Paducah Sun

[Greenwing]

Anyone else read the outdoor section today. The article was saying that the crappie population should be good this spring but the surveys are showing a lack of smaller crappie due to a bad spawn in 2005-2006 because of these surveys the biologist are predicting a decline in the crappie numbers and will be noticable in 2008 and getting worse in the following years. Another interesting fact in the article there is a 74% mortality rate in crappie.

How many of you believe this?

How many would be willing to support a reduced limit if it would help,.. let's say cut the limit by 10

[ted]

cut it to 15 would'nt make me mad!

[Greenwing]

SORRY I should have stated the article was about KY and Barkley lakes.

[hillbilly_gunner]

cut it to 15 would'nt make me mad!

Why is that... It would help the numbers later in years so our children can catch them like we do now!!!!!!

[ted]

yep i agree with any limit reduction

[Old Guide]

Hey Guys,

A friend of mine is one of the biologists working West Kentucky. We spoke a few weeks ago about this. A big part of their study is the fall netting survey. Which has shown less productive years the past few. However there are variables such as weather, water levels, and seasonal crappie movements. So maybe, just maybe there is some room for error. I know year before last the big push of shallow crappie was more in late November and December. The water was fairly warm up into mid November.

I guess time will tell huh. And I agree with you all. A fifteen or twenty fish limit wouldn't hurt my feelings either. 15 slabs are more then enough for a good meal.

Old Guide

[JTMavs]

I can say as an out-of-stater, I'd support a lesser limit. I don't want to come down there and clean the place out. Just catch some slabs, take lots of pictures, and save some slabs for a decent fish fry for the family back home!

[mperry]

I feel the same way. I really don't care if I keep them or not even though they sure do taste good. I just want a chance to catch some 2 pounders. Even though we have 2 pounders here I don't think as many as down South. If I had to put them back would not bother me at all. I don't have any on my walls and not planning on it. Just to tussle with a big fish is good enough for me.

[CrappiePappy]

due to the increase in domination numbers ... of Black Crappie that is the reason for the "prediction" ?? Anglers (and even the KDFWR) have not really got the differences pegged, just yet. Ky Lake/Barkley Lake are way too big to decline to the point of having to reduce the creel. There's probably thousands of Slabs, that die of old age, and never see a hook/bait. They still spawn, just like the 2yo & 3yo ones .... so, even with a bad spawn year, that only removes one year class from the mix.
Remember ... this years spawned Crappie will be "slabs" in less than 4yrs. And what about the 2004-2005 spawners ... they'll still be spawning, this year -- and their offspring, from 2004-2005, will be "slabs" next year.

Greenwing ... 74% mortality of WHAT ?? fry ? young of the year ? All of the Crappie over 4yrs old ? All Crappie taken home ?? :p
Seriously though ..... 26% of a spawning females brood, could be 3 to 5 thousand "survivors" and that's just from ONE fish. If only 26% of them survive to spawn (in 2-3yrs) ... that's 800-1300 MORE fish.

The dynamics and makeup of those lakes are changing, as are the dominant Crappie species .... I think we (they) need to wait a couple more years, before casting any dire predictions. Give the local and visiting anglers a chance to adjust their methods & timing, and then weigh the results (and make their predictions).

Nonetheless ... if the limit were decreased, it would still take them a few years to see the results. I'll go along with whatever "limits" are placed. I've lived with a 15/day limit on Taylorsville, since day one ... and T-ville is NO Ky/Barkley lake :D I'm also faced with a decrease in creel at Watts Bar ... now a 15/day limit. Don't bother me none .... and it may just make it easier for me to say "I caught my limit, today" :p ............ cp

[Wiskers]

They may be right but I have cought a ton of small crappie last fall and this winter. If we need to lower the limit so be it. But I have cought more small crappie this season than I can ever remember.