Thread: Sardis Findings

I agree on most all fronts of this conversation, but I think the 11 inch rule killed us and with a bad spawn for those years as well we are seeing the results this year and last. I am 60 years old and been fishing Sardis for 40 years and never witnessed two years of this bad of fishing. I hope I have a few years left for the lake to come back, but I think we are in for another tough year next year.

Not trying to jack the thread or nothing. But for you ladies and gentlemen that have been fishing the lake since the 70's & 80's, what kind of numbers where getting and what we're length and creel limits then??. Just curious, I like historical information for some reason. I was just hoping it was the high water Springs the last year or two causing a decline in numbers of fish being caught. And we're quality fish abundant more so then on Sardis then they are now? Thanks!

Lots of 10" numbers back in the day. Much better quality when they went to 12" after a few good spawns. Good numbers also until they reverted back to 11" a few years back. Now we see the results of that and the two bad spawns those 11" fish came from.

Originally Posted by Snubbys

Not trying to jack the thread or nothing. But for you ladies and gentlemen that have been fishing the lake since the 70's & 80's, what kind of numbers where getting and what we're length and creel limits then??. Just curious, I like historical information for some reason. I was just hoping it was the high water Springs the last year or two causing a decline in numbers of fish being caught. And we're quality fish abundant more so then on Sardis then they are now? Thanks!

People lose sight of the fact the limit was 50 and it wasn't that hard to get either. Its not just the fishing pressure, but all the timber and buck brush gone out of the lake. They can't hide unless high water which doesn't happen often. They keep it pretty strict to the rule curve.

Back in the early 50 fish days there wasn't a size limit. Then it went to 10", then 30 fish, then 12" fish, back to 11" fish and 20, up until now. The timber was thick and so was the cover in places. I remember yo-yos on all the trees from Piney on up. Water was much deeper at rule curve back then also. The silt has filled her in a bunch.

She's a totally different lake today, and the pressure has quadrupled on a more year round basis, but back in the day during the spawn, you better put in early or walk back to the ramp from the overflow parking at Engineers Point. It got crowded more than today it seemed when the fish hit the bank.

I guess we should continue to Grow the sport until I'm out of business. People won't need a boat, they can just jump across the lake from one boat to another.

Thank the Good Lord for the high water the past few years. It's saved a ton of crappie's lives. The weather patterns this year have kept the crowds down also.

Yes sir, timber and brush is going away fast in the big 4.. I vaguely remember in the 80's when we me and my dad would run the creeks and rivers of graysport and catch crappie all day... it wasn't thought as much then other then being (table fair) catching an Ole slab between this yo yo or the next trot line.. I can't recall one professional crappie fishermen's name then, but I do remember several pro bass guys on the tv...

I remember fishing Grenada with my dad in the mid 70's and early 80's. There was a 50 fish limit, and no size restriction. We would catch a bunch of fish, sometimes 2 limits, without even cranking up the big motor at Choctaw, North Greysport, and South Greysport. There was a lot more cover back then. Never saw anyone trolling. I think that over the years, especially with lower water levels over the years, the fish have changed the way they use that lake. But there is one thing I'm sure of............the numbers today are nowhere near what the numbers used to be back then. I think that has to do with better spawns back in the 70's and 80's due to higher water levels. I remember the water used to come over the emergency spillway quite often..........something that hasn't happened in years and years now. Also, of course, lower numbers are due to a lot more pressure today. I think this is basically what is happening on all our reservoirs.

Right on duckhunter, we use to slay crappie without even trying (back in graysport in the 80's).. don't know if the popularity of the sport has helped it or hurt it.. I guess it just boils down to more competition. Like I said, wasn't no professional crappie guys in them days.. we just caught a meal.. and enjoyed it....