Went out Friday afternoon with my son. We didn't catch a lot, but my son caught these 2 crackers I thought some of you might like to see.
1lb. 6oz. and 1lb. 1oz.
Attachment 17300
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Went out Friday afternoon with my son. We didn't catch a lot, but my son caught these 2 crackers I thought some of you might like to see.
1lb. 6oz. and 1lb. 1oz.
Attachment 17300
man there gorgous, i wish i had them near me like that
Beautiful fish.Spring is almost here and I can hardly wait.Looks like dad done some good teaching.
Real nice fish. Only find them like that once in a great while around here.
beautiful fish,nothing like catching big chinks,it is that time,i am going in the am.
Gooduns!
wherver you're fishin at I'd be sure to be there around this comin full moon.
I'd love to have about a dozen about that size. Nice fish!
nice fish:cool:
Oh those are nice, good going...
Man they look nice..... Bet they will eat up well..:D
Nice fish.
Not to be critical of anyone but I have always released any shellcrackers that I could definitely identify as a female. We started catching them regularly here on KY and Barkley about 15 years ago and thought it would help the fishery to release all spawn females. It must have worked since lots of my buddies do the same and the fishery has grown greatly.
Each to their own I guess.
Nice feesches!!! We also try to release the biggum's this time of year as they are getting ready to spawn. Our fishery here in So Cal has been impacted with these fish as many were taken during the spawn, and now most of the fish are half pounders. Just my two cents, but I'D RATHER CATCH EM IN THE FUTURE. MIKEY
a few now and then dont hurt long as it isnt all the time and in huge amounts...
So which one is definately a female? These fish are a good month and a half from their spawn. What if we had caught them last fall? Keep them then? They still wouldn't be around to spawn this spring. So we can keep them after they spawn? Then they won't be here to spawn next spring. Fish of this size have already had a good 4-5 years of spawning under their belts.Quote:
Originally Posted by mrdux
I get a little tired of the holier than thou comments on keeping fish.
Each to their own.
ok cool.. you all have made your coments just rememeber lets keep it freindly now
Nice fish. Too much fun!!!!
Not trying to start anything, but, I think there are alot of variables of when any certain fishery can be hurt by keeping fish. For example, a 4 acre pond can definitely be hurt by keeping fish, but my home lake (Clarks Hill, Ga. 70,000 acres) gets hammered every spring, guys literally catch hundreds of shellcrakers (me included)during the spawn, and the fishery is still awesome.
Also, shellcrackers are very much different than bass, bluegill, etc. Most people only catch them during the spring, then they get difficult to catch in big numbers the rest of the year. I know this is controversial, but, imho shellcrackers only spawn once a year (in mass), unlike bluegill which spawn many times thru the summer months. As for me, I do keep some and eat them, I even keep and eat bass every once in awhile, but not often.
This wasn't directed at any one poster, just food for thought.
Jr. B
Touchy!!
I said I wasn't being critical of anyone. I don't care if you eat every fish you catch. I was just stating that I TRY to release the females. I would say that the fish on the right in the photo is female. Most of our females here have a slightly different shape and coloration than the males. I have made the mistake of cleaning females several times and haven't hurt the population.They tasted just as good as the males. Same goes for bluegills. Most of the largest crackers we see locally or folks bring in for me to mount are males.
Hope you continue to enjoy the crackers and the time on the water. Beats the crap out of work.
that one fish be mounting material down in the new orleans area
they do look good
Good looking fish!!
those are some biguns
It does highly depend on the body of water and the species.
Seeing people take a bunch of bass out of a farm pond gives me a sinking feeling in my stomach and ensures I wont be going to that pond again anytime soon.(because I know the fishery will be destroyed soon)
But some panfish fisheries (like honeoye lake in NY) get heavy pressure and seem to thrive in spite or ...or even perhaps because of...that pressure.
Im no expert though ;P
All nice fish. I keep almost everything I catch of size as long as I am going to have time to clean it. I love eating fish, that is one of the perks to fishing. Your local game and fish commision should be ontop of things. If too many fish are being kept, then they should recognize it thru regualr sampling, and creel surveys that they should be able to lower the limt, or impose a slot limit or something like that.
not necessarily true bout the farm ponds... i have 5 or 6 that i manage for other people and everyone of them about 5 years ago you could go there and cath 40-50 dinks in an hour nothing with size at all.. they gave me full permission to do whatever. i probably took 200-300 out of each pond now you go there and average bass is 3-5 pounds and larger ones lurking. i had alot of people that would fish them from time to time at first question me or even get mad but they sure are enjoying it now. most of the regs that fish these ponds will ask me if im around what they can keep. also established descent crappie fisheries in all of them too and with the larger bass and crappie and chnnel cats si have added it cut down on stunted gills and crackers and they are getting bigger tooQuote:
Originally Posted by bassnbrian
the ponds you are taking that many bass out off must be huge. While in NY I have seen at least 5 of the ponds I grew to love absolutely decimated because word got out and the pond was killed by just a few people keeping their limits. Even years later they were not the same.Quote:
Originally Posted by john h
id like to mount it on my fork just before i eat it lol. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by lttran
those are definitely nice fish i really like how what people call them from region to region but any way you go about it they are nice
ShellQuacker, can I expect to catch anything like that this Saturday? Mind telling me how I should be fishing for them. I have never fished for crackers, and only been on LCR once.
I will be cool to catch a few fatties like that.
Thanks,
Dayton
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ranger690
No:eek:
We use vermin. You should too.
I only fished LCR once too, and that was from the bank at the boat dock.
Should be interesting fishing in "the dark".
Great catch, Shell Quacker Jr.