Thread: Crappie rule changes

Originally Posted by bird down

They would all get better. But it seems the majority on here are wanting more poles. The proposal claims they are trying to keep these lakes top ranked. The biologist must have some concern in order to propose lowering limits and poles in order to keep these good. I hope everyone puts some thought into before they hastily send a letter because there buddy did it, or that's what everybody else is doing. I sent an email an told him I thought the proposal was the best possible thing to keep these lakes world class and I really appreciate there hard work with this. He responded and thanked me for the positive response. He said with all the negative responses it was nice seeing something positive, and he appreciated it. The truth is these people do this for a living, they have degrees in this field, and they are working hard to maintain our world class fisheries.

Well good to know my thinking was correct. The change is all good to me as I've fished Sardis the most myself so I'm used to the change already and even when they dropped the mll I still didn't keep many fish under 12. Heck when your catching fish well over 12 just seemed silly to keep smaller fish lol. I'm for quality not quantity anyway.

You guys sometimes get upset over the silliest things, in Illinois we have a 2 pole limit on every lake but about 3 that has a 3 pole limit and we make it just fine. Minnesota has a 1 pole limit and I think they catch a lot of fish up there. You have had it to good for to long or you think you have had it good. If the fish are biting 3 poles are to many and if there are no fish biting 3 poles are way to many. I think some guy would be upset if you could fish with dynamite and they switched it to where you could only use a half stick. Be glad that you have what you have and let the people that know what they are talking about take care of it. If it takes you an extra hour to catch your fish, so what its not a contest to see how fast you can catch them. Im sure that a lot of people on here complaining about they wont be able to catch as many if they go to 12 inch and 3 poles would look in their freezers they will find 2 year old fish if they haven't already thrown them away, so many not need to catch as many as what you think.

"Reducing the number of poles slows down the rate of harvest". Sounds like they are also going to slow down the number of people even wanting to fish for crappie. Stores will be selling less number of poles, rods, crankbaits, etc. I have learned that everything that helps one thing hurts something else. This could hurt everyone in the crappie bait and tackle business.

So you like it when things are taken from you Steven, boy that is just silly isn't it????
On the good days it really just dont matter, heck when there are 2 of you in the boat its not so bad but when fishing alone its not so good. Lot of ways to control harvest without keeping on taking poles, they already want and will most likely set the limits at HALF of what it is in the rest of the state which is fine with me, 15 is plenty.
The Good Lord and the COE have way more control on these lakes than the MDWFPs will ever have and they have a tuff row to ho in managing them for that very reason. I live between Grenada and Enid and in the summer time spend 80% of my time on Enid because I fish by myself a lot and can fish 5 poles up there. Limits dont come every day and thats cool, I dont classify my day on the water by whether or not I limit out but by the day itself, 4 or 5 is enuff for supper anyways.

This comment here is a prime example of what folks do a lot, they assume they know what goes on at someone else's house or in their boat and is the majority of the whole problem. We need to worry about ourselves and not worry about other, plain and simple its known of my business.

Im sure that a lot of people on here complaining about they wont be able to catch as many if they go to 12 inch and 3 poles would look in their freezers they will find 2 year old fish if they haven't already thrown them away, so many not need to catch as many as what you think.

What someone has in their freezer is none of my business, heck how they got em there aint none of my business, between them and the authorities.

Grenada didn't have the pressure it has now 30 years ago. It dint have crappie masters airing show, it didn't have many if any tournaments, it didn't have year around pressure. The technology wasn't as good 30 years ago. The internet didn't allow people to google reports, find places to stay, look at birds eye view maps, etc. The cell phones were not ringing with fishing reports and certain areas to come meet and slaughter the fish. When you compare past times to present you are comparing apples to oranges. Its amazing the fish it has produced the last few years! Record breaking! And you don't think if the limit was still 50, as many hooks as you want, and 5 or 10 poles apiece it would still produce world class fish do u? Heck no it wouldn't. These rules are set to PROTECT our fisheries. People come from all over the country to catch these monster crappie. They are not going to stop coming if the pole limit is reduced to three. People will still spend money and go fish. Just look at the ramps in the spring if you don't believe me.

Now I don't know about the big 4 big lakes up in north Mississippi as I have never fished them. The small reservoir where I fish went up to $15 for 2 people to launch the boat and fish. There was never a lot of people fishing it before the increase but there is a lot less people now. Some days there is no one even fishing and there is no creel size for crappie and a 30 limit per person. I will just say if you go up on the price and take enough away from anything people will lose interest in it.

Originally Posted by scrat

I just wrote my letter to the MDWFP. I still do not think that the amount of poles have anything to do with this issue. I can understand having limits and creel sizes and each and every lake needs to have its own size and limits as every lake is different. Each lake is different with different needs just like a person going to the doctor no one has the same problems and needs. But this pole limit is not needed in maintaining fish limits and creel sizes.

I hope you wrote in your letter that you have never fished these lakes before. If you had fished them you would see that they are relatively similar. They all have a lot of pressure and big fish. When you have different regulations it puts more pressure on one particular lake. And for the pole limit thing, nobody is catching limits of fish. Less poles equals 5 fish at the end of the day rather than 10 fish.

Well everyone has their chance now to write and tell them (before June 21) how you feel about this. If you decide not to don't blame anyone but yourself if you don't like these changes and this will affect all lakes and waterways in Mississippi sooner or later not just the big 4.