Lower the crappie limit !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sutty]

I think part of it is a generational thing and part of it is the novice angler. My dad was brought up to throw the little ones back so they can get big, I think there are a lot of peaple that were brought up that way and still fish that way. Also how many people that only get out on the opener or a holiday weekend really know whats going on with fish populations. I think its most of these people that get caught over limit or over the slot.

[gorrilla]

Eyehawk, after reading your posts on the Mille Lakes Section I can see you need to do a little more learning about fish biology... I'm sure not trying to tick you off, but posting some of the "meat-hog mentality" posts you have I just had to let you know I don't agree with you on a lot of things. One thing you can defend yourself on though is I have no problem with someone keeping and eating their legal limit of fish... I few personal (ethical) choices I make is that if I have enough fish in the freezer I don't keep fish "just because its a KEEPER size". I also cringe when guys keep walleyes over 3#'s for the pan. And lastly, this is only my opinion, but I think everyone should let the biologists and not the legislators and public opinion decide how the fishing rules should be set up since we(the state) are paying good money to hire VERY dedicated and educated people to make the right choices...

[gotcatfish]

Personally I think the non-tribal waters we are allowed to fish are getting overfished. I don't see any reason why the other 3/4's of this lake doesn't have fish. There is no way all the fish in this lake are in the small, very small if you look at the whole lake, portion we get to fish. If the state does anything, get more of the lake opened up to non-tribal members. I kinda think of Red as I do Millacs, a big round hole in the ground and there are fish everywhere in it. The Crappies and Walleyes on Red do not just hang out in the designated fishing area. What if they gave 3/4's of Millacs back to the Millacs tribe? I say we push to get more of the lake opened up. Just my .02 hope I didn't offend anyone or anything.

[gorrilla]

gotcatfish, I think you need to understand tribal agreements and treaty stipulations a little better, I'm not about to start with that dream of yours here since I don't think this thread is about that...

In fact I need to quit responding to this goofy thread since its been pounded into the ground...

[Eyehawk]

gorilla I agree that the biologists should be the ones making the laws, and not the lawmakers, because most of them don't have a clue what is going on in the wilderness or out of the cities for that matter. I think you read my posts on the Mille Lacs forum the wrong way, because I don't keep fish just to have them sit in the freezer for a year or two, if I have enough in the freezer then I won't go fishing period, until I need to go ago for a meal. But like I said it is my choice if I want to keep fish for the wall or to get my limit. And personally I don't cringe if a guy keeps a wallye that is between 20-26" because if he wants meat and will eat the fish then so be it, he caught it and you didn't so he can do what he wants with the fish. I am the same way, but I know the rules, and posession limits, and I know that I will eat those fish and not let them go to waste. Its just how you look at it I guess, if you want to out and catch and release fish and keep 2 then thats fine, but on the other hand if a guy wants to go out to fish and wants to get his limit by keeping all the fish he does catch till he gets to his limit and follows the rules for the species they are fishing for, and will eat the meat, then what is the big deal? I think people get way to caught up in limits and rules and the biology of fishing that they don't even enjoy themselves being out there fishing and forgetting to enjoy the work you do put into fishing and cleaning them to get to sit down and eat the fish. Thats a real treat from where I look at it.

[xdasher19]

I think the limit is fine the way it is. Im not a fish biologist but i agree that Red will always have many crappie and walleye. Being such a big lake you could go out there for days and not catch a crappie if you life depended on it, or you could go out there and catch and release 50 in a half hour and think the lake is filled with them. With the size of the lake I don't see how the lake will be overfished. It could happen, but i dont see it happening. As for people keeping young fish and there not being many older fish alive still. I was just up there and the smallest crappie we caught was 13.5" and we only caught 2 of this size. The average was over 15" and the biggest was 16.5"...I dont know about you guys but it sounds like there are still many "older" fish still alive in the lake. They set limits and keep track of fish counts and have slots for a reason. Im not arguing with any of you just pointing out what i think.

[shaky legs2]

Wow!!!!! A 16.5" crappie. I have fished in the winter for crappies since 1999 and haven't caught one over 15". Some people have all the luck!! What can you say?

[Quackaddict9]

Quote:

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Wow!!!!! A 16.5" crappie. I have fished in the winter for crappies since 1999 and haven't caught one over 15". Some people have all the luck!!

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me too, never caught one over 15" there, just a few shy of 15". I dont know if I believe him about the size but I dont really care, its just a forum. The lake will always have crappies like you said, with the size of the lake I dont think it will be overfished.

[Craig_S]

16.5 is possible. I've caught bigger. Rare, but possible.

Craig

[james_walleye]

Definately possible, but averaging over 15"? Over 25 total days in 4 years i've spent ice fishing out there and i've yet too catch 1 legit 15" fish and neither have any of my friends. Guess we're doing something wrong.

[hanson]

Since 1999, nothing over 14 3/4". Grandpa pulled a 15 3/4" weighing 2 1/4 lbs a few years back but thats it.

Measuring things isn't that hard. With fish, its tail pinched & mouth shut on a bump board. Pretty simple. Sounds like a lot of folks don't know how to measure with the DNR handing out citations for illegal eyes left & right.

[xdasher19]

Well boys believe it or not, it's up to you. Besides last week I had only caught 4 crappie on Red and was up there 3 other times. Boats around us where getting nothing and they where only like 15 yards away. I dont know what it was and wish I did so I could do it more often.

Heres a Pic. if it works

web page

Good Luck

[Quackaddict9]

What I meant was that it is possible to catch a 16.5" crappie but what you were saying the average size was around 15".. I just have not caught any over or right on 15". I do alot of ice fishing up there and have done really well but I dont really measure my crappies I catch or my buddies. when we get home and before cleaning them we will see which ones are the biggest and measure them, a few under 15". Biggest one came last winter that was just a shy of 15". I give you credit for catching all those crappies and good job on them, no matter what the size is, nice crappies as well.

by the way, it is hard to tell how big the crappies are in your picture but thanks for sharing. have a great one.

[ozzie]

To each his own......We will always doubt a fisherman and there tales.....I agree it is hard to believe that avg. was 15 with one topping out at 16.5 but why do we have to try to correct or dispute what the guy is saying....if you don't believe or you have fished and caught crappies in numbers on Red then you know that it is probably not correct but why do we try to dispute when there is absolutly no way to prove him wrong???? We see this all the time just let it be and know that he is just being a true fisherman and extending the truth a little.... Nice catch by the way....If I where a betting man I would say the one in the left hand runs around 14 and the one in the right runs around 11.5-12...but who knows maybe the one in the left is the 16.5 and that would make the other around 14-14.5....regardless thems good eating good job...

[crappie king]

[Note from admin: Please read forum policy before posting again]

[crappie king]

I guess i should have told him what a good day in the water he had up there and wish someday i can have the great luck he did

someday.

Peace!

[MOBY RICHARD*]

Hey xdasher19. I wonder if you still have that other picture you had on earlier. The one showing the whole catch on the table That was a nice mess of fish. Made me hungry.

[MOBY RICHARD*]

OK It made me full too

[fasternu]

I have a 16.5 incher that will hopefully soon be going on my wall. (2 pounds 12 oz, by the way). It was caught opening day 2 years ago. It is very easy for me to believe.

[Sutty]

I have been waiting to catch one to put on the wall. Good job. I have a question about mounting a fish. When you throw a fish in a dark place for a while (livewell or a basket down real deep) The fish's darker colors will come out. If you freeze them like that (maybe in a black garbage bag or something) will they keep the darker colors for mounting?

[LABS4ME]

The mounted fish are all painted, so if you want it darker, just let the taxidermist know. They actually get darker during the spawn...

Good Luck!

Ken

[halad]

Caught a 6-inch crappie today on the south cribs people anchored there were catching crappie and walleye also large perch. Good fishing.

[monstermoose78]

the colors come out during the drying of the fish too so dont worry if its still light colored just let the taxidermist know how ya wantit done and they can paint them up just about any way you want.

[MOBY RICHARD*]

As far as the size of xdasher19's fish they can be fairly accurately verified by the second picture he had posted and then removed I requested that he repost it but either he does not wish to or he got too beat up in this thread and is no longer following If you read this post xdasher19 please post that picture again and I will tell you how to verify your fish sizes As far as the subject of lowering the limit on crappies my opinion is I do not think it would help as many have reported getting skunked or only a few crappies most of the time since the wallys have taken over xdasher19 stated that he had only caught 4 crappies total in three previous trips to Red

The walleyes are dominant over the crappies in both size and number and also have the ability to intimidate by striking with their long pointy snouts I do not know that they do this but do know that dolphins do this to even larger sharks Two things seem very evident One: The crappie fishing aint what it used to be since the walleyes came into their own Two: The few times a guy hits it big he likes to be able to take a few fish home and savor the memories over a few well deserved fish dinners especially when he can only keep 2 walleye Keep in mind most of the guys can only get up there a few times a year and then with limited success Happy Trails everyone!

[Ely Lake Expert]

alright,

I didn't read the whole post, but here is my opinion. I think that the limit should stay where it is. I can see the 10 limit hurting the crappie population on red, but on other lakes where the rest of us fish. When the fish are biting you want to be able to keep 10, especially when they are smaller. Because we don't limit out everyday on other lakes.