How Many Are We Taking Out?

I was just wondering how many crappie and other species are we really taking out of the lake each year. Has the TWRA done a survey like this of how many of each species we are taking out each year and how many are being hatched each year? I'm very curious. Im not here to point fingers at people who take home fish (thats not what I'm getting at here) I'm just curious of the estimate numbers....i know theres no way to tell exactly but it makes me wonder when I sit and think about how many fish are being taken out each day. (Again, I'm not trying to start a feud here). Thanks

I know what you mean, when the limit is 30 and you got 2-3 people per boat with like 8-12 poles hanging out every direction, at some point i would think it would have to hurt the fishing, I wonder what would happen if they went to a 15 crappie limit with a 12" size how that would affect the fishing on KY lake. any thoughts? plus to many out of state boats lately.

I think the biologists at TWRA and KY F&W keep a close eye on the populations and the effect of not only fishing but environmental issues such as TVA dropping the lake level during the spawn and its effects on populations. I figure the limits are set to where folks taking their legal amount of fish won't have an adverse effect. It's the illegal take that worries me as much as anything besides the lack of concern from TVA/Corps.

This forum consists of many of the best fishermen and women on each lake that is represented. I seriously doubt the AVERAGE crappie fisherman on each of the lakes rarely catches a limit of anything. I would say that point is also figured into the biologists formulas for catch rates and regulations.

If I recall the limit in KY on crappie on Kentucky and Barkley is 20. In TN it is 30. Sure wish TN would go to the 20. 40 fillets is a LOT of fish.

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Originally Posted by mrdux

I think the biologists at TWRA and KY F&W keep a close eye on the populations and the effect of not only fishing but environmental issues such as TVA dropping the lake level during the spawn and its effects on populations. I figure the limits are set to where folks taking their legal amount of fish won't have an adverse effect. It's the illegal take that worries me as much as anything besides the lack of concern from TVA/Corps.

This forum consists of many of the best fishermen and women on each lake that is represented. I seriously doubt the AVERAGE crappie fisherman on each of the lakes rarely catches a limit of anything. I would say that point is also figured into the biologists formulas for catch rates and regulations.

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I have gone with the TWRA "Shock" "Stun" boats before. Yes they keep up with the health of the entire TN State water system. All species are collected, weighed and measured. At the end of the day totals are keep for each species. They then compare the numbers with previous years for any necessary adjustments or suggestions. They are trained and schooled a lot more than me. I fish with their recommended size and creel limits. Kingfish

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Originally Posted by fishincrazy

If I recall the limit in KY on crappie on Kentucky and Barkley is 20.

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You are correct. They must be 10 inches in both KY and reciprocal waters.

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Originally Posted by fishincrazy

If I recall the limit in KY on crappie on Kentucky and Barkley is 20. In TN it is 30. Sure wish TN would go to the 20. 40 fillets is a LOT of fish.

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It's 30 only in certain waters, mainly in the western part of the state. In the middle to eastern part of the state it's 15 or 20, I forget which.

I have thought about the same thing, but when you go out and catch 100-150 short fish per day for every limit, I think the populations are pretty healty, at least around here .Plus i think the lake itself is a factor. Lakes with grass bieng more fertile and all. just my opinion

It's 30 on reelfoot also with no size limit. I always use the 10 inch rule no matter where i fish just wished the foot had a length limit. I see people catch a 7 or 8 inch fish all the time and it always goes in the box, I guess to each his own just wish they would lower the limit to 20 and add a lenght limit to at 10 inches but don't guess it'll ever happen in my life time...

It hasn't been that long ago that there was no size limit or creel limit on reelfoot. I think the biologists know what they are doing.:twocents

TWRA is looking for comments from the public on a post at I made today in the Tn forum. Make your opinions known. I would like to see limit made to 25 max per person and 50 per boat per day, regardless of how many people are in the boat. Also 11 or 12" min. would be good. One other thing I would like to see that is harming crappie fishing more than most realize. I would like to see nets only used in certain areas by commercial fisherman. The larger crappie are what the nets retain and the fish die, when this happens. And last but not least, a limit of 2 poles per person with 2 hooks per pole, max. 4 poles per boat.

Didn't mean to ruffle your feathers there crappiehoarder just commenting my opinion on a thread...

I personal like running my spider rig an I do double rig each rod. An on Chickamuaga the limit is 15 10" crappie so personal what does it matter that I might catch mine slightly faster than someone with fewer rods. A limit to me is a limit. Plus I only keep fish that will be eat. An once the freezer is packed I catch an release. I have cleaned 150 crappie in the last 10 days an released 4xs that many shorts. An 1/2 that will be nice sizes keepers by fall. So I believe the rod limit is over rated. Even though my last limit was done with two people two rods the we're biting to fast an bout couldn't keep up.
Love what the Twra has done with his lake. Miles above the lakes I fish in middle ga that have a limit of 30 an no sizes. Dink city. So I hope the chick stays the course. My 2cents

My opinion on it is that i Don't feel there should be a pole limit per say. I could agree on the 2 hooks per line though. I have ZERO ill will towards guides I would actually love to be a guide one day when I'm older but when I see limit after limit being brought in it just automatically triggers some concern. I do understand most all of these guides put out their own brush and do a fantastic job creating habitat and near perfect living conditions for these fish which i am VERY grateful to see. Maybe I'm just underestimating the population as a whole which brings the concern to me. Im 100% on board with the 10" length limit on my home lake. Do i think 30 is a little overkill? a little bit..... I also think the introduction to stocking the Hybrid Stripe/Rockfish was part to blame also. I'm just throwing some ideas around. I remember watching an interview with Harold Morgan a while back thats on Youtube and he was a big part in the regulations we have today because of how many fish were being taken out on a daily basis. I appreciate everyones responses. i like hearing what everyone is thinking.

My opinion on the matter is this. I don't feel that there should be a rod limit. Fishing is fishing, so whatever your method of choice so be it. I would like to see the creel limit lowered and a length limit put in place at reelfoot. I fish the foot religiously. Granted I don't catch a whole lot of short fish, I'm sure some people do. When you keep a fish under 10 inches, think of how many fish you've actually killed. How many fry could that fish help produce? I'll never see a huge impact on the crappie population as long as I live, but I'd like to insure my kids or grandchildren could fish the same waters as me and have the same experience.

i wouldnt mind them going to a 12/12 on chicamauga. but the rod limit in the earlier post, i dont understand, two poles with 2 hooks max, what about 4 poles with single baits, its the same number. and i dont think the 4 pole max per boat would work. what about a pontoon boat with 5 ,6,or 7 people.

the nets i totally agree with i have saw guys netting in the crappie spawning areas on the hiwassee and they throw noithing back.

I remember when there was no size limit or creel limit in Reelfoot. I also remember Tennessee having a 3 pole limit and crappie being commercially harvested on Reelfoot. Pole limits, in my opinion, are to deter fishermen, not to restrict harvest. We caught a lot if fish on Reelfoot when all of the above stated was going on, but most of them were 8-10". There's better fish on Reelfoot now than then.
I personally think there is a problem on Reelfoot. It is probably a cyclical low, but seems to me the fish population is down some. Hopefully there will be a good spawn this year. With the spawn most likely being late, maybe more females will get those eggs layed

Ran into a huge unmarked gill net last year while trolling in Harrison Bay on the Chick. Luckily I was using braid and was able to pull the net up to retrieve my lurers. They are only keeping catfish and throwing the rest back but unfortunently most of those fish were already dead or dying. I ripped their net up pretty good to get my cranks out. Maybe if they had properly marked it I would've avoided it. Catfish are farm raised- there's no need to take them out of any lake using gill nets. That kind of fishing needs to be outlawed.

I'm thinking probably not anywhere enough are being taken out of most lakes. Here in west Tn TWRA has lowered the length limit to 8 inches now on some of the very popular lakes including Browns Creek where the current record black crappie came from and has taken the length limit away completely on many other large and very popular fishing lakes. Crappie are very prolific breeders and can quickly take over a lake. Bream and Redears are regularly stocked into TWRA waters in large numbers to keep their populations up.

If not enough crappie are not taken out they will quickly overtake a lake. Lake charles in arkansas is a prime example. Agfc over regulated crappie fishing and the crappie have taken over. You can catch hundreds of little stunted crappie a day with maybe one or two being over 10in. Making it even worse no one keeps the little shorties. If a purist feels the need to only fish with 1 pole,keeping 20 fish or less 12in or longer I say feel free.