For the record: KY Lake and Lake Barkley size limit is 10"!!

Folks, there is no way that anyone will ever make me believe that you don't know what the size limit is. And if you actually don't... you need to stay at home to plant your garden instead of coming to Kentucky and robbing us of our natural resources.

I had several friends down from north central Kentucky the last three days to fish. They rented a cabin at Aurora and the rest of the place was filled with OOS anglers. The shear volume of sub 10" fish that I saw being filleted and carcasses filling the trash cans was just about nausiating.

When I mentioned the size limit, "well, we didn't know and neither does anybody else that we have asked".. that doesn't cut it!!! :mad:

The KDFWR publishes fishing guides that can be found at most every gas station and bait shop surrounding both lakes. There are also bright yellow signs at every public boat ramp and most private ones that were placed there by the KDFWR telling you what the size and creel limit is on fish.

I know for fact that the MO anglers that I met at the cleaning table last night were near the signs because they lauched right beside me on Friday and then darn near swamped us later.

That kind of stuff is inexcusable. I hope the CO's start patrolling the cleaning stations and passing out hefty fines to go along with your coolers full of 7" crappie.

I never have kept an undersized fish but have seen a bunch. What makes people think they can keep a bunch of 12 inch LM or 8 inch crappie? I want to stretch a 9 7/8 inch fish but they are hard to pull on!!! :rolleyes: I usually say something but it always ends up as mind your own business. I feel your pain quacker!

Did you call the game warden?

I didn't have my phone on me and they were washing off their catch to leave when we walked up.

Not to worry, though. I hunt and fish with several CO's and they will be made aware of what is going on.

No they would rather check us locals that do care and don't keep any small ones.
They don't want to hassle the tourists.. Well that to me is part of the problem with the so called numbers game, not the spawn..

I fished Rough River yesterday and they were checking people on the water like crazy. I got checked once and about 2 hours later the same boat pulled up to check me again before realizing he had already checked me once. They were checking license and live wells. Sounds like they need to do a little more of that on Kentucky Lake. Me and my fish were all legal so didn't bother me a bit.

I've seen the same thing down there and it makes me sick. Saw a couple guys cleaning some at KY Lake last year and I guarantee out of the 20 or so they had maybe 5 would have kept. These are not the only short ones I've seen cleaned down there but probibally the most at one time.Why don't the CO's frequent the cleaning stations more. I guarantee you they would write alot of tickets and wouldn't even have to load or unload their boat!

Man that crawls all over me. If you fish, ever had fished, or ever plan on fishing the first thing you do is look at the size and the creel limit.

There is no excuse for that. If it's not 10", you don't keep it.

Kentucky Lake has a great amount of fish (still haven't figured out how), there are more than enough 10+ inch fish (won't be with people like that)

Just chaps my rear side.

When Rabbit season is over, I get a fishing guide when they come out, look at the new laws/regulations, etc.

Same thing, when Rabbit season comes in, I get a hunting guide and do the same.

You can't fix stupid.

I was out listening for turkeys Sat morning and heard 2 shots. These were not somebody sighting in a gun, they were hunting! A week before season opens! ZERO DOUBT in my mind!

My wife and I were on KY Lake Friday and had a couple of guys from IL get REALLY close to us after they saw us catch a couple of good crappie. They then proceeded to put every undersized crappie and bass they caught into the livewell. For all I know they released them after we left at dark but I seriously doubt it. They were more than likely camping and figured the chance of getting caught by CO were slim to none. I would venture to bet that a large percentage of the OOSers do the same thing. I keep my local CO's numbers in my phone and plan on making a case against the next person I see doing this. Does that make me a bad guy? I could give a big, hairy rats patootie less! The only way it will stop is for examples to be made of folks. Word will then get around.

I feel guilty if I have a fish that BARELY measures in my livewell. There is no way I would purposely go somewhere else and WILLFULLY violate just to say I caught some fish or took some other game.

I have a good relation with my local CO and will be giving him a call Monday about this. He's reasonably new and full of pizz and vinegar so he will follow up and probably make somebody's trip to KY Lake one to remember.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Creeker

I fished Rough River yesterday and they were checking people on the water like crazy. I got checked once and about 2 hours later the same boat pulled up to check me again before realizing he had already checked me once. They were checking license and live wells. Sounds like they need to do a little more of that on Kentucky Lake. Me and my fish were all legal so didn't bother me a bit.

---

That was prob my cousin. He was out scouting more than checking for size. Nevermind if it was my cousin he was checking... we need more like him down at barkley and KY. Where I go I have never even seen a co anywhere near the launch or on the lake.

That is because the KY Lake area is seriously understaffed on CO's. Marshall county only has one and Calloway has two. That's 3 full time guys to patrol the cleaning stations along the entire length of the lake.

KDFWR does bring in additional CO's for patrol when the fishing/boating season starts up but I haven't seen any other than our local 3 this year.

From what I saw this weekend, they need an entire team of them pulling patrol during the crappie spawn.

I normally load my boat and clean my fish at the house so I don't normally see it but the cans at the resort told me that what I saw this weekend while cleaning fish there was not an isolated incidence.

MRDUX, Could have been YOUTH WEEKEND HUNT. They always get the weekend before
regular season. If it was good for them. If more kids would learn to hunt and fish they might not have so much time to get into trouble.

If anyone was hunting with a youth this weekend outside of LBL, they were all illegal.

Youth season was last weekend. Always 2 weeks before statewide opener.

Besides that, dux talked to his local CO this morning who caught a guy hunting the local refuge this weekend. I don't think that the youth weekend excuse flew with the game warden.

There are a lot of turkeys that get killed around here well before the opener. The locals used to open season on my old lease 2 to 3 weeks before season came in while none of us were around. :mad:

I had a good, long conversation with my CO and the CO on Clark's River NWR this morning. They are out and busting chops when necessary. The shots I heard Sat had ZERO to do with the youth hunt, which was the weekend before.

Note to anybody keeping undersized crappie: if my local CO catches you, you will be cited for EVERY undersized crappie and the fines will make you want to take a cruise to the Bahamas before you think about coming to KY or Barkley Lakes and violating game laws again. Our local judge frowns on it also. I would also like to see the owners of campgrounds and motels, where such illegal activity takes place in public places like cleaning sheds, fined if they are aware of it taking place and looking the other way.

We were down at Ky Lake 2 weeks ago and were checked by 2 officers.Both our licence and our livewells in blood river. Great job hope they keep it up. We didn't mind at all.

Mepperson and I fish alot together. As far as I know we have never kept any illegal fish. I have wanted to try to stretch a few it's just not worth it. They put a size limit and a creel limit on them for a reason. Everybody need's to be aware of both the size and creel limit's, after all they set these limit's for a reason. We as fisherman need to man up and follow the rule's. And I know most people do. To me it's an Integrity thing.

Just for the record, I worked with one of our Calloway Co. officers today at Blood River. We were in plain clothes and fishing in an unmarked bass boat. We looked just like regular fishermen. We checked 40 anglers. It was about half KY boats, and half out of state. It was not intended that way; it was just how it worked out, and who was fishing today. There were 3 citations written for short crappie and one for fishing without a license. As you all have reported in this thread, the short fish were all in out of state boats. Let the word be known, it is $50 a fish (a fish) plus $153 court cost. Two guys when home with fines totaling $303. They each had 3 short crappie. Pretty expensive fishing trip and they lost their fish. Most of you all on here are probably not the problem. But spread the word, pleading ignorance of the law in not an excuse.

Oh, fishing was slow. The anglers fishing shallow, had just as many fish as the guys spider rigging the creek ledges. Most anglers had a few fish, but none broke double digits (when we checked them). Did see a few nice (1 1/2 pound crappie) but most were just keep size.

Paul, why is it an illegal deer hunter or poacher can lose his gun, ATV, truck, etc and an illegal fisherman (poacher in my book) gets a get-out-of-jail card and a small fine? Wrong is wrong in my book, esp if it involves several fish like you mentioned in your post. Seems to me the more serious a judge takes a penalty, the more serious the public becomes in being aware of not violating.

If you aren't calling the CO then you simply aren't helping the situation. All you are doing is whining. You're almost as guilty. "I didn't have my phone" doesn't cut it! Write down a vehicle description, License Plate # and where the person is staying then call. No phones anywhere in the area? No one else has a phone? Impossible to believe in today's world.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by prister

We checked 40 anglers. It was about half KY boats, and half out of state. It was not intended that way; it was just how it worked out, and who was fishing today. There were 3 citations written for short crappie and one for fishing without a license. As you all have reported in this thread, the short fish were all in out of state boats.

---

Say it ain't so, Paul!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fishincrazy

If you aren't calling the CO then you simply aren't helping the situation. All you are doing is whining. You're almost as guilty. "I didn't have my phone" doesn't cut it! Write down a vehicle description, License Plate # and where the person is staying then call. No phones anywhere in the area? No one else has a phone? Impossible to believe in today's world.

---

Citizen's arrest! Citizen's arrest! Maybe I could have held them at gunpoint until a SWAT team arrived.

I'll just have Lee, Brad or Scott give me a ticket for those MO guys' short fish the next time that they see me if that suits you. Tickets for whoever filled those cans when I didn't see them, too.

The people that need to be contacted, were contacted. But, just for you, I'm going to go out of my way to make sure that the next boatload of lawbreaking Hoosiers that I run across get what they have coming. ;)

When we were at The Moors a couple weeks ago, we saw the same thing. Lots of folks cleaning less than 10" fish. I think each state should require you to complete a little 10 question "rules" quiz prior to issuing a liense. Things like size and creel limits, number of poles allowed, etc. This would keep people from using the lame excuses yhey do!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Quackrstackr

Say it ain't so, Paul!!!



Citizen's arrest! Citizen's arrest! Maybe I could have held them at gunpoint until a SWAT team arrived.

I'll just have Lee, Brad or Scott give me a ticket for those MO guys' short fish the next time that they see me if that suits you. Tickets for whoever filled those cans when I didn't see them, too.

The people that need to be contacted, were contacted. But, just for you, I'm going to go out of my way to make sure that the next boatload of lawbreaking Hoosiers that I run across get what they have coming. ;)

---

Because no one from Kentucky EVER keeps a small fish! Only people from outside the state.
I'll be down week of 3/25 - hopefully we can get together!

I've read through this thread and can't find anywhere in it that said nobody from KY EVER kept a short fish. They deserve what they get as well if they do.

Those of us that are on these waters year round know that the overwhelming majority of the people that are keeping short fish are from out of state, though. I'm not sure if they think that the creel and size limit from their home waters universally applies to everywhere that they go, or they just don't care. I do have a sneaky suspicion, though. Most of the locals that you would see with short fish are confined to the bank and couldn't tell you the names of half of the species that they have in their basket (no offense to the rest of the bank anglers).

For all of you that are coming down and haven't figured the limits out by now, enjoy: http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/2010fishguidefishingregs.pdf

Feel free to pick up your very own copy at any bait store and most gas stations surrounding the lakes. Pay particular attention to the "Special Fishing Regulations" section. The book is free and the man has already warned you that playing ignorant is going to cost you $50 a fish if you get caught.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fishincrazy

I'll be down week of 3/25 - hopefully we can get together!

---

What kind of boat will you be pulling with your DeLorean?

I am a illinois fisherman, that will be down next week and I for one will personally report any poaching that I come across from a local or out of stater.
I was down last june and reported a fella cleaning some 10 inch bass. He was reported and went home unhappy.
It takes everyone to make this stop.
I've not heard of this at Kentucky lake, but at lake Grenada the out of state fishermen have been known to find a flat tire from time to time. That kind of activity puts a hurt on the local economy real quick.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gonepostal1210

I've not heard of this at Kentucky lake, but at lake Grenada the out of state fishermen have been known to find a flat tire from time to time. That kind of activity puts a hurt on the local economy real quick.

---

:confused:

What does destruction of private property have to do with this thread? I don't see anyone threatening that.

It is what it is. Most of the locals see abuse from oos fishermen more than in state. That doesn't mean that we go around busting windows and slashing tires when we see oos tags.

The only time I've heard of that happening in this area, it was locals doing it to locals. I once had two bad batteries stolen from the bed of my truck while it was sitting in the lot at the Big Bear ramp. I guess somebody thought that they had hit the lottery but I'm glad that they saved me a trip to get rid of them. :D

My frustration doesn't only lie with those who violate but also with those who are making money off the out-of-towners and are willing to wink-wink and look the other way because they think changing the mindset will cost them $$. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that just as many locals violate as OOSers, they just have better ways of not getting caught.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by smashdn

What kind of boat will you be pulling with your DeLorean?

---

Chevy 1500 - and slayin' fish, smashmouth!

Please forgive me Quack, I believe that I did exempt Kentucky Lake from my post.
My only thought was to state that at least at Lake Grenada the locals seem to be so frustated by poaching, that seems to be primarily being done by oos, that some have resorted to these acts to discourage their return.
I'm sorry that I upset you.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gonepostal1210

Please forgive me Quack, I believe that I did exempt Kentucky Lake from my post.
My only thought was to state that at least at Lake Grenada the locals seem to be so frustated by poaching, that seems to be primarily being done by oos, that some have resorted to these acts to discourage their return.
I'm sorry that I upset you.

---

No apology needed.

I just couldn't put 2 and 2 together on that one with the property destruction being a result of poaching.

Most of what I hear of in other states is simply because the locals don't want anyone fishing "their" waters.

As I read this thread from start to finish, it sickens me to hear all the harsh criticizm and downright "threats" to out-of-staters coming to fish at Kentucky Lake. MRDUX, you say, "I would venture to BET that a large percentage of OOSERS do the same thing..." (well, venturing to say is the same thing as a GUESS, not fact) and QUACKRSTACKR, you said you would see to it that the next boatload of lawbreaking "hoosiers" get what they have coming. By who? YOU? I doubt it. I think you and some of the others on here need to stop using crappie.com for whining and blasting out-of-staters IN GENERAL, because there are plenty of out-of-staters that DO abide by the rules. Let me tell you something. I lived and worked in Murray, Kentucky for 21 years, moved to Florida, then to Tennessee, and just recently married a man from Indiana that I fell in love with at a Kentucky Lake fish cleaning station. (I hope you have figured out by now that I am a woman). The brow-beating posted on this thread reminds me of the Mississippi State/University of Kentucky NCAA game a few months ago where the MS fans threw water bottles at the UK players. Such actions simply show a lack of class.

Out of the 7 years that I have known my husband, I have never seen him (nor any of his friends) clean a short crappie or bass. I have not missed a single year coming back to Kentucky Lake for the crappie spawn since I moved away in 1999. Kentucky was my home, I raised my children there, and worked at Murray State. It is mine and my husband's dream to retire there in a few years. NO ONE, including YOU, respects the size limit on crappie more than we do. We want the little ones to grow up and become the big Mamas and Daddys that are so fun to catch. And we never clean a bass because we respect the law AND the all the bass fishermen, some of which are our friends.

My husband and I spent April 10-23 crappie fishing at Kentucky Lake, mainly the Blood River area, because I love to catch them from the bushes. We were one of the boats that was checked by Paul Rister and the other officer on the 14th, and we both commented that we were SO GLAD to see them out there! We had one fish in the livewell, which was more than legal. By the way, my son graduated high school with Brad, one of the KFW officers in Murray.

One more thing, and I'll be done. We were fishing one evening at a fish attractor in Blood River, casting jigs and catching a few fish. (Again, let it be known that we do not keep undersized fish!) Since it was late evening, most boats had left the water, but one boat came creeping up behind us. Two guys were on the boat. One was slumped over in one of the lower seats and appeared to be very intoxicated. The other one, also appearing to be intoxicated, was talking (or pretending to) on his cell phone and we heard him calling out our boat numbers, which of course are INDIANA numbers. They continued to swirl their boat all around us and refused to talk to us. My husband asked the one on the cell phone if there was a problem and if so, tell us what we had done wrong. Then the guy said into his cell phone, "Do you want me to get on their boat and measure their fish?" I had had enough, so I told him we had all legal fish and wasn't afraid for any officer to come on our boat. Then I noticed something: THERE WERE NO NUMBERS ON HIS BOAT, EXCEPT the letters KY and the orange sticker! So I said, "By the way, where are your stickers?" and told him maybe I would just call him in to the authorities. Needless to say, he got the H out of Dodge. We did report his actions to a local bait shop, along with a full description of his boat. The bait shop reported the incident to Brad Lowe and he assured us they would be on the lookout for this boat. You know what? This extremely nice (yeah, right) intoxicated "Kentucky" individual was only trying to scare us off the fishing spot 'cause he wanted it. So next time you go blasting Indiana people, you just remember that there are fish poachers and law breakers in every state, including Kentucky. It isn't fair to pick on one state as a whole. Rat out the people you actually can prove that have short fish and quit good lumping people like us in with the bad guys, please.

please come to spa lake in logan county ky,,full of crappie that need thinning out...250 acre lake,trolling motor only,,30 fish possession limit , nice quiet,no houses

I call it like I see it based on my many experiences on KY and Barkley Lakes. I, in no shape, form ,or fashion ,never threatened to do anything but turn in an violators I see, OOSer or local. I think you just got your drawers in a wad over nothing. If you had chosen to take all that was said in context, you would see in a later reply that I said as many locals violate as OOSers.

Every year the confrontations and acts of bad manners get worse on these lakes. I don't know if it is just a mirror image of our society as a whole or just folks trying to get the most bang for their bucks when they come here to fish. Either way, it is getting old and really trying many folks ability to stay civil. That goes for locals and OOSers.

Thank you, MRDUX, for your courtesy, although I do not feel I got "my panties in a wad" in vain. You all were blasting us pretty hard, just admit it. By the way, the guys who approached us were in a white, 2004ish model Dura Craft boat with a center console and 90 HP Blue Evinrude outboard motor...in case you see the rude SOBs

Feel better now?

Some of us still live here and like dux said... we call 'em like we see 'em.

If you aren't keeping short fish, you've got nothing to worry about and nothing to get your undies in a bunch over.

If you want to test me on what I said, come to KY Lake and try me out, sister. I've got the CO's personal numbers on my cell phone (heck, I may have a CO in the boat with me for that matter). I won't hesitate to call in the next person I see cleaning short fish. Hope it isn't you.

Yes, I do feel better now, because I at least reminded you and the others that not all out-of-staters keep short fish, so don't lump us in with the ones who do. My son still lives in Kentucky and some of the best people I have ever known live there, too. For the record, let it be known that I also have the CO's numbers in my cell phone now and won't hesitate to call them if anyone starts any trouble with us. We don't keep short fish, so we have no worries. And I won't hesitate to call in the next person I see cleaning short fish. Perhaps that is the only way to stop it. Although, I do think that a better way would be for the CO's to be on land and stopping boats as they come away from the launch areas. That way, the CO's get to check all their fish, measure them and write the tickets. Once a fish has been cleaned, in my opinion, because it would be awfully hard to close its mouth and squeeze the end of its tail together, thus get an accurate measurement. By the way, I noticed you had no comment on the harrassment we received while we were there, fishing legally, and not bothering anyone. Next time, I'll not only call them in, I'll make dang sure I take a picture of them and their boat.

SAME GO"S FOR "DALE HOLLOW"!! TIRED OF EXCUSES-READ THE RULES!!

Quote:

---

I don't know if it is just a mirror image of our society as a whole

---

The nail has been hit on the head!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Quackrstackr

Feel better now?

Some of us still live here and like dux said... we call 'em like we see 'em.

If you aren't keeping short fish, you've got nothing to worry about and nothing to get your undies in a bunch over.

If you want to test me on what I said, come to KY Lake and try me out, sister. I've got the CO's personal numbers on my cell phone (heck, I may have a CO in the boat with me for that matter). I won't hesitate to call in the next person I see cleaning short fish. Hope it isn't you.

---

And still the threats continue from the one who admittedly did NOTHING in the case that started this thread. READ. She said she doesn't keep small fish, yet you threaten her. Now would be the time to just stop.

Having been born and raised in ky i am ashamed at at few people from ky that get on here and attack people for their personal adgenda's on a family board. Then a lady gets on and is told that her panty's are in wad.....some need to grow up. This is not the way to go about fixing the problem,use your energy to get more co's...don't attack people on a public board.