Crappie Conservation

[JohnF52]

You guys must be exceptional. I have trouble catching more than one or two crappie per trip from Beaver.

[nathanhooper]

You guys must be exceptional. I have trouble catching more than one or two crappie per trip from Beaver.

I'm right there with you.

[beaverbeater]

Crappie might could be over harvested, but it would probably take a fleet of commercial trawlers to do it. They are a lower end of the chain sunfish and are therefore highly prolific. I'm not saying you shouldn't practice some additional restraint if you are so inclined (I throw back quite a few legal ones some days, but not always), but don't be too hard on the folks who keep all they can to eat. The established limits seem to be quite adequate to maintain a robust population.

Goes for me as well. I catch crappie all the time targeting other species. Threw a few slabs back last week while white bass fishing. If I'm not crappie fishing, I ain't keeping. Take a quick pic of the bigger ones, and let me go. I'm not cleaning two crappie. Just not worth my time. Now this does come back to bite my butt when I end up catching what would have been a limit. But o well. Seems like I'll catch one or two every trip.

[nathanhooper]

I'll keep a single legal fish. I've ate many a lunch this way. May not be enough for the family, but still tasty.

[beaverbeater]

Haha see I'm single. So no problems there. I'm more recreational.

[Notropis]

The 10 inch minimum length limit seems to be doing a good job protecting the younger crappie from harvest without causing any reduction in individual fish, growth rates. Crappie in Beaver lake take between 2-3 years to reach 10 inches, reaching legal size quicker than the largemouth bass do (3-4 years). The crappie length limit has been the most successful length limit on the lake, in my opinion, protecting the younger fish but allowing for significant harvest to keep the numbers of crappie at a level that contributes to good growth rates of individual fish.