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Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Crappies => Topic started by: keva on Jan 06, 2015, 05:47 PM

Title: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: keva on Jan 06, 2015, 05:47 PM
I was curious how long crappie had to be before y'all considered keeping them? I have been considering chasing after some to make a good meal. Here in New York they must be 9", but I am not sure how nice the filet is from a 9" fish. So... what is everyone's opinion?
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Swift on Jan 06, 2015, 10:44 PM
Usually depends on how thick they are, we have no size limit here. If it's legal, worth cleaning and eating, go for it nobody will say anything
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Van_Cleaver on Jan 07, 2015, 09:47 AM
I usually look for 10'', but that's in waters where there are a bunch of them that size or bigger. Honestly you should take whatever the dominant year class though I won't keep less than 9" even if they are stunted.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Kevin23 on Jan 07, 2015, 10:12 AM
I usually look for 10'', but that's in waters where there are a bunch of them that size or bigger. Honestly you should take whatever the dominant year class though I won't keep less than 9" even if they are stunted.

Exactly what I do.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: GrizlyGarou on Jan 07, 2015, 10:16 AM
I go by how thick they are usually. I've had 8"ers that had more meat on them than 10"ers.

Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: keva on Jan 07, 2015, 11:45 AM
Thanks for the advice guys. Hopefully I can catch some keepers tonight.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: captain54 on Jan 07, 2015, 11:56 AM
The lake I fish has a lot of crappies 8-13 inches. I really hate people that keep small fish and play the compation game. I rather keep a dozen quality fish than 30 crappie under 10 inches.A 10.5 inch fish would be my start but have kept thick chunky 10's.Last year the crappie ran above average 11- 13 where keepers.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: italianice77 on Jan 07, 2015, 03:18 PM
Usually depends on how thick they are, we have no size limit here. If it's legal, worth cleaning and eating, go for it nobody will say anything
swift's got it right , if it's legal and your trying to fill the freezer 9 and up... but only keep what you need and don't keep going to the same place over and over and pounding on them, cause if it's a Small body of water, won't take long to fish them out.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: JZ on Jan 14, 2015, 07:35 PM
9-13" for me anything under or over go back. But depending on the size of the lake, population etc that range can shift an inch or so either way.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: greensider on Feb 16, 2015, 03:43 PM
11 thats when they start to get weight on them
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Gills-only on Feb 16, 2015, 03:52 PM
Depends on how hungry I am, usually 10"!!
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Kevin23 on Feb 16, 2015, 11:49 PM
The lake I fish has a lot of crappies 8-13 inches. I really hate people that keep small fish and play the compation game. I rather keep a dozen quality fish than 30 crappie under 10 inches.A 10.5 inch fish would be my start but have kept thick chunky 10's.Last year the crappie ran above average 11- 13 where keepers.

Keeping the 9-10" fish is usually better for a fishery than keeping just the biggest you catch because there is more meat on them...

I hate it when people criticize others for keeping 8-9" crappies but then they put an 8" male bluegill in their bucket. More meat on an 8-9in crappie and it wont hurt the fishery at all. Taking big crappie and bluegill while leaving the smaller clean-able fish will wreck a lake fast. When a crappie gets to 12-13" he is now a predator, he will eat his fill of bluegill and crappie fry each spring. Those are the fish you want to release... Its called selective harvest. I absolutely hate selfish people who only keep what they want (the breeders) instead of what is best for an ecosystem... Pulling 8-9" male gills off beds in the spring is one that comes to mind...
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: hnd on Feb 19, 2015, 04:37 PM
it all depends one who's cleaning them. 

I'll clean 8-9" crappies but i fillet, cut the skin off and cut away the ribs i don't slice under them just cut it all away with a zip of the knife.   

but i'll be honest, i'm generally not keeping anything under 11.  not because i have an issue with people doing it, but because i don't keep alot of fish.  and even if i catch an 11" er or two, i'll throw some water int he bucket until i have at least 5 because otherwise, theya re going back in. 
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: hardwater diehard on Feb 19, 2015, 04:41 PM
I was curious how long crappie had to be before y'all considered keeping them? I have been considering chasing after some to make a good meal. Here in New York they must be 9", but I am not sure how nice the filet is from a 9" fish. So... what is everyone's opinion?

More of a slot limit ....as stated 9 in minimum ....so 10,11 an 12 ...with larger released for gene pool maintenance...but if your get a lot of a certain year class keepers ...lets say 10 inches then 11 inches and above get released ...I hope I am doing the right thing .
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: luckyfish on Feb 19, 2015, 09:29 PM
The smaller (8" to 10") ones hold together better in the pan!
The big ones seem to fall apart.......so usually throw the 11"+
 ones back! SSometimes I'll cut the big ones in pieces! But if
I can find the good eaters than I normally throw the bigger ones
 back in the hole! ;D
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: TeeBugg on Jan 19, 2016, 02:06 PM
9-10". Gotta be 9" to keep here in NY but usually try to keep the 10-11" fish
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Monticatgeek on Jan 23, 2016, 10:51 PM
For the lakes I fish here in Central Minnesota I like to keep 8 to 10 inch crappies if I want to eat some. to me under 8 and they are hard to fillet and over 10 they are better to be left in the lake for breeder stock for future crappies. it really varies from lake to lake as to keeper size fish. look at the population numbers from dnr test netting and look at the sizes they are catching and set you keeping slot by that.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: river rat78 on Jan 30, 2016, 10:43 AM
Like others have said it depends on the lake and the thickness of the crappie. One lake I fish I will keep 8" crappies as long as they are thick. But I will only keep maybe 15 crappies out of that lake the entire year. Another lake I fish I will keep 9" if they are thick or start at 10" and release any over 13".
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: DR.SPECKLER on Feb 05, 2016, 03:56 PM
9 to 11" smaller or bigger than that goes back to see another day.i don't like the taste of the big slab specks and don't like getting the fillet knife out for anything under 9.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: spoofhoundicefisher on Feb 20, 2016, 04:11 PM
most times if it hits the end of the line and ends up in the livewell we make them into turds around here.  there is no length limit and can keep 30.  there was a huge white class last year and this spring should be killer.  we have jerked some huge 14 and 15 inchers out this winter and have a very healthy population.  the dept. of conservation does an outstanding job of maintaining structures and adding new structures every year.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Mncrappie on Jan 25, 2017, 11:15 PM
Any fish over 8 I keep. Called fishing not releasing
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Chris338378 on Jan 26, 2017, 09:02 AM
I'll keep them at 8 inches and above.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: butcher on Jan 26, 2017, 03:13 PM
I recently adopted a self-imposed slot limit on crappies.  Previously I kept them starting at 10" but after doing some research, I learned how long it takes them to grow to 13 inches or more.  Now I tend to keep them between 10'' and 12".  In PA, a 12 inch crappie is usually about 8 years old but a 14+" fish is nearly 20 years old.  A 10-12 inch fish makes a good fillet but it takes far less time to replace that fish.  I now release those bigger breeding fish and keep the smaller ones (under 13"). 
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: FISH4WISH on Jan 26, 2017, 03:22 PM
We here in the land of Regulations and Taxes have no choice,9" min. 25 perday.I LOVE NEW YORK! (NOT >:()


          F4W
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Townie on Feb 04, 2017, 05:50 PM
Just over 13" went back. 11-12"'s come home

(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g396/tom_wilson2/IMG_20170130_123733.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/tom_wilson2/media/IMG_20170130_123733.jpg.html)
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Scout 24 on Feb 11, 2018, 02:57 PM
11-13" is ideal for me, but only keep 5 for my family's meal. When we first started fishing crappie 17 years ago, we were slobs and kept 20 apiece. Thankfully we out grew it in a couple years and now just keep enough for a fresh meal. We fish them year round and catch a few 16-17"ers yearly and wouldn't dream of keeping those  12-14 year old breeders. We've given up on a couple spots where they kept and killed everything that comes through the hole, then the numbnuts complain when the fishing sucks?!
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: desmobob on Feb 11, 2018, 04:14 PM
Besides conservation/management, another reason to keep the smaller crappies to eat is mercury contamination.  The smaller fish have less mercury.  Check out the health advisories.  Same goes for perch... the recommended number of meals per month of 12" perch is less than smaller sizes.

I don't worry about this much myself, but if I was going to be sharing the meal with children or women of child-bearing age, I would.

Tight lines,
Bob
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: SHaRPS on Feb 21, 2018, 02:45 PM
Depends what lake i am fishing. Some lakes 10" is a pig and other 10" is the small crop.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Raquettedacker on Feb 21, 2018, 02:49 PM
They have to be 9" here to keep so anything bigger than that goes home....     ;D
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Capt.Jim-N.J. on Feb 22, 2018, 02:34 PM
Here in New Jersey, Between Black Crappie and White Crappie, 8 '', with a combined limit of 10 fish
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: rdhammah on Feb 22, 2018, 05:42 PM
I learned how long it takes them to grow to 13 inches or more.  Now I tend to keep them between 10'' and 12".  In PA, a 12 inch crappie is usually about 8 years old but a 14+" fish is nearly 20 years old.  A 10-12 inch fish makes a good fillet but it takes far less time to replace that fish.   
After reading this, it got me thinking. This season, I caught a lot of 13-15" crappie as did my buddy. Kept 'em all. Now I regret it. Did not even think about it til now. New leaf - gonna let those big ones go....unless they are gut hooked (haven't had one yet) and keep the smaller ones
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: musky8it on Jan 07, 2019, 09:52 AM
9-12, anything much over 12" is like keeping gills over 10", to me not that great of flavor. Love to catch those begins but small taste better.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Db on Jan 07, 2019, 10:01 AM
I fish for crappie alot and dont take anything over 12 and no smaller than 10 I figured the ones over 12 are good for spawning I could be wrong but that's how I think the bigger ones we catch like 16 inches we just take pictures and let them go
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: PoleJerker on Jan 07, 2019, 11:16 AM
Usually 10 to 13" if I keep any at all. 
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Unclegillhunter on Jan 25, 2019, 06:19 AM
don't keep crappie. Do keep blue gill,probably 33 per year. 3 meals for the family. 8 to 9 inchers. right on to the folks practicing selective harvesting! Bottom line if folks that are keeping limit after limit of slabs and they are doing if with in the regs, then so be it. Sadly they are the same folks who cry when the lake has smaller and smaller year classes.
Keep it safe! JDL
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Tikkaman on Jan 26, 2019, 03:18 PM
10”
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: hnd on Jan 28, 2019, 10:38 AM
we have a body of water that had a crappie problem tons of them but no size.   DNR put no limits on the lake to try and encourage people to take out as many as possible. 

We went down and caught as many 7-8" crappies as our heart wanted.   cleaning them was ok, (no rib meat) but ultimately was not worth the effort and i'm now 9-12" as our limits. 

Micah
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Van_Cleaver on Mar 03, 2019, 01:51 AM
Enjoyed reading this. Usually 10" is my lower limit but don't have to worry much about the top end . I almost never keep more than 7 anyway since that is a couple nice meals for my wife and me and I don't like freezing them. A couple of the private lakes I fish have really nice crappie; average is 10-11 but rarely over 12". I surmise that there is mega competition for the same food base so once they hit ten it takes many years for them to get substantially bigger. Here's a few from my last trip; actually tossed back the largest since I had plenty.
(https://scontent.fphl2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/53681361_2528259877245562_6938404956701458432_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_ht=scontent.fphl2-2.fna&oh=60013522c626e684b54fe79348c0e467&oe=5D28B14E)
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Kevin23 on Mar 03, 2019, 04:21 PM
Enjoyed reading this. Usually 10" is my lower limit but don't have to worry much about the top end . I almost never keep more than 7 anyway since that is a couple nice meals for my wife and me and I don't like freezing them. A couple of the private lakes I fish have really nice crappie; average is 10-11 but rarely over 12". I surmise that there is mega competition for the same food base so once they hit ten it takes many years for them to get substantially bigger. Here's a few from my last trip; actually tossed back the largest since I had plenty.
(https://scontent.fphl2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/53681361_2528259877245562_6938404956701458432_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_ht=scontent.fphl2-2.fna&oh=60013522c626e684b54fe79348c0e467&oe=5D28B14E)

That is a beautiful perch!
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Van_Cleaver on Mar 06, 2019, 12:08 PM
Perch was the only keeper I got that day, a nice 11". Weeded through a bunch of small ones as well. There are some lakes around here (Poconos) where they actually average that size, but getting permission to fish them is another story. ;)
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Unclegillhunter on Mar 06, 2019, 01:47 PM
Enjoyed reading this. Usually 10" is my lower limit but don't have to worry much about the top end . I almost never keep more than 7 anyway since that is a couple nice meals for my wife and me and I don't like freezing them. A couple of the private lakes I fish have really nice crappie; average is 10-11 but rarely over 12". I surmise that there is mega competition for the same food base so once they hit ten it takes many years for them to get substantially bigger. Here's a few from my last trip; actually tossed back the largest since I had plenty.
(https://scontent.fphl2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/53681361_2528259877245562_6938404956701458432_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_ht=scontent.fphl2-2.fna&oh=60013522c626e684b54fe79348c0e467&oe=5D28B14E)
Nice job! My wife won’t eat panfish unless they are still quivering when I drop em in the pan.
Keep it safe! JDL
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Kevin23 on Mar 06, 2019, 08:35 PM
Perch was the only keeper I got that day, a nice 11". Weeded through a bunch of small ones as well. There are some lakes around here (Poconos) where they actually average that size, but getting permission to fish them is another story. ;)

The red fins and coloration is amazing! We don't see anything like that around here, just pale almost white/black ugly ones.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: DR.SPECKLER on Mar 07, 2019, 06:28 AM
I keep 10 to 11”.anything under or over go back.8” specks are so thin around here that i can see my fillet knife thru the fillets.not worth my time cleaning them.amazing the difference between a 8” gill and speck.bluegills have way more meat on them at that size.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: Mr. Charlie on Mar 08, 2019, 07:08 AM
we have a body of water that had a crappie problem tons of them but no size.   DNR put no limits on the lake to try and encourage people to take out as many as possible. 

We went down and caught as many 7-8" crappies as our heart wanted.   cleaning them was ok, (no rib meat) but ultimately was not worth the effort and i'm now 9-12" as our limits. 

Micah

I agree depends on the body of water. Sometimes you have to keep small ones in order to get big ones in years to come.
Title: Re: At what size do you start keeping crappie?
Post by: BeenPerchin315 on Nov 10, 2019, 06:57 AM
I feel people should do as we do and be able to control ourselves with responsibility, perch are plentiful so my start is around 9.5-10” and we get a lot of em from there to 13-14” any bigger will go back. Our min size on calicos is 9.5” so at least cant keep the babies of a scarce species, only keep enough for a meal or 2. Not that I catch more then that. And bluegill I don’t target so if I happen to land on some big ones go home for a meal average ones and smalls go back. I think my biggest take home on calico or gills is like 10-15 fish.  Keep the fishing quality as good as possible for the next generations