How many is too many kept?

[Spoonminnow]

Those size limits (& the creel limits that often accompany them) are set in accordance with the capacity of those specific waters they're intended for, by the Fish/Wildlife biologists,

DNR keeps a close eye on populations

Unfortunately there are blanket rules that cover all waters in NYS. At one time I asked the head DEC office (in writing) how they arrived at the 25 crappie, 10" size limit. The response was vague and non-scientific or, in other words, not supported by shock surveys or angler surveys across the state.
My local private lake has thousands of stunted crappie and no survey has been done there. Very few anglers catch or keep crappie in that lake, so for the life of me I can't see the state limit being of any value. And there are many lakes and ponds like it.

Oh, I almost forgot. The text letter sent from the head office stated that groups of Asian anglers upstate had at one time a commercial enterprise, selling caught crappie to restaurants. Funny though but I've never seen an Asian fishing for crappie in my 60 years of life!

[icejohn]

Unfortunately there are blanket rules that cover allthey're not supposed to sell crappiers in NYS. At one time I asked the head DEC office (in writing) how they arrived at the 25 crappie, 10" size limit. The response was vague and non-scientific or, in other words, not supported by shock surveys or angler surveys across the state.
My local private lake has thousands of stunted crappie and no survey has been done there. Very few anglers catch or keep crappie in that lake, so for the life of me I can't see the state limit being of any value. And there are many lakes and ponds like it.

Oh, I almost forgot. The text letter sent from the head office stated that groups of Asian anglers upstate had at one time a commercial enterprise, selling caught crappie to restaurants. Funny though but I've never seen an Asian fishing for crappie in my 60 years of life!

Here in upstate ny, so us and port bays...since the state size limit to 9" and creel limit of 25 fish, it took a while but the crappie fishing has improved 100%. I wasn't too happy at first because 8-8 1/2" fish made decent filets and now the 9" were harder to find. Jump ahead now I've caught many 11- 141/2" fish. Caught my limit several times but now I choose not to anymore, usually 10 then stop.
Years before there were many fishermen that would keep way too many and many sold fish daily, now they're not supposed to sell crappie. I believe that the crappie fishing is better now because of the regulation. There maybe some areas that need variations of regulations though I can only speak for places I fish ie sodus, port bays, barge canal system, black lake

[lcookie]

Just as most have said I get up to around 10 and that is my mark. When I first started I often dreamed of catching that golden limit. When my skills got honed in I kept my limit on more than one occasion. That got old and put me where I am now. Once I knew I could go out and catch enough for the meal at hand stocking up the freezer had little appeal to me. Nowadays the only time I keep a limit is when I am taking someone out who does not get to go all that often.