In East Tennessee, when crappie recruitment is high, fishing is normally good three years later.

“The problem is that recruitment is inconsistent in East Tennessee. When we get a good year-class of crappie, it can be cropped off efficiently by a small number of anglers if liberal creel limits are in place,” Jolley said.

According to TWRA creel surveys, the reduced creel limit will affect relatively few anglers because only a small proportion of anglers are routinely harvesting over 15 crappie per day. Many East Tennessee reservoirs already have a 15-per-day creel limit for crappie. The TWRA and many local anglers feel that the reduced creel limits have had positive results on these crappie populations.

“In 2000, we proposed the 15-per-day crappie limit for Dale Hollow and Center Hill for many of the same reasons -- recruitment was low and catch trends were declining,” Jolley added. “We feel the reduced creel limit has resulted in more consistent harvest and anglers have expressed nothing but support for this change.”

In 2001, the 15-per-day creel limit was enacted on five other reservoirs that were experiencing declining catch trends and low recruitment. Since then, crappie catch and harvest has rebounded.

The TWRA reminds anglers that they can still catch and release as many crappie as they want.

“If anglers really want to take home more than 15 crappie a day, they can always take a kid fishing,” Scholten remarked. “That would double the number of fish that they could put in the freezer, plus it would make the kid’s day.”

KENTUCKY LAKE
Scholten said he doesn’t anticipate any crappie regulation changes for Kentucky Lake in 2007 either, but it’s too early to rule them out. The recent crappie creel limit reduction in 2006 did not apply to Kentucky Lake (the creel limit is still 30).

Scholten said that, unlike many other Tennessee lakes, Kentucky Lake has never needed to have its crappie population enhanced through stocking, because recruitment is relatively consistent and high enough to sustain the fishery. High fertility and available habitat are likely some of the major factors that contribute to the quality of this crappie fishery.

As good as this lake is, Scholten said Kentucky Lake is usually in the top three across the state when it comes to crappie fishing, but it’s not always number one when it comes to angler harvest rates. Barkley and Reelfoot lakes are consistently high, but other fisheries rank high when strong year-classes move through.

At the instruction of Guide Garry Mason, I cast a Charlie Brewer Slider Grub in the direction of an unseen stakebed that the veteran Kentucky Lake angler knew was there. Slowly reeling the bait back, I felt a slight thump and set the hook with a raise of the rod. That began a good day of spring fishing on one of the state’s best waters, a day that would produce crappie over 2 pounds.

Mason said the size of the lake’s crappie is what makes Kentucky Lake a top destination. And then there is the number of fish as well. Another major plus is the structure of the lake, as you can just about go anywhere and find fishable water.