Thread: Reduced limits on KY and Barkley Lakes

Originally Posted by Rowdy

I'm with Jigboy,How many out of town people can go to a lake once a year and catch a limit that often,The Guides make a living at it and catch lots of fish every day, who is hurting the population more? And thats O.K. wish I could do this!

I don't hurt the population that often, Theirs plenty of fish, leave it as it is!

Rowdy

Your statement makes no sense. You say the guides are hurting the fishing by fishing hard daily, but you wish to keep the limits at 30 in order to cater to the occasional visitor to the lake. By lowering the limit to 20 that is 70 less fish that guides clients may keep per fishermen per day (or 30%).

I say lower the daily bag. Forget the pole restrictions.

Sorry, I thought the guides were the ones pushing the lower limit?
There are some that think we should not catch "there fish",because they are trying to make a living at it, As I said before I hope they do well at it but dont get all puffie when we come in with lots of fish also.
Some go as far as calling the Game wardens every year, they check us , we are leagal,there mad, life goes on.

Rowdy

KFWC is the ones that are pushing the limit,they must know something we dont, im all for it if it is going to help fishing in the future.Iwould like for my kids to be able to catch crappie like we do when they get older.

If the biologists and people who are paid money to monitor the fish recommend this, then I'm all for it. Does anyone know if they are still studying the crappie movement on Kentucky? If so, is this recommendation being prompted by data they've observed or collected?

I might even go as far as to try and contact someone myself who could shed some light on the subject. I know the fisheries guys here at our local office pretty well, maybe they can refer me to someone.

If they really have proof that the numbers are falling then I would understand it but I would like to see the proof or study. I would also put this question out there...how many of you got checked by a game warden this year on KY Lake or any lake. I fish at least two to three days a week in the early spring. I troll 12 poles, so I stand out. I have not been checked in three years. I see people all the time keeping short fish but I never see anyone getting checked on the water. I did see some people get nailed at a fish cleaning station at a local marina but I think most of the short fish arent being taken to a public fish cleaning station. Raise the size limit to 12 inches and lets take all the Alabama business away from Weiss Lake and lets see some more patrols out on the water. I know KY Lake is a big lake but they can at least cruise Johnathon and Blood Rivers. Imagine how many 2 pounders we would all be taking if they really raised the limit to 12". Lets see the proof or some sort of study showing why this is neccessary.

The KDFW are saying the number of keeper crappie will be lower in the next couple of years due to some weak spawns. They are predicting the lower numbers from shocking surveys that have been performed this is not showing alot of smaller crappie that is normally presnt. There has been 2 articles in the Paducah Sun and 1 article in the Princeton Times-Leader that I have seen on this subject. I support the lower limit, anyone wanting to comment for or against this can email [email protected].

WE were there 1st.week in april, we had lots of 7 to 9in. throwbacks,What happend to the raidio tagging,that was a good study.
Rowdy

Originally Posted by Rowdy

WE were there 1st.week in april, we had lots of 7 to 9in. throwbacks,What happend to the raidio tagging,that was a good study.
Rowdy

it's on the KDFWR website. It's over and done with, a couple of years now. It wasn't so much for determining the state of the Crappie population and size, as it was to show folks the changes in timing and movement of the Crappie ... due to the Black Crappie population becoming the dominant population in KY Lake. (I think Barkley Lake is still predominantly populated with White Crappie)

Here's the link to the study : http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/navigat...vPath=C101C552

..... cp

I was checked two times this spring on Barkley. I didn't mind the check at all. I always try to stay legal anyway.
THE BANDIT

I agree Eddie Creek Bandit, I want to see them checking. Maybe I am the luckiest guy on earth and just never get checked. I get checked every year on my Lake Erie smallmouth trip. Our deer camp gets hit every year also. I just don't see them out on the water much but maybe I am just missing them. If the numbers are really down, I am all for it also. If the numbers bounce back, I believe they will raise it again. I am sure the spawn from a few years ago has most to do with this problem but people keeping the little ones is not helping. I personally never keep any crappie from any lake less then 10" because you simply just don't get enough meat off of them. No matter what, I still stick to raising the limit to 12" but I know I will be looked at like I am crazy. I like the debate.