# Crappie size question.



## joefsu (Jan 9, 2005)

I know we've had the min. size perch question, but what is the smallest crappie you typically keep. Not trying to start a bickering contest here I'm just trying to see what everybody keeps since I'm kind of new at crappie fishing I was just curious. 

Tight lines, 

Joe


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## brad arnett (Feb 13, 2006)

12" actually its about 8 ir 9 for me


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## walleyechaser (Jan 12, 2001)

If it isn't 10 or 11 inches its not worth cleaning!


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## RichP (Jan 13, 2003)

Probably 8 or so


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

walleyechaser said:


> If it isn't 10 or 11 inches its not worth cleaning!


Kinda the way I feel, too. But its up to you brotha, whatever you feel like cleanin'.


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## KI Jim (Apr 14, 2004)

If one of my kids catches it-whatever. If It is me, then 11" 'cause smaller than that they are really not worth cleaning.

Jim


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## GoneFishin (Jan 11, 2001)

10" is about my minimum for Crappie but if I'm really hungry ya may see a 9"er in the bucket.  :lol:


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## huxIIIhammer (Feb 28, 2005)

9 inches here


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## Raf (Jan 23, 2006)

probably about 10. its weird i never really measured my crappy, i just look at it and can tell if im keeping it or not and thats it. I was talking to a guy the other day with a bunch of 5 inch dink perch on the ice, said he was going to make patties. i guess its whatever you like to do. good luck!


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## RedSoxFan (Feb 13, 2006)

Six or seven inches is a real minimum. It depends on how skilled you are with a filet knife and how hungry you are.


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## FishDaddy09 (Dec 11, 2004)

I usually don't bother with them till there about 10"! Just not much meat on them till they get that long. But if it's a plump 9" I may keep it, any smaller than and there's just no meat.


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## bigdog101 (Aug 5, 2005)

9" specks go in my bucket . I get way more meat off a 9" speck then the same size gill. I see folks keeping some awful small gills . Ever notice how they shrink in size once you get home to clean em:lol:


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

They sure do get smaller once they get home bigdog! lol
and that is why I now have measurements etched on my scoop for gills 
and calicos.

As far as size goes it depends on the lake and type of calicos.
White calicos tend to be much slimmer then the black calicos IMO.
A fat 9 inch black calico is good to go IMO and has much more meat
than any 8 inch gill. 
But depending on the year.... how the bite goes...how hungry you are...
I have seen minimum standards change. 


Mike


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## Northlander (Jan 24, 2006)

About that size......


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## Connor4501 (Dec 15, 2003)

9 inches unless I'm hammering them...then it would be closer to 10...LSC crappies are fatter and 9" would be my minimum no matter what...


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## sniper's mojo (Nov 29, 2005)

RedSoxFan said:


> Six or seven inches is a real minimum. It depends on how skilled you are with a filet knife and how hungry you are.


First things first. If you are on a heavily pressured lake then keeping to the larger size in my opinion is important for conservation. Obviously the larger ones are usually the breeding females and the ones that are needed to keep the population healthy and plentiful. I have access to a couple smaller lakes which have very little fishing pressure. I have no problem taking a filet off of a 7 inch fish. With out practice you will be wasting it, but if you are used to cleaning small fish a handful of these are as tasty as any other size fish. I like to feed these fish to my family also. The smaller the fish the less time it spends in our unfortunately polluted water. Resulting in less toxins ( mercury/lead etc.). I fish st. clair regularly, I keep only the small walleyes for the same reason. The big ones are breeders and to full of junk. Love catchin them but they swim if over 18". My opinion based on some modest research. I respect alll other opinions but this works for me.


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## fish eater (Jan 4, 2005)

I predominantly fish only LSC. I like to keep Cals in between 8" and 12". I don't keep any over 12" for the same reasons.


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## duckman#1 (Sep 22, 2002)

I perfer to eat the smaller ones (6-9") Yes I have to celan more fish for a dinner, but the taste is worth it! I've cleaned alot of panfish, so it doesn't take me any longer and I dont waste any meat. give me a big batch of little fried gill/spec fillets any day! Ok, I'm starting to drool now.....:corkysm55


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