Thread: Reduced limits on KY and Barkley Lakes

I have been fish'n Ky. lake for over 40 years starting as a kid with my grandpa. I have seen the numbers drop over those years. TVA has NOT helped the crappie. They are bad about pulling water off the beds and destrroying an otherwise good spawn. I'm nnot saying they're totally responsible for the drop in numbers but they contribute TVA will tell you real quick that they are not in the "fish" business. They are flood control. TVA will not hold 1 drop of extra water. I'm on the boat right now and just about every pool up the river is down. As for the checking I was checked 3 times this year. As for the Crappie study. All that did was key more fishermen in on the fish. For years everyone thought that you could only catch fish in April. We who fish Ky. lake knew that was not the case. I have seen alot more pressure put on the fish since the survey results came out. Don't get me wrong, I like to see everyone catch fish, but I believe that the resource has been grossly mis-managed. As for the 20 fish limit; If that's what it takes to insure fish for my grandkids, so be it! I believe that in the past that the KDFW has been reactive instead if proactive. A couple of good years of suplimental stocking programs during poor spawning years could have helped stave off the new limits. There is no reason a lake with this much water should have a fishery in this kinda shape. Just my thoughts!

they don't give a darn about the fish... I seen down at Guntersville a few years back they lowered water level at bass spawn time and even took out a bunch of millfoil !! We have problem around here that they let factory pull so much water at low drought times to screw things up!!! Not the TVA here..but same kind of a-------!!!!!!good luck up there..Good friend of mine was around there, not sure if she still is,,she even talked about guiding for crappie there...Erma from Momence, IL.

I crappie fish Jonathan Creek almost every weekend pretty much year around and I cannot count the times that I have been check this year alone. Not only by the game warden but also by Mr. Flynn that does the creel survey. I see lots of out of state people come here an catch undersize fish and put them in the livewell. I have said something to people in the past about the size limit being 10" and they act like I am stupid or something. For myself I am scared to keep a fish that isn't atleast 10-1/8"-10-1/4" long because after putting them in the livewell or icechest they will shrink. I get checked so often that I won't keep a fish that's 10" exactly. Also I don't use these new crappie measuring devices that you drop the fish into because they don't always measure exact - I use exactly what the game warden uses to measure with the golden rule.

As far as the articles in the paper I talked to KDFW during spring catch and he was telling me that it was appearing to be that there survey done last fall was off a little because it seemed that people were catching lots of 6-7 inch fish this spring (last years hatch). He said that the fish had already made a move back in the fall and he thought the results might not be 100% accurate. Also during the spring creel survey they started asking each fisherman a list of about 10 questions of what KDFW can do to better help crappie fisherman and I would like to see the results of that. I believe KDFW are working to make crappie fishing as good a possible and if that means reducing the limit then so be it. My dad and I fish together all the time and we typically don't keep more than 25-30 anyway.

We have been going to the Blood River in April for the last 6 years or so. We have never had a limit of 30 fpp. We are there for a week of fishing from sun up to sun down. This year we were checked by the DNR, all of our fish are legal size, and we are from Ohio. We observed quite a few people fishing from shore keeping everything they caught. Dont know where they were from! I feel that 20 fish is enough, especially after fishing all day then come back and clean fish for 1hr or so.

Originally Posted by fin_n_feather

I crappie fish Jonathan Creek almost every weekend pretty much year around and I cannot count the times that I have been check this year alone. Not only by the game warden but also by Mr. Flynn that does the creel survey. I see lots of out of state people come here an catch undersize fish and put them in the livewell. I have said something to people in the past about the size limit being 10" and they act like I am stupid or something. For myself I am scared to keep a fish that isn't atleast 10-1/8"-10-1/4" long because after putting them in the livewell or icechest they will shrink. I get checked so often that I won't keep a fish that's 10" exactly. Also I don't use these new crappie measuring devices that you drop the fish into because they don't always measure exact - I use exactly what the game warden uses to measure with the golden rule.

As far as the articles in the paper I talked to KDFW during spring catch and he was telling me that it was appearing to be that there survey done last fall was off a little because it seemed that people were catching lots of 6-7 inch fish this spring (last years hatch). He said that the fish had already made a move back in the fall and he thought the results might not be 100% accurate. Also during the spring creel survey they started asking each fisherman a list of about 10 questions of what KDFW can do to better help crappie fisherman and I would like to see the results of that. I believe KDFW are working to make crappie fishing as good a possible and if that means reducing the limit then so be it. My dad and I fish together all the time and we typically don't keep more than 25-30 anyway.

Judging from you handle I'd say you're from Ballard County. I'm from BC to & I bet I know you or some of your people. I know right where the ol'Fin & Feather used to be. Crappie fish'n down in the bottoms has gotten pretty bad also I hear. As for KDFW and Ky. Lake Crappie. They have known that the Crappie Population has been steadily dropping for the last 30 years and are yet to do anything but put a 30 fish limit & 10" limit on the fish. They have spent money stocking trout, stripers, elk, turkey, otters.... You name it! They need to do some Crappie stocking. Crappie are a very important part of the local economy. When they are gone it is gonna hurt this area bad. I have chatted with people that are gonna start moving their vacations to other areas just because of the low catch rates they are experiencing. And they tell others. I really would like to see some agressive stocking programs for a few years along with reduced limits to help the population rebound. I would also like to see TVA, KDFW, & TWRA start working together to limit the water fluctuation during the spawn!

It would be great if you could get some cooperation from the Corp. The impact crappie fishing has on the local economy is being overlooked! I would hope that given the significance of the boost Crappie fishing creates every spring, someone would recommend doing something to improve habitat and spawning conditions, ie....water level!

I've never heard of them stocking crappie, but like you said....trout, musky and hybrid are stocked regularly. I know that musky and hybrid are being stocked because of their popularity and many reqeusts made by fishermen. I agree that there should be more emphasis placed on the crappie.

Maybe we need to unite together and somehow let KDFWR and TWRA know where we stand on the issue. Maybe need to start a petition or something.

I would be willing to help with a pettition or any thing else to help.

The water level will be the hardest to change since that has been a ongoing battle there has been petitions and even Ed Whitfield has tried to use his political influence to get the Corp to hold the water levels at summer pool until October without much success. I know that has nothing to do with the crappie spawn but if no one can get them to bugde on the drawdown it will be hard to get them to hold the levels for the crappie.

I like the crappie stocking that to me would be the most beneficial to help the populations. If anyone knows some of the KDFW guys they should ask them about this and get their input.

Originally Posted by Greenwing

I would be willing to help with a pettition or any thing else to help.

The water level will be the hardest to change since that has been a ongoing battle there has been petitions and even Ed Whitfield has tried to use his political influence to get the Corp to hold the water levels at summer pool until October without much success. I know that has nothing to do with the crappie spawn but if no one can get them to bugde on the drawdown it will be hard to get them to hold the levels for the crappie.

I like the crappie stocking that to me would be the most beneficial to help the populations. If anyone knows some of the KDFW guys they should ask them about this and get their input.

I like what I'm hear'n. We as sportmen and sportswomen need to do something to insure that the resource is not only maintained but inhanced. Our Children and Grandchildren will benifit from the efforts we put fourth now. I don't know how much a stocking program would cost, but I do know they raised my fish'n licence this year! I'm sure that the economic impact would greatly outweight the cost of the program. Face it, how many people are gonna travel and pay for lodging and all the other things associated with crappie fish'n for a 20 fish a day limit. How many people are gonna hire a guide for 20 fish? Some will but not as many. I have friends that guide, own tackle shops, restraunts, gas stations.... They all do well when the Crappie do well. What a lot of folk don't realize is that word's getting around about the drop in crappie numbers. We can turn a blind eye and pretend that all is well or try to do something about it. Heck we have Darrell VanVactor (President of Crappie USA) right here. He could help.

You and I know that even if they drop the limit to 20 per day, that in 10 or 15years they'll be consdering dropping it to 10 or 15 per day. Look were we are after the imposed the 30 fish/ 10 inch limit. I got a little better, word got out, and here we are!

Reguardless of what is done, all of the Gov. agencies that have an impact are gonna have to work together to eliminate the problem.

Just my 2 cents!