Hey Adam....

Generally speaking a reg isn’t good or bad, but each reg is a compromise between different desired outcomes. As for the 20 fish limit, it helps limit the harvest in some years, but in most years the average angler is catching well below their limit so the effect is minimal. Crappie are kind of unique because you don’t actually need many adults to have a good spawn. The right environmental conditions and flows are much more important, (assuming you have at least a decent number of spawning adults).

So would reducing harvest improve the condition of crappie in the lake? No, it would likely have the opposite effect by increasing intraspecific competition. I’m sure there are a few pond owners on here with a million 7 inch crappie.

It’s also important not to confuse condition (relative weight), with growth. The growth rates were only down ever so slightly for age 2 fish (these are all the 9’s you were catching in Jonathan creek). The abundance of age 2 fish was definitely a factor in the reduced growth, (possibly exacerbated by Asian carp effects on shad). For the most part growth rates have been very steady throughout time.

As for the effects of a 12 in limit. Would this hurt the fishery? It depends on what kind of compromise you want to make. If you only care about catching large (trophy) size fish then a 12” limit might help. However, the compromise is that you will lose a lot of fish due to natural mortality before they reach 12”. Using computer models, the number of fish caught with a 12” size limit would be about 44% less than what you’re catching with the 10” limit. (It takes an average of 2 more years for our crappie to reach 12”). Additionally, the total weight harvested would decrease (fewer pounds of filets for everyone). Interestingly an 11” size limit has about the same total weight harvested as the 10”, but the harvest numbers drop by 22%. As it stands ky and Barkley are very harvest oriented crappie fisheries, so a 10” allows the highest yield, while still allowing a high harvest rate.

Does that make sense?

Amartinbio, thanks for jumping in the discussion.
im guessing your data is Kentucky based, and if correct, could the growth rates be lower ( or higher) the farther you go upstream, which is south, not Tennessee on Kentucky Lake?
unless it's different, this will be the 3rd year that 70% or more of what I catch is less than 10". I do not include spring spawn. This is if I fish entirely on Big Sandy portion of Kentucky Lake. I can fish east, on main Tennessee river channel, which is more river like, less lake, and my numbers are more like 50/50.
I think the areas where the carp are concentrated are a big factor in our crappie size, and bass. The bait fish numbers are reduced, there is less food for our crappie and bass, carp is the reason, in some areas.
At the spawn rates, and growth rates, isn't it a matter of time before the carp are concentrated all over Kentucky Lake?

Forgot to say, your explanation of changes from 10 to 12 makes perfect sense to me. I'm not concerned with catching a limit, I usually fish 2 to 4 hours, 50 or so days a year. I'm not after a limit, I want fish for dinner tonight, and if most everything I catch I must throw back, then dinner may not be fish!

Growth rates can be different in different areas, although not to a large degree. Kdfwr did a tracking study in 2003 that showed that crappie mainly stay in the same area (bay) throughout the year. Spawning success and timing also varies by location. Both of those things together mean that “subpopulations” of crappie probably exist in ky lake. (A large scale genetic study or passive integrated transponder mark-recap study would say for sure, but would be really expensive)

In a typical healthy population, you will see more young fish than old fish. Hence, more short fish than keepers.
As an angler you’re measuring fish and seeing a major part of the picture, but without knowing the age of the fish it’s impossible to say whether you’ve caught a slow growing 5 year old, or a quick growing 1 year old.

Lane47,

"I usually fish 2 to 4 hours, 50 or so days a year. I'm not after a limit, I want fish for dinner tonight, and if most everything I catch I must throw back, then dinner may not be fish!" I wish there were more people like you and not those who are obsessed with out doing the other guy or bragging about catching 400 to 500 per year. Regardless if we have problems with Asian Carp or other natural negative effects on the population, we need to be good stewards of our waters, eat what you take and take what you eat.

I think a lot of concerns are regarding the lack of shoulders on some of these fish. We caught a mess of crappie tonight over here on Barkley that were legal fish, but they were lacking in thickness.

I could be heard swearing out loud that the Asian Carp are ruining this fishery.

That's what I'm seeing. The fish I'm catching just look poor. Not the linebacker type that I'm used to catching this time of year.

FYI Kdfwr is holding a public meeting on April 5th at Kentucky dam village. 7-9 pm. Updates on carp efforts as well as the status of ky and Barkley sportfish will be discussed. As always, asking questions or voicing concerns is highly encouraged. Fisheries management is a team sport and you’re all on the team.

Crappie weights will be discussed for sure.
Are you guys seeing the same lean fish on Barkley right now? Our fall numbers showed better relative weights on Barkley.

It's weird, last night we caught a small mess that seemed kind of lean but this morning I caught a few that were nice and thick. I'm over here on North Barkley around Kuttawa.