Norfork Lake Crappie

Here is an excerpt from our District newsletter talking about the netting we have been doing on Norfork Lake to try to sample the crappie. I thought you all might be interested in reading about it.


Norfork Lake Crappie Sampling

In the past, biologists in District 2 have tried to sample crappie using trap nets (mini fyke nets) in Bull Shoals and Norfork Lake. After many unsuccessful years, District 2 biologists finally abandoned efforts to sample crappie using these nets and focused on monitoring angler catches. Trap nets are highly effective at sampling crappie in shallow reservoirs with tea-colored water where crappie orient more to the bottom and/or shallow cover and can be tied to the shoreline. Crappie in deep, highland reservoirs like Bull Shoals and Norfork typically suspend over deep water and/or cover and inhabit shallow areas during short periods of the year.

During a meeting with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, they presented a new net called a lead net to sample crappie in reservoirs. Lead nets can be set at any depth and away from the shore. The AGFC decided to try these nets across the state to determine their effectiveness for sampling crappie in Arkansas. In District 2, Norfork Lake was chosen to be sampled with lead nets.

The Bennett’s arm of the lake was selected due to its productivity and reputation as a crappie hot spot. The protocol is to set six lead nets for one week each month from September through January in an effort to determine optimal sampling temperature for crappie. At the beginning of the week, the six nets are randomly distributed in15 feet or less of water in the Bennett’s River arm. The nets are allowed to soak for 48 hours. Then each net is retrieved and the crappie are removed. The nets are then moved to the Bennett’s Bayou arm and same process is repeated.

From September to December, we caught 1,094 crappie (1,015 black crappie and 79 white crappie). Black Crappie ranged in size from 5 to 14 inches (average: 7 inches). White Crappie range in size from 4 to 14 inches (average: 10 inches).

We are excited to potentially have a method to sample crappie in highland reservoirs. In addition to crappie, we caught numerous Flathead Catfish (up to 50 pounds), Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Walleye (up to 27 inches) and even a Striped Bass. Next year, we will be shifting our efforts to Bull Shoals Lake to see if we can effectively sample crappie there.

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Wow, with the lake having a 10 inch minimum and the vast majority of fish averaging 7 inches. Seems a little discouraging for anglers, I would assume anyway. Does this indicate a slow growth rate for the lake?

Very good question Bobby! :popcorn

Wait until they jack the minimum up to 12" and you catch a ton of 11 3/4 to 7/8" fish.

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Originally Posted by canebreaker

Wait until they jack the minimum up to 12" and you catch a ton of 11 3/4 to 7/8" fish.

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Don't ever seeing it on most lakes . They tried a 10'' limit on Nimrod years ago but dropped it because we have an over population problem . Several others went to 10'' min and some 9'' min but that seems like it could not help . 9'' too small anyway . Many of our flood control lakes get high most springs resulting in huge spawns .

Like Nimrod mentioned, the reason there were so many smaller fish (6-8 inch fish) caught is due to the huge year class produced during the high water event in 2015. Growth is similar to other Northern Arkansas reservoirs.

The anglers we have talked to are pleased with the size and numbers of fish being caught.

We have no plans to increase the minimum length limit. It has been in place since 1994. It was adopted as a cooperative effort between Missouri and us to ensure the length limits are the same across the state line on Bull Shoals Lake and Norfork Lake.

Good info Mojo! Do you think the sample is representative of the population or do you think that Bennetts arm is dominated by Black Crappie. Do you see the same trend I your creel surveys?

You guys are really fortunate you have the people in Arkansas working hard to improve your crappie fishing. Not many states will put out that kind of effort for crappie.

Thanks Mojorig and D-10.Thanks fore your hard work and dedication.Crappie fishing Norfork and Bull Shoals are not our typical crappie lakes. With a little hard work and knowing the lake,Lake Maps ect pays dividends .Fish with local trout/crappie guide on norfork and bull shoals.Have to learn to fish them we call bass/crappie fishing style.Norfork,Bull Shoals,Table Rock just to name a few has some of if not the best crappie fishing anywhere.Have been to the Mississipi,texas,Except during the spring spawn very seldom see another boat crappie fish'n.

Thanks again Mojorig and D-10.

Thanks for posting the results. What was the optimal sampling temp? I fish Norfork in the Big Creek and Brushy Creek area Ive caught my crappie in 30-40 ft I wonder if your missing alot of crappie that arent going that far back in the creek. Did you catch the most in early December?

Thanks for the report and the hard work you, Matt and the other fisheries folks do. I will say that of the state's I have fished Arkansas has the best fisheries people.

Chris

Concreteman,

We know the best areas for bigger crappie is in the deep water around brush. Since this was the first time we have used this type of nets, we wanted to go to an area where we had high odds of actually catching fish. As the years go on, we will definitely be adventuring around the lake.

We actually caught the most in October. We never set deeper than 15 feet. The thermocline was at 25 feet during all the samples except December so we didn't want to put them deeper than that. We realize there are a lot of fish deeper than we netted. That is one of the challenges of sampling crappie in highland reservoirs. However, our results give us an idea of the range of sizes in the lake.

Email me at [email protected] and we can discuss this more.

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Originally Posted by concreteman

Thanks for posting the results. What was the optimal sampling temp? I fish Norfork in the Big Creek and Brushy Creek area Ive caught my crappie in 30-40 ft I wonder if your missing alot of crappie that arent going that far back in the creek. Did you catch the most in early December?

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Thanks for answering I bet its hard to hem them up in deep water. And your finding are like what Ive been catching. There is alot of the 6-8 inch fish and a few 14-15 inch fish. Avg. fish is 11-12 inch.

11-12 inchers are some good eating. i fish conway where the minimum is 10", but I have set my own minimum at 11". would much rather have a few nice ones than a bunch of dinks.

Can we get an update on the netting?

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This work is so important to the financial future of these areas. I think people know it. But the other pressures of modern society is just putting things like improving these fisheries on a far back burner.

If you look at the prospective population growth for Missouri and Arkansas it's not much for the next thirty years. Some counties are actually projected to loose population.

The Ozarks are an area that has historically low population for obvious reasons. It's tough to make a living in them.

These Lakes and their viability is crucial to attracting the tourism and relocating people that represent a cross section of middle America.

The Ultra rich can afford to have homes and the extremely poor are stuck in many cases.

Having a rural low population and clean environment is the first component in the attraction for these areas. But the tourism trade and fishing trips...hours on the water and success are crucial to giving people the boost they need to find ways to make a living. From Motels to bait shops,boat shops,Marinas,restaurants etc.

Measuring the success of fishing by how the most skilled , most experienced fisherman ,pursue and catch these fish is some indicator but not the best barometer.

Returning these waters to lakes that have much broader populations of fish and enable the average fisherman and even the novice to have good trips is Key. They plan vacations,consider relocating,open businesses based on the quality of fishing. The recreational aspect, swimming and boating,and the natural beauty attract many.

But a World class fishery adds the needed attraction to put the revenue and long range prospect of making a decent living in these areas is dependent on it.

For those fisherman who know how to catch the low populations of fish in the small areas they inhabit is nice for the those who know how. Not as much competition.

But to have an area where the kid's don't have to relocate all the time to make a decent living can be negated much ,and putting a lot of these businesses back on a paying basis , will be accomplished by improving these fisheries.

Not to mention the tax revenue so desperately needed.

I will be there testing the water this week for crappie infestations

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Let me know how you do I will be there at end of month.

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Will do little mix of crappie and trout

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I plan on hitting the strippers. As well.

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Wind this weekend is brutal

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