Where to catch SMALLER crappie...really?

With the size limit on the big four at 11 or 12 inches, I find that I miss the ole Okatibbee dinks...for eating purposes. Where can I fish near Oxford other than the lower lake at Sardis so I can keep some smaller fish as I like them fried whole? By the way, my wife and I got into them pretty good on Sunday in 2 ft on Sardis...spawning fish just barely hitting it. Anyway, I'm learning to spider rig and need some recommendations of smaller lakes nearby that have decent crappie numbers. Thanks in advance! David

David, I would go to Davis lake. Plenty of small crappie in there. Just don't know how far from you it is.

Cray hit the nail on the head, it's not a bad drive either.

Puskus

There used to be a fellow on here that caught 10,000 crappie out of Davis Lake in a year.

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Originally Posted by ATM

There used to be a fellow on here that caught 10,000 crappie out of Davis Lake in a year.

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Its the dead sea now for crappie......nothing but small stunted fish. Lake has some monster bass though.

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Originally Posted by "G"

Its the dead sea now for crappie......nothing but small stunted fish. Lake has some monster bass though.

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Is it so that if not fished out enough that crappie will overpopulate a lake and will be stunted or just small fish? That is something that I had been told in the past that it happens a lot in small ponds.:dono

lower lake at Sardis, brush piles in 20 ft. water in front of Island . The catfish will stretch you line too !Attachment 202014

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Originally Posted by scrat

Is it so that if not fished out enough that crappie will overpopulate a lake and will be stunted or just small fish? That is something that I had been told in the past that it happens a lot in small ponds.:dono

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The lake is only 200acres so its awful small for crappie......on the small fish question.....if its just small fish you should be able to catch a larger one every now and then I would think. I think they are stunted....but that's just my guess. Dunno

There's a 10" limit state wide except below the dams. Check the rules, each has a boundary.

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Originally Posted by "G"

The lake is only 200acres so its awful small for crappie......on the small fish question.....if its just small fish you should be able to catch a larger one every now and then I would think. I think they are stunted....but that's just my guess. Dunno

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You're probably right, "G" .... 200ac is pretty small for a Crappie lake. We have a 784ac lake that was supposed to be a "trophy fish" lake, with only LM Bass, Channel Cats, Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Shellcrackers. Crappie size limit was 9" & 15/day and even though they were being taken out by the buckets full UNDER the 9" limit, the lake soon got overpopulated and the Crappie hardly ever reached 9".
Now, there were occasions where a 2lb fish was caught, now & then, but most were throwbacks.

Several years ago, they took the 9" size limit off & upped the creel to the state limit of 30/day. The last couple of years, the reports have been that the Crappie being caught now are in the 1-2lb range & in greater numbers than previous years. In all likelihood, it was because of the removal of the size limit, allowing the numbers to be thinned down to where the remaining population had access to more food/space ... and their growth rates were allowed to get back to more normal yearly averages.

... cp :kewl

Its nine inches on some in MS

You want small crappie? Drive to Illinois.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but there isn't a MLL on crappie statewide. Several lakes have a MLL, but otherwise you can keep any size.

Go to the Ten-Tom Waterway. MLL is 9" and they are plentiful once you figure out River fishing. Lots are over that length also, you've just got to put your time in to find them. If you've never eaten crappie from a running waterway...well let me just say their is no comparison. I go to Grenada to catch Giants but I fill my freezer from the Tombigbee.

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Originally Posted by feeshrman

Go to the Ten-Tom Waterway. MLL is 9" and they are plentiful once you figure out River fishing. Lots are over that length also, you've just got to put your time in to find them. If you've never eaten crappie from a running waterway...well let me just say their is no comparison. I go to Grenada to catch Giants but I fill my freezer from the Tombigbee.

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That's right!!

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Originally Posted by ATM

Correct me if I'm wrong, but there isn't a MLL on crappie statewide. Several lakes have a MLL, but otherwise you can keep any size.

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That is what I thought, as well.

That is the way I am reading the regs, anyway.
http://www.mdwfp.com/media/218652/cr...3_chaper_1.pdf

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Originally Posted by Donald@CrappieLogic

That's right!!

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ive now been to the tenn tom 8 times this year and have yet to catch a crappie!! frustrating

Thanks guys...looks like I need to take a trip over to Pickwick and bass/crappie fish!

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Originally Posted by tigerinfielder3

ive now been to the tenn tom 8 times this year and have yet to catch a crappie!! frustrating

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we can change that and go one day you got my # give me a call and we can go sometime

Lake Nimrod in Arkansas is loaded up with dinks. Some years we have to cull out 5 to keep one good fish or more. No length limit either on this lake. Not many hogs but can catch descent limits if you cull most days.