Results of Lake Conway Crappie Angler Survey

Here are the results of the Survey Monkey Lake Conway Crappie Angler Survey. There was a total of 118 responses. Not all surveys were complete, so they were eliminated from the preliminary analysis. Please keep in mind that this is just Preliminary Results. After the on-site angler interviews are complete, I will put together a report.

This figure shows that no matter what your annual fishing frequency is, the majority of Lake Conway anglers harvest 10" or larger crappie. The one exception is the anglers who fish 1 to 10 times a year on Lake Conway. This group harvests 9"crappie.
Attachment 126482

The figure shows that the more frequent an angler fishes Lake Conway, the higher rating they gave both the size and abundance of crappie.
Attachment 126483

This figure shows that the larger the minimum size harvested crappie harvested by an angler the higher the rating they gave for both size and abundance of crappie. The one exception are people you only harvest 12" or greater crappie. They gave a lower rating than anglers who's minimum size is either 8, 9, 19, or 11 inches.
Attachment 126484

This figure shows that no matter what your annual crappie fishing frequency is on Lake Conway, the majority prefered Fewer and Bigger Crappie. This is very pronounced for anglers who crappie fish on Lake Conway more than 25 times a year.
Attachment 126485

This figure blows my mind. This figure shows that no matter what the smallest size crappie you harvest all responces were 100% for Fewer and Bigger crappie, except for anglers who said that 9" was the smallest crappie they harvest. In this categaory over 90% of the anglers said they would rather have More and Smaller crappie. I really do not have a good explination for this pattern.
Attachment 126486

This figure shows that as annual crappie fishing frequency reaches 100+ days, the preference for a 9" Minimum length limit (MLL) decreases to about 60%. Other wise support for this potential regualtion varied from around 80 to 95%. On average 84% of anglers supported this potential regulation.
Attachment 126487

This figure shows that support for a 9" MLL varries across anglers who harvest different size crappie. Anlgers who's smallest harvested crappie is 5, 8, 11, and 12 are 100% in favor or a 9" MLL. Only 50% of anglers who harvest 9" and larger crappie are in favor of a 9" MLL.
Attachment 126488

Preliminary Conculsion
The average Lake Conway crappie angler prefers to catch Fewer and Bigger crappie and are in favor of a 9"MLL.

Now lay it on me. I know that this group is opinionated, so let me here your opinions. I am always open to constructuve critisism.

D10 -- How many of these surveys did RCC fill out? That might explain your 9" anomaly in the study. :biggrin

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Originally Posted by Tony McCall

D10 -- How many of these surveys did RCC fill out? That might explain your 9" anomaly in the study. :biggrin

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Funny. No the survey can recognizes if you have or haven't already taken the survey. It will only let you take it once.

The guys that keep 5" Crappie are 100% in favor of a 9" length limit, but only 60% of the guys that keep 9" and above are in favor of the 9" minimum length limit? :dono .....................:Rofl :Rofl :Rofl :Rofl :Rofl

my vote would be pick up and move that lake to N.E.A. and we wont complain !! lake bono you say ????........horsefeather's

I'd love to have a Lake Conway in Lake City!!!! :biggrin

Thanks Matt. Not sure what the results tell us but thanks for trying to help Lake Conway. I have fished it for about 60 years and remember the great days and think any management would be help full. So try one or dig more Wilhelmina coves Jigtime

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Originally Posted by jigtime

Thanks Matt. Not sure what the results tell us but thanks for trying to help Lake Conway. I have fished it for about 60 years and remember the great days and think any management would be help full. So try one or dig more Wilhelmina coves Jigtime

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This survey just tells us that the majority of Lake Conway crappie anglers, no matter how many times they fish it a year or what size of crappie they keep, are generally in favor of a 9" MLL. Data from the Lake Conway crappie exploitation study (I have provided to anyone who is interested in reading it) shows that a 9" MLL would double yield (the total annual pounds of fish caught) and would produce a 500% and 200% increase in the number of 10" and 12" crappie harvested. This would be at a sacrifice of 15% fewer fish caught.

So the data says that a 9" MLL would improve the fishery. I just want to collect the angler opinion data, to see if this option would be favored by the majority or despised. One more piece to the puzzle!

Thanks again for your hard work, Matt.

I would be in favor of a 10, 11, or12 inch limit...Stop yo yo fishing during the spawn...where i believe more than 50 percent of spawning fish are caught with Yo Yo's. It may be 10-15 percent for a yealy harvest rate for Conway with YoYo... but no way I am buying that... for the spawn where Yo Yo's do the most damage...Thanks Matt for your hard work but you asked for my Opinion so here it is. I also would like to see a survey on Yo Yo fishing on Lake Conway to see the results of how many are in favor of that. I'll bet the results would surprize you big time. I shutter to think how good of a crappie fishery Lake Conway could be if we just did the to things I mentioned in this post. I think It would turn a Good Lake into a World Class fishery. JMO

I like to see some Yoyo's/limbline restrictions put on Conway also.

Thanks for the hard work d10 looks like your doing your research in search of the best fit for Conway!

Thanks for the hard work you are doing on a great fishery