Minimum length limit appears to improve Wappapello crappie size

WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- After five years under a 9-inch minimum length limit on crappie, anglers and officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation are seeing positive results at Wappapello Lake.

The lake's crappie are surveyed each October, said fisheries management biologist Dave Knuth, and data shows a "normal distribution of year classes" of crappie.

Before the 9-inch regulation was put into effect March 1, 2006, there were large gaps in the age structure of Wappapello's crappie, Knuth said, with a high percentage of small fish.

Mark Boone, who oversaw the lake's fishery for the Department of Conservation at the time, speculated overharvest of young fish was the primary cause for the lack of larger fish.

"We found that two-thirds of the crappie being harvested were under 9 inches. That's a lot of small fish, and they don't grow too well in hot grease," Boone told those gathered at an open meeting in January 2005, which was spurred by public outcry over small fish abundance.

Things are looking better now, Knuth said, as data from the latest survey was very positive.

"I'd say since the length limit started, this year's data was the best," he said. "We had an exceptional year this year."

Knuth said 61 trap nets were set over a four-day period.

"We caught 1,800 white crappies and 900 black crappies," he said.

Thirty-two percent of the white crappies more than 5 inches in length also were more than 9 inches long, a significant statistic.

"That's extremely good," Knuth said. "It's better than it's been in a long time."

Twelve percent of the whites were more than 10 inches long.

Knuth said the lake clearly has "a lot of fish past 9 inches."

The black crappies didn't fare so well, with only 3.5 percent longer than 9 inches, but that was expected.

Black crappies, Knuth said, prefer clearer water and more vegetation than Wappapello offers.

Wappapello's crappie aren't lacking food to stimulate growth, Knuth said. The lake is loaded with gizzard shad, which are the primary food source for crappies.

"When you get good shad production, you'll have good crappie growth," he said.

With a strong shad population, crappie reproduction in Wappapello also is strong, Knuth said.

"There's no issue with crappie reproduction in that lake," Knuth said. "It's a crappie factory."

The end result for anglers, Knuth said, is more larger fish.

"It's not uncommon now for guys to catch fish bigger than 12 inches," he said.

That was much harder in years past.

"We hit a lull when there was a ton of fish in the lake, but no size to them," said Doug Nichols, an avid angler, who also happens to be a ranger at the lake. "For the average Joe, Wappapello is now back to the way it was in the '90s."

Brian Jines of Bloomfield, Mo., also thinks the 9-inch rule has been beneficial.

"I think the length limit is really helping. We can really tell a big difference," Jines said.

Scott Rawson of Dexter, Mo., echoed Jines' sentiments.

"Guys I talk to all say the 9-inch limit is helping," Rawson said. "We're seeing some really quality fish now."

Similarly, Edwin Younger and Mike Buehler, who've fished the lake together for 25 years, say the improvement is dramatic.

"We knew it was going to help, and I'm tickled to death," said Younger.

"We begged them for five years before they did anything," Buehler said, "and now at least the fish are getting big enough to eat."

The pair say the 9-inch regulation has been so positive, they now want to see a 10-inch minimum length limit instituted.

Knuth, however, said while data from the latest crappie survey and angler input are positive, he still will withhold final judgment on the length limit's effect for a while longer.

"We'll be looking at age and growth data, along with size structure, over a few more years to determine the effectiveness of the length limit," he said.

In the meantime, Knuth said, he wants input from anglers on the regulation and how they feel about fishing at Wappapello Lake. He can be reached at MDC's Southeast Regional Office in Cape Girardeau at 573-290-5730, extension 239, or by e-mail at Dave.Knuth@mdc.mo.gov.

For anglers who want to fish at Wappapello Lake in the winter months, Nichols said, caution is in order.

"We are at winter pool, so use common sense and be cautious," Nichols said. "Slow down and think. There's lots of hazards out there."