I hear a lot of folks saying they release females in the spring... If that is your goal, why only the spring?
My thought would be.. If you harvest one in the fall... It still would have spawned in the upcoming spring... So... What's the difference?
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I hear a lot of folks saying they release females in the spring... If that is your goal, why only the spring?
My thought would be.. If you harvest one in the fall... It still would have spawned in the upcoming spring... So... What's the difference?
The difference is nothing.... Nothing at all... In my opinion anywayQuote:
Originally Posted by JigginPoleJoe
Maybe jus the thought that she's so close to spawning and full of eggs... if u catch one in Aug I guess there could b a chance of her dying or getting inhaled by a big flathead before the next spawn...I keepem anytime they decide to come aboard my vessel personally!
Better not bite my jig.nonono
I agree. However a lot of people can't visually tell the difference between a male and female except when the females are full of eggs during the prespawn and spawn. So they are only selective during this time. Personally I don't care what gender it is. They both taste good to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by JigginPoleJoe
I'm not a sexist, I eat em all!
I agree with Gkbatts. After the spawn they might or might not have another year to live. Using this logic there is possibly a difference in when you keep or release females. Another argument might be, why the hell are you fishin for crappie if you aren't going to eat them? There are other species of fish that fight better. My bottom line is I'm with Nimrod on this one, "I'm not a sexist, I eat em all!"
I only keep a female crappie if I can get it in the net.
I can't taste the difference in a male and a female crappie! Just my :twocents!
Keeping or releasing females is personal choice. MY choice is to release them in the spring when they are heavy with eggs. Big crappie produce big offspring. A female just before spawn has a better chance of living to lay eggs than one that is caught late summer or fall. Fishing is not about a limit every time or it should not be. I see pictures on here of people catching a limit two to three times a week(how many fish do you have in the freezer, that it would hurt to turn loose a large female, full of eggs). The fun is in the catching and having some to catch the next time you go. Count the fish in your freezers and tell me why it makes me less of a crappie fisherman that I decide to turn females loose. Most lakes in Arkansas do not have a slot size, so does it make sense to keep every fish you catch just so you can say "I CAUGHT A LIMIT". Little fish grow into larger ones, large females produce eggs to make little crappie to grow into bigger ones. Just my thoughts, not expressed very well but my thoughts anyway. CATCH AND KEEP THEM ALL> CATCHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FISHING EVERYDAY.
I keepem all ...........roe is really good in hushpuppys !! lol
I'm fish for supper
You crappie Pro's have forgotten more than We (green carp fishermen) will ever know.Our thinking is that female has the gene's that has helped it make it through the Big flathead catfish,gar and where We fish the World Record (28 lb) Hybrid Striper swimming around trying to eat everything in it's path.The fry or offspring from that female might make it also just our thinking for what it is worth(Not Much) We don't catch enough to make a dent in the crappie population) anyway our 8 or 10,10 or 12 will not matter!!!! The hybrids take care of our crappie anyway!!! They say they don't!! Hybrid stripers eating machines!!!
So it's a personal choice you say...then don't tell a man that caught a 3 lb fish to throw it back.Quote:
Originally Posted by dog doc
I have a lot of fillets in the freezer because I am gonna put on a fish fry for the fellas I work with I hope that's ok with you...o wait its ok with AGFC because they set the limits so your opinion is jus that an opinion. If it starts hurting the crappie population then AGFC will lower the limit to preserve out future. Lets let the biologist that love our fisheries in the state make the rules and not institute our own rules and beliefs onto other fishermen.Quote:
Originally Posted by dog doc
Brenda says if their big enough to bite her hook they are big enough to keep:yikes
I have a freezer full of filets, so I throw them ALL bsck. I havent kept a fish in over three months. This year, I am strictly looking for one to put on the wall. If my supply gets low, I will keep a few, male or female, but its not about loading the boat for me. I actually enjoy Crappie fishing. I think it is amazing how they can bounce back from the heavy pressure that I have seen on some lakes, God truly is awesome! So I say as long as you are within the law, do what you want. Remember this thread was started to get everyone's opinion, so let them have one.