Why?

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Originally Posted by Rees Guide

Pops I understand where you are coming from but I don't spend much (if any) worrying about what someone else is doing with fish they catch legally, not my business. To each their own.
I have seen the possum patrol more this year in any year I can remember, that's a good thing and always glad to visit with them.

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If they changed Grenada to 11 inches how would u feel? If things don't change it's gonna be dink hole #2

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Originally Posted by bird down

If they changed Grenada to 11 inches how would u feel? If things don't change it's gonna be dink hole #2

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Frankly I don't care, MDWFP sets the laws and I follow them, wont change what I keep either, when it was 10 on Nader we never even considered keeping one that small.
Dropping the size limit down an inch did not create this problem, its just the cycle and added pressure. 99% of the fish kept before this year were over 12 anyway. These lakes have all cycled through good and bad years, well at least for the last 32 years that I have been fishing them. Kept 10 this morning and considered it a good day.

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Originally Posted by Rees Guide

Frankly I don't care, MDWFP sets the laws and I follow them, wont change what I keep either, when it was 10 on Nader we never even considered keeping one that small.
Dropping the size limit down an inch did not create this problem, its just the cycle and added pressure. 99% of the fish kept before this year were over 12 anyway. These lakes have all cycled through good and bad years, well at least for the last 32 years that I have been fishing them. Kept 10 this morning and considered it a good day.

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A lot can be learned from 32 years of experience. I try and listen more than I talk..... But I firmly believe the 11 inch rule is going to take its toll on Sardis. I believe we are seeing the results now. Yes, I agree with your cycle theory. I'm sure everyone here understands that the spawn is the main factor. But the other factors we are arguing over determines the actual quality of the fish. I may be comparing apples to oranges here but just consider Grenada this year. Would u consider Grenada being in the good part of the cycle or bad? Not many fish are being caught but the ones being caught are hogs.

Grenada is tuff but you are rite whats caught are good but I just don't see the size limit as the reason.
Sardis is been on fire and we all knew it couldn't last, folks have gotten to the point that if they cant limit out then they haven't had a good day. Heck I aint limited many times at all this year but I fish Grenada 90% of the time so I am used to it. Having to work for em some is fishing, been a lot of catching going on up there. As far as Nader is concerned we missed a spawn or 2, just very few 12 to 14 inch fish.:twocents

One of many reasons for Sardis is how they went from 10 inch to 12 inch and down to 11 inch. When it was 10 I rarely caught big fish. I had to wait a couple years to get the big ones and when they got to size they drop to 11. They should leave it alone make it 12" and let everything smaller lay eggs. Reduce the limit to 10 a day. There will be some nice quality fish in there for sure. Folks can brag about getting a limit and also feed a family on 1 daily limit. Ain't nothing wrong with that. Grenada problem is media and dollars and greed. Iam glad the town of Sardis doesn't throw money at tournaments to lure in revenue. And a reputation of having 3 pounders doesn't help much.

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Originally Posted by bird down

A lot can be learned from 32 years of experience. I try and listen more than I talk..... But I firmly believe the 11 inch rule is going to take its toll on Sardis. I believe we are seeing the results now. Yes, I agree with your cycle theory. I'm sure everyone here understands that the spawn is the main factor. But the other factors we are arguing over determines the actual quality of the fish. I may be comparing apples to oranges here but just consider Grenada this year. Would u consider Grenada being in the good part of the cycle or bad? Not many fish are being caught but the ones being caught are hogs.

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Agree with you bd. I'm seeing relatively few 12 to 13 inch fish coming out of Sardis this summer....seems to be a "hole" in the population. I believe this is because of all of the 11" fish that were taken out of the lake last year (2013). I'm seeing a lot of 11" to 11-1/2" fish and 13" - 13-1/2" fish this year; every now and then a 14" to 16" fish. With so much pressure on the lake this year, I'm expecting to see mostly 11" and smaller fish next year.

The good fish are there....its just been tough this year.....not just Sardis but everywhere.....some days you do good some days you don't. That's why they call it fishing.

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Originally Posted by CatchumDeep

Agree with you bd. I'm seeing relatively few 12 to 13 inch fish coming out of Sardis this summer....seems to be a "hole" in the population. I believe this is because of all of the 11" fish that were taken out of the lake last year (2013). I'm seeing a lot of 11" to 11-1/2" fish and 13" - 13-1/2" fish this year; every now and then a 14" to 16" fish. With so much pressure on the lake this year, I'm expecting to see mostly 11" and smaller fish next year.

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But this is the exact same thing we are seeing on Grenada, they just aren't there and we have a 12 inch length limit. That's why I keep saying missed spawn for whatever reason makes more sense. I don't doubt that a bunch of 11 inch fish have been taken out but I would be willing to bet that Grenada has been hit the same way, lot of them leave out in trucks and fourwheelers in the spring.

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Originally Posted by "G"

The good fish are there....its just been tough this year.....not just Sardis but everywhere.....some days you do good some days you don't. That's why they call it fishing.

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Yeah, I know. But I prefer going catching over going fishing. :biggrin

All fish and wildlife cycle. Often, regardless of the weather, it seems to be seven years. The only thing wrong with the big four is we are on the down side of the cycle. I think 2016 or 2017 is going to be another 2012. With 80 percent going out the spillway during the winter months, I don't begrudge anyone fishing legal, and working hard at catching fish to take up to their limit.