Editor’s Note: This is the third and final article in the three-part series on crappie fishing in Kentucky.
Fishery biologists have three ways of evaluating crappie fisheries to gain a better understanding of catch rates, crappie reproductive success and population trends.
Creel surveys, which are usually conducted from March through October, provide angler input.
Creel clerks talk with anglers on the lakes and ask them what they have been catching and how many fish they have kept. This data helps biologists assess fishing pressure, and harvest.
Trap netting, with modified hoop nets during the fall, is the main sampling method for crappie.
Once crappie populations are evaluated, biologists pass current, verified population trend data on to anglers — in the form of forecasts of crappie fishing in the future on a particular body of water. (Photo by Art Lander, Jr.)
It enables biologists to assess the strength of year classes, based on the size and number of crappie observed. After counts are made, the fish are released.
A few of the crappies sampled are kept, and aged, by removing and reading the growth rings on their otoliths.
Commonly called “earstones,” otoliths are hard, calcium carbonate discs located behind the brain. Otoliths aid fish in balance and hearing.
Electrofishing is a sampling method that is employed on crappie lakes that can’t be easily trap netted because the banks are too steep or rocky.
Electrofishing is typically done when crappie are shallow. It involves lowering probes into the water and running current through them, which temporarily stuns fish so that they can be netted.
Biologists and technicians weigh, measure and count the fish, and then release them back to where they were collected.
Once all the crappie data is crunched, and compared with data from previous years, biologists have a clear picture of a population’s status — its spawning success, growth rate, mortality rate, and the strength of year classes.
This gives them an opportunity to pass current, verified population trend data on to anglers — in the form of forecasts for poor, fair, good or excellent crappie fishing in the future, on a particular body of water.
Creel Limits and Special Regulations
It might seem that the growing harvest of crappie through the years is the reason for the tightening of creel limits, but decisions about crappie creel limits are usually angler driven.
Creel surveys have found that a majority of anglers don’t catch the creel limit, whatever it is.
Yes, increased fishing pressure is one of the factors that has led to a gradual decrease in the daily creel limits through the years, but at most lakes in Kentucky crappie fishing is better than ever.
“There are no major declines in crappie populations in Kentucky,” said Jeff Ross, assistant director of the Division of Fisheries for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “Decreased creel limits are a preemptive move to make sure crappie populations continue to thrive.”
For decades the statewide daily creel limit on crappie in Kentucky was 60 fish.
In 1992 the statewide daily creel limit on crappie was reduced to 30 fish. Last year, in 2018, it was further reduced to 20 fish.
Statewide, there is no minimum size limit on crappie, but minimum size limits and lower creel limits are in effect on some lakes in Kentucky. Anglers are advised to read the regulations carefully in the annual Kentucky Fishing & Boating Guide.
Special regulations on crappie have been in effect on some lakes in Kentucky as early as the 1980s.
Seasonal Movements in Crappie Reservoirs
From tagged crappie, monitored by radio telementry, biologists learned that black crappie not only move up earlier, but into much shallower water, than white crappie. (Photo provided)
Where are crappie during the various seasons of the year?
Generally, in major reservoirs, crappie move seasonally, spring and fall, from deep water to shallow water, using creek channels as highways.
The best spring fishing starts when water temperatures climb into the mid-to-upper 50s, and crappie begin to move into shallower water. When crappie come to the banks, they congregate around docks, weed beds, flooded brush, stumps, logs and other floating debris.
Black crappie are the first to move up into shallow water in the spring as water temperatures rise into the lower 60s, followed by white crappie, as water temperatures rise into the upper 60s.
From tagged crappie, monitored by radio telemetry, biologists learned that black crappie not only move up earlier but into much shallower water than white crappie.
Top Crappie Lakes
Here are some details on Kentucky’s best crappie lakes in the Western, Southwestern and Northwestern Fishery Districts, based on information from the 2019 Fishing Forecast, published by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, and interviews with district biologists.
In Kentucky’s Western Fishery District there are two lakes, and one sub-impoundment in Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, to target:
A good strategy for black crappie on Kentucky Lake is to fish chunk rock and gravel banks, casting small jigs. (Photo by Art Lander, Jr.)
• Kentucky Lake is 57,101 acres in Marshall, Calloway, Lyon, Livingston and Trigg counties.
The crappie fishery is rated good, and there’s a 10-inch minimum size limit.
“The percentage of white crappie to black crappie in the population is equal (50 percent to 50 percent),” said Adam Martin, Western District Fishery Biologist. “But the trend in the future is for more black crappie. The year classes are stronger.”
Anglers key on white crappie because of preferred fishing methods.
Martin said anglers fishing deep are catching fair numbers of keeper-size white crappie.
The strategy for black crappie is to fish chunk rock and gravel banks for black crappie, casting curly tail jigs.
Crappie are vulnerable during late winter into early spring as they move toward shallow water areas for spawning.
• Lake Barkley is 45,600 acres in Trigg, Lyon and Livingston counties.
The crappie fishery is rated good, and there’s a 10-inch minimum size limit.
Lake Barkley has a much higher percentage of white crappie, about 75 percent, compared to Kentucky Lake, because of differences in water clarity. Lake Barkley has murkier water.
Martin said white crappie take about 2 1/2 years to reach the 10-inch minimum size limit and black crappie about 3 1/2 years. “At 10 inches black crappie weigh more,” said Martin. “They are stockier fish.”
Anglers can expect to catch good numbers of short fish this year along with a lot of 11 to 13-inch fish from the 2014-2015 year classes.
• Energy Lake, a 370-acre sub-impoundment of Lake Barkley in Land Between the Lakes, is popular with crappie anglers, especially those fishing from kayaks and other small boats.
There’s a 10-inch minimum size limit and 20-fish daily creel limit.
An underground culvert connects Energy Lake to Lake Barkley and on rising water levels in the spring, fish move into the lake.
There’s a full-facilities campground, open March 1 through November 30, and a boat launching ramp. For more information telephone (270) 924-2000. Energy Lake is 11 miles north of the Visitor’s Center on FS Road #134.
In Kentucky’s Southwestern Fishery District there are two lakes to target:
• Barren River Lake is 10,000 acres in Allen and Barren counties.
The crappie fishery is rated good, and there’s a 9-inch minimum size limit.
“The upper one-third of the lake is the most productive,” said Eric Cummins, Southwestern Fishery District biologist. “It’s richer, and there’s more forage.”
There are good numbers of both white and black crappie, in about equal percentages, but in recent years white crappie population has been improving. There are good numbers of fish 10 inches and larger, but fewer black crappie, 10 inches and larger.
Target shallow water for black crappie in the spring.
During the summer and winter, fish deeper structure in creek/river channels, and around fish attractors.
In Green River Lake, 8,210 acres in Taylor and Adair counties, the crappie fishery is dominated by white crappie with black crappie only comprising about 10 percent of the population. (Photo from US Army Corps of Engineers)
• Green River Lake is 8,210 acres in Taylor and Adair counties.
The crappie fishery is rated good, with a 9-inch minimum size limit.
“There are good numbers of harvestable-size white crappie,” said Cummins. “But anglers will have to weed through lots of sub-legal fish to find keeper fish.”
The fishery is dominated by white crappie, with black crappie only comprising about 10 percent of the population.
“Black crappie are coming on, but are in a very low density,” said Cummins. “The best fishing for black crappie is in the upper lake.”
In Kentucky’s Northwestern Fishery District there are two lakes to target:
• Nolin River Lake is 5,795 acres in Grayson, Edmonson and Hart counties.
The crappie fishery is rated good, and there’s a 9-inch minimum size limit.
Northwestern Fishery District biologist Rob Rold said the lake’s crappie fishery is stable, with about equal percentages of white and black crappie.
“There was a good spawn in 2018,” said Rold. “It takes about 2 to 2 1/2 years for a crappie to reach keeper size in the lake.”
A lower but still decent number of 10 to 11-inch fish will be available in 2019, but sampling indicates fewer harvestable fish next year.
Rold said during the summer, fish deeper brush piles in 16 to 18 feet of water mid-lake for larger crappie.
• Rough River Lake is 5,100 acres in Breckinridge and Grayson counties.
The crappie fishery is rated good, and there’s a 9-inch minimum size limit.
White crappie are the predominant species, with black crappie making up only about 10 to 15 percent of the population.
Rold said there are good numbers of 9 to 11-inch white crappie, with opportunities for 12 to 13-inch fish.
Good year classes of crappie are coming on that will ensure lots of harvestable fish in the next couple of years.
“Fish the upper lake for white crappie in the spring, and the lower lake for black crappie,” said Rold. “Deeper brush piles in mid-lake hold the larger fish during the summer.”
Some of the best crappie fishing of the year could start in a matter of weeks. Keep your fingers crossed for seasonal lake levels and moderating water temperatures. Raise your hand if you want an early spring.
Art Lander Jr. is outdoors editor for KyForward. He is a native Kentuckian, a graduate of Western Kentucky University and a life-long hunter, angler, gardener and nature enthusiast. He has worked as a newspaper columnist, magazine journalist and author and is a former staff writer for Kentucky Afield Magazine, editor of the annual Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide and Kentucky Spring Hunting Guide, and co-writer of the Kentucky Afield Outdoors newspaper column.
