6 walleyes in it weighing between 7 and 9 lb each. The guy had the stupidity and gall to come back to the same spot a week later and brag to me about it. He didn't know he was braggin to the guy who he stole it from. It wasn't long before he was trottin down the road lucky to have his skin intact. Never saw the guy again.

Personally, I think relocating those fish is an excellent idea as long as he respects the lake where he got em from and from what I have seen he did. If I had a pond that needed stocking I'd be doing the same thing. I'm a little jealous. That pond is going to have some brutes swimming in in it for a while if you can keep people from sneakin them out of there on ya.

I thought I had my cooler of crappie stolen once but was a joke.

I've had,money,cig,'s,spare tires ect. stolen while fishing and it sorta made me mad a wittle.Little did I know what it felt like getting a cooler of fish stolen until it happen I thought.Let me tell you right here and right now I've never been P$ss off like that in my life,I said several cuss words and meet every one of them,I'm so ashamed.They cleaned them and put on ice for a couple of days and gave them back to me.They all have been with me at different times when I have had things stolen out of the truck.Most of the time I would only say will I done my good deed today what did you do?LOL.I know one thing coming home with a wet $ss and hurry gut and someone steals your fish the feeling is worse then someone running off with your wife:D

Originally Posted by GRIZZ

...Personally, I think relocating those fish is an excellent idea... .

I don't know how much it is done if at all intrastate-wise, but stocking crappie from other lakes in other states would diversifies the genetic pool. I am aquainted with a crappie tournament angler that has been around awhile and he is convinced that doing so would help many lakes that have stunted fish.

Interstate-wise, the AGFC is trapping crappie from Grand Lake in SE Arkansas for a nursery pond here on Lake Greeson. They will be introduced to it early this coming spring so they will be there when it is time to spawn. Their fry will be cared for in the nursery pond as long as they can and then release them to the lake hopefully after they have grown a bit to reduce mortality. Incidently, we have been putting condos and mega mats down there to help provide cover and habitat. If successful that should potentially put millions of crappie in the lake.

On another note, I have always read that it takes a crappie 3 years to reach 10-inches. I'm sure that is the average. However, last November 2007 the AGFC stock about 200,000 blacknose crappie in Greeson. These fish were hatched in the spring of 2007. It is now December 2008 (just under 2 years) and we are catching ample numbers of blacknose (more than we ever have before) that are 9-inches long. No doubt, these are the crappie that were stocked. One, I am pleased with the survival rate and attribute it directly to the habitat program on this lake. And two, I'm impressed with their growth rate which can also be attributed to the amount of cover we are putting the lake which the bait fish also use. The clouds of threadfin shad I see every day on my sonar is astonishing. If you've ever seen Cane Creek you'll understand why ample cover and excellent food source will grow big crappie.