Thread: Trolling Too Effective (?)

Remember also everyone with 8 rods out is not limiting out,
I just had 8 out, caught 4 crappie,
Nice ones but only 4

Originally Posted by Specklocker

Not regulation but 24 hour enforcement is key however I am in favor of one 'trophy lake' per state like Grenada, MS. 3 rod,
11" minimum. Slab City USA! It's on my bucket list for sure.

Grenada lake, MS. 4 pole limit. 12 inch minimum. 15 fish limit per angler unless there are 3 or more anglers in the boat, then it is 40 total boat limit. That is the regulation on all of the Big Four.

if people are so worried about the population on the crappies they need to start reporting the double dippers if they know about them, and by double dippers I mean people going out and catching the limit then take them home or where ever and going back out and catching another limit in the same day !!! there is a lot of this and people just turn their back and say nothing !!!! if I know about it I will report it in a heart beat !!!!

Originally Posted by Inkdabber

The biggest issue I see with trolling is that the fishermen are intercepting the fish before they make it to the spawning grounds. Where as single polers are catching them in the spawning grounds. In my opinion, many more fish would spawn successfully if given the opportunity to reach the spawning areas.

Would returning egg carrying females during the spawn help? Just askin'.

Originally Posted by jigflinger

Grenada lake, MS. 4 pole limit. 12 inch minimum. 15 fish limit per angler .

That would be way more tonnage than 30 ten inchers!!

It may help on certain bodies of water. Habitat and invasive species I feel are the biggest culprits to the declining crappie populations on certain lakes. Most any lake that hasn't been over developed, or has an abundant amount of natural fish holding structure tend to hold their fish numbers regardless of fishing pressure. Crappie are very proficient spawners, if left unchecked they will over populate and stunt their grouth. For these reasons you are not suppose to stock ponds with them. With that said, removing egg laden females does not really hurt anything as long as a certain percentage make it through the spawn. One female can produce upwards of 40,000 eggs, how many survive depends on habitat and invasive species like perch being held in check. Another issue is stocked striped bass, who are the kings of the food chain and will eat any species of fish they deem as prey. Cormarant numbers are being reduced on the Santee cooper lakes as their numbers have exploded over the last decade or so. A flock of those birds can desimate a school of crappie as well.

Originally Posted by have-a-crappie-day

Would returning egg carrying females during the spawn help? Just askin'.