Crappie Size ?

[Dutch]

The 11" length limit on Stockton would be great. I don't believe we need to lower the daily catch as catching 15 of the 11" fish would be a good sign of a healthy lake. I have always said that there is an enourmous amount of shad that die every winter and are never utilized as food. Maybe this resource would be consumed by more and bigger Crappie instead of becoming nutrients on the bottom of the lake. If any of you can remember the length limit was 8" on the Crappie many years ago. The fact is this simple. On lakes where there is ample food if you increase the length limit of any species of fish then you increase the size of the top end of those fish in that lake. Period. The time to increase this length is when you already have a surplus of legal fish in the lake. Like right now!!!! The truth of the matter is that by bumping the length up we could actually have a 12" limit on them like some of the Southern Lakes.

I hate to bring up a sore subject but remember the 4 point rule that "Just wouldn't work in Missouri" for Deer Hunting? Well guess what.....it's working.

While we are at it don't forget my desire for a slot length for the Bass either. Let's go to a "Anything between 12" and 18" must be returned to the water. Then follow with Kentuckies being in their own category and can be kept over 10". Smallmouth? They need a category too. Like nothing under 16".

Just imagine a day on the water with these types of restrictions being in use for only two years. Your Jaws would drop!!!!!

I don't think you will see many changes as the MDC doesn't think fishermen are smart enough to distinguish different types of fish for example look at the white bass, stripe bass, hybrid rules.