World Problems solved

[japlata]

It seems that a lot of the world problems are solved or at least get a good going over at the local Hardies. At our Hardie's table in Etowah this past morning the topic of conversation was centered on a local problem, the Watts Bar crappie population, (or the lack of). One fisherman thought the moderate winters, (MODERATE TEMPS), that we have experienced for some years now, may not have reduced the shad minnow population, as one might find in normal winters. If this is true, than perhaps the hungry hordes of surviving shad feast on any fish egg or fry they might find. all this compounded by foraging predators (stripers) because of little natural cover to protect the survivors. Someone else thought that the changing water levels during the spawn, could be a reason for a poor hatch. and still another though that, "fishing pressure," could be a factor. I wonder if any of you might have some thoughts on this matter and if so, what can be done other than, and not excluding, placing large quantities of brush, fish attractors, etc., in the coves, and pockets.

 

[polo-dog]

There are other guys on here that understand crappies better than me but I don't think that milder winters would decrease shad populations, it should increase them I would think. Threadfins are really a warm water species and they start to die off at temperatures less than 45 degrees. There are lots of other factors but the warm water and shad populations don't sound like good thinking to me. I do think that the loss of shallow spawning cover and fluctuation of water at or near the spawn could easily be a cause of loss of recruitment. Fisheries biology is a complex business and it would be easy for there to be multiple reasons for poor spawning results from year to year and then high losses of fry after that. Threadfin shad also are plankton eaters and as far as I know from reading do not eat crappie eggs. I did find one source that said that adult threadfin may eat fish larvae but they didn't say which species they preyed upon.

 

[japlata]

I don't think that milder winters would decrease shad populations, it should increase them I would think.

Yeah Mark, I think that was the Hardies point as well, I may not have been clear enough.

 

[fisherpal2k]

japlata, I have been thinking about this and have kept up with it for a couple of years. TVA sometimes fluctuates the water to different levels and at different times of the spring. Last year it seems they kept it up for a good part of the year. I think the loss of habitat is the largest reason for the decline in the fishery. As the lakes grow older and the levels fluctuate, the stumps and standing timber that was once there gets air down to it and starts to deteriorate faster.
I know on the lakes up home this has happened. and spending some time installing a few brush piles or other man made structure has paid off up there. When Jon the fisherman gets back from Florida you may be able to contact him and find out about the crappie condos that he has made. He has some pretty good info as well as some of the other guys on here.
The bass do lots better with the manmade structure also. Finding the proper place to put it and spending sometime out there will really help folks to understand where the structure should be put.
I have spent several very cold and windy days in the winter setting out brush and pallets and other stuff on Hiwassee Lake in NC. The only problem with that was the lake was down about 50 ft. when we done the work and some of the other folks on the lake decided to have a bon fire or two at our expense. Even tho some of them got trashed most survived and some can still be found to this day.

 

[drumking]

I started fishing in the year of 1970 and I have seen these cycles come and go almost on a predicatable time table. Some years there is just better recruitment of the Crappie than other years and there may be a combination of factors why this is so. Certainly weather plays a part and fluctuating water levels at peak spawning times can just ruin the spawn.

It can never hurt to put out as much cover as we possibly can during the winter or late summer to help our aging reservoirs provide places to hide for the fry. I commend TWRA for helping fishermen do this too. They are aware of the problem and are trying to address the problems that Crappie fishermen are experiencing.

There is one other thing that most people don't even think about. When I started fishing, the only time that most people fished for Crappie was during the pre spawn and spawning season. After that most people didn't know where to catch Crappie and usually started catfishing or bass fishing. It was not uncommon to fish Watts Bar in the fall and not see another boat fishing for Crappie. Now, because of our increasing knowledge, the Crappie are fished for the year round and by a huge number of fishermen. How many Crappie are taken out of the lake during the winter and early spring that never get to spawn? Probably fishermen can't impact the recruitment too much, but who is to say for sure? Every Crappie that is taken out sure won't spawn that year.

When TWRA put the 10" limit on the Crappie, that had the biggest impact on Crappie fishing that I can remember. It got so much better after the limit was imposed. There are still those who will keep undersized Crappie and shame on you if you are among that number. I know of one guy (certainly won't call any names) who keeps every fish that he catches no matter the size or species. Keeping 4-6" Crappie is ignorance gone to seed IMO.

One of my friends made the comment the other day that if they closed the Crappie fishing for 1 year, that there wouldn't be a Crappie problem. I don't know if that is right or not, but I don't want to see that happen. Reducing the creel limit to 15 won't improve the numbers of Crappie in the lake either. It will just spread out the catch to more fishermen. I usually don't keep over 15 anyway when I do keep fish. I release a lot more than I ever keep. That's my .02 worth.emoGeezer

 

[rsimms]

DK... a wise post from a wise man.

 

[TennesseeTalker]

He is WISE RSimms .. emoWorthy Drumking is T Ruly a blessing especially when it comes to fishing knowledge!!!

TT

 

[Liveliner]

I would like to put in a penny's worth of my opinion.
I feel that there will be another impact on the Crappie by the reduced limit that I have not seen posted. As many of us do, when we start getting near that "Limit" we then get that urge to get it to prove we are "Good fishermen". In doing so, I have been guilty of keeping crappie that just barely meet the minimum measure. Then when I got home questioned myself as to why. With the limit of only Fifteen, I feel that fishermen will have the mindset that since they can only keep half as many they will cull more smaller fish so as to take the very biggest of the catch. I would think that many 11" fish will now get released.

Well stated DK on what you posted above except for the statement of the thief who takes illegal fish, I would expose him and get him busted. With folks who do not honor the regulations, it makes the regs worthless.