Printable View
Keep hearing that all the pressure of Crappie in our lakes of Arkansas is no big deal . Livescopes not picking off all the big fish . Well I predict this regulation change in Louisanna will need to be put in place in many states and water bodies . Just hope we see good fishing protected without having it get bad first .
Commission Adopts Notice of Intent to Modify Crappie Regulations on Bayou D’Arbonne Lake | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
That didn't take very long. A slot limit sounds like a good idea
Nowhere in the article does it mention Livescope being the cause for it but it could be a factor. Many lakes here in Ohio have had similar requirements before LS.
No but every lake heavily fished around here , seems like close to 1/2 running livescope . Ones that are proficient with it do catch more big fish . Most guys I know that use livescope will tell you it is a game changer . The article did not blame livescope but big fish would have to be getting harder to find . Why else for regulation protecting big fish ? My guess is limiting big fish to 7 is because that is a tournament limit . Tournaments bring in money and if big fish caught out they would go to another location probably in the equation.Quote:
Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie
.
Death Scope…… get you one quick before all the good fish are gone.
Longbow hunters were totally against compound bows being used. Then of course all the compound bow hunters were totally against the crossbows being used. Same same.
That's a common sense rule and in that lake seems like they need to drastically change limit down to 15 like in most states big lakes. 50 is ridiculous. In smaller lakes and private 30 would be more reasonable when there is a big populatioon
CA, you know as well as I do that Darbonne has had an unprecedented increase in fishermen since the tournaments put it on the map. Couple that increase in pressure with a 50 fish limit and I can see why they are doing this.
Same thing with Lake Washington but they didn’t catch it quick enough.
If their reasoning was live scope it would be on more than one lake
Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com
Livescope just making it easier to pick off big ones with all the people fishing . Covid really had many lakes getting fished hard last couple years . No one will be able to say for sure if just fishing prerssure in general or livescope but many lakes seeing decline in numbers of big fish .Quote:
Originally Posted by arkcrappie
Gas prices may provide protection enough
Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com
I couldn't agree more CA. Probably a combination of the two you mentioned.. LS and pressure beginning during Covid. Two of the lakes I used to fish most are full of dinks now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NIMROD
The lake I fish here in Ohio was a big crappie making machine from 2000 when I first starting fishing it regularly till about 2010. In August 2009 the state put 9" min length and 30 crappie a day limits on most Ohio lakes.
State proposing a size and bag limit on crappie
By 2011 the crappie started to be stunted in many of those reservoirs where the new restrictions were put into force. It was painfully obvious by 2015 that the regulations were stunting the crappie populations.
It took till the fall of 2018 to make changes to rescind those crappie length and bag limits on many of those lakes including the one I fish weekly from ice-out till ice up(March-Nov/Dec).
Ohio Wildlife Council makes changes to fishing size limits, seasons
I have noticed that in 2020 and especially last year the size on the crappie have grown larger and we are now catching the 12-13"ers with occasionally 15 or a 16"er with a mix of the smaller ones (these are slabs for Ohio).
Just keep in mind that length and bag limits don't work everywhere and even on close by bodies of water will have different results to limits. Especially if they are a high producing species like crappie. A local city reservoir where NO fishing is allowed that I used to occasionally commando fish is full of nothing but stunted populations of all species. Limits are not always the answer.
I commend the ODNR for recognizing their mistake and rescinding the crappie bag and size limits on many of the reservoirs.
Just read the article.
It doesn't sound like the populations are bad, the growth rate is bad. The way to improve growth rate is 1) more prey or 2) less predators.Quote:
It also has the potential to improve the growth rate of crappie in Bayou D’Arbonne Lake, which was identified as being below average in a recent assessment of the fishery.
Crappie populations go through cycles. Banner years are usually followed by years with poor catch rates. If they do impose the new rules, it will be interested to see what effect they have in 2-3 years and beyond. Could be good or it could make the problem worse.
I understand min length limits don't work everywhere . But big fish are becoming scarce on some lakes . Several of our flood control lakes have super spawns as water most springs cover thousands of acres of fields and forests . Many years ago the AGFC tried a 10'' min cause we had folks thinking if allowed to grow it would be good . Just caused the fish to stack up/stunt under the 10'' min . They realized this and removed it . Big fish take time to grow with all the pressure we see fewer and fewer big ones on some lakes . Maybe a slot or a limit on biggest ones in a few places. I suggested to our biologists raising limit on those under 10'' on one of our flood control lakes .
Wouldn’t the food source contribute to the growth as well? Seems our lakes in Mississippi have huge sources of shad in years when fish grow very large,,,maybe there’s another food source as well I don’t know about that helps as well,,,m
And the guy that started this post is the same guy that does nothing but post pictures of all the big fish he catches on here nonstop…..
And, if you’re “giving” fish to your friends all the time because they don’t fish wouldn’t they be just as appreciative with a limit of small fish?
When it is legal and most fishermen doing it , I refuse to release my big fish . Proved a point on one lake where we turned them lose for awhile . Finned clipped them . Many would be surprised how many we recaught in next few trips . One guy voluntarily releasing his won't make a big difference . Plan to keep limits every trip and will not stop if it is legal . Guess if fishing pressure gets too bad maybe limits will be changed . I released lots of big fish a couple years ago and AGFC tagged a bunch on that same lake . Well over 1/2 the tags were recovered first year . So releasing those did not do much . I have seen the ups and downs on our area lakes . .Couple years ago I caught and released all but a mess on one lake here . Counter showed 105 good ones in 6 hours ! It sure ain't the same there now .Quote:
Originally Posted by Railroad Joe
Too many variables that no one can plainly prove, even for the biologists, but the various aspects they offer do seem to bring a valid analogy.
Here are a few I have noted from what I have watched from Biologist videos and seen on the scope.
Bigger fish are smarter in most cases and are getting even more intelligent and spooky with the pressure form the scope. I have dropped 5 times from hit and misses or a tail thrash to kill the bait on a big girl before I actually hooked her and probably followed her for 50 yards. Looking back at this now, I was excessive in hunting her.
The bottom of most of the central Lakes here in AR are loaded with the bigger fish and tough to fish for and identify with the scope. This is where spider rigging and dredging near the bottoms comes back in to play, but still didnt clean out the Crappie population across the country. I might be able to draw a fish off the bottom with the scope 1 in 15, but probably 1 in 20.
Many stay pressured down there and come and go from being suspended and then to the bottom. How many times has that dime on your screen you followed hit the bottom once you get closer than 20 feet from it and poof, its gone?
Bigger fish are stressed more after bringing into the boat and then releasing. One biologist noted that the fish will appear healthy upon release, but after the angler has oogled over them, measured, weighed and got pictures, the fish may swim off and appear healthy, but be so stressed it may not eat again and in 4-6 weeks be dead. Keep your big fish, just use ethical judgement with the numbers of them.
You would think the state record would already be broken for a black and a white here in AR, but it sure hasnt even with the scope users. Its pretty evident our lakes are not what they use to be given the forage, water quality, weather, floods and other factors. Pretty sure the AGFC will keep a tight hand on things along with the other states that keep dibs on the count and size.
I dont get to fish much, so I dont have any conscious issues about frequently beating up any individual lakes or area for that matter and I try to space them out. I try not to be that 1 to 2 lake fisherman. I dont put every keeper in the livewell and I dont strive to get 20 or 30 fish every trip. I enjoy targeting the larger fish and happy to bring home 10-15 good fish and if I have a couple over 2lbs and a few just under, so be it. When my freezer start stacking up, I back off some and scout a new area or lake and try not to take the catch as serious and enjoy looking for a new cover to harvest from and take a load off my nearby staple lakes.
Its all about being a true Sportsman and make good, ethical decisions about what you actually need instead of the greed.
Hammerhead , I don't think all the fish are the same some more spooky or less aggressive . That may be the reason some get caught more than once . Something like pressure , temp , or who knows what some days fish hammer everything in sight and next time my ignore or just nip at a bait . But most days with correct presentation most will bite . Seen one lake where in 20' of water fish on bottom where slight noise (livewell kicked on ) ran them off . But fished stakebeds in less than 5' of water we ran into stakebed with trolling motor and never stopped biting on another lake.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NIMROD
Yeah, one day they're on, the next they're off. You see some run to your bait from 6-8 feet out and others wont even give your jig a look when you're 1-2 feet away, then some see it too close or your pitch gets too close to them and they blast out of there. It makes you wonder on some if they just aren't interested or haven't seen your jig yet. I suppose its both ways sometimes. Maybe Im a Bull in a China cabinet on my deck, but the bigger fish always seem a little less interested this time of year for me and they will just cruise off if you dont place a light jig just right. They definitely seem more picky to me, but Im far from a sharpened angler, unlike quite a few that I know. I need to get away to some other lakes where the traffic isnt so heavy now, but gas prices have me tight to home base. Although, I have been fortunate this year and have had some good trips, but the 2020 prespawn sure seemed better than this last winter. Im ready for 25 degree weather, where very few get out on the lake and cold water suspended fat fish are scattered. Pre Spawn is my favorite time hands down
perhaps you just need to learn how to fish and not play computer games.
Quit fighting it, sell that old truck in your front yard and go buy you a scope Ibclueless.Quote:
Originally Posted by ibmack
I caught limits regularly with one pole before livescope or side imaging came out . :fishQuote:
Originally Posted by ibmack