The 10" minimum seems to work OK ..... 20 or 30 years ago on Lake Palestine,they raised the minimum on catfish to 14" and it went sour on them.
A 14" fish 3-4 years later looked like an eel.
NOW there is NO minimum and 50 fish limit trying to correct their mistake.

I would hate to see the same happen with crappie.

I don't work anymore and fish 45-65 hours a week. I always have what I want in numbers so use a 14 inch limit most times. I would like to see them not have a limit on week-end for the working folks. I think it would help the stores and other things on the lakes.

Okie, we don't hate conservation.

In my opinion, limits should be determined by water body. Pretty much how OK and Texas manage and I think the biologist from OK and Texas do a fine job.

I don't agree that setting a minimum size limit will equal a bigger catch. Some lakes have stunted crappie populations and need to be thinned out to produce better quality.

I guess what I am trying to say is that a one size fits all approach is probably not adequate. Each water body is unique and I hope sound science not popular opinion continues to guide our creel limits.

Bottom bouncer.... My point exactly. I do believe in conservation but Texas is such a big state with a wide variety of different habitats that its hard to determine how big the minimum size should be for Texarkana and el paso

I feel like the 10" minimum is fine like it is as most lake are well populated with good sized fish, however, most of the articles I have read argue that an 8" minimum would allow fish to get bigger due to less fish would allow the fish to grow larger. I think 12" is just too big and not enough of the crappie would be taken out and they would stunt.

interesting trains of thought here for sure

OK well IMO. I fish in ditches and small bayous. I think most laws and rules should stay at a local level. I live in jefferson county, not that laws should be changed here just enforced. Every year I throw back hundreds of crappie and watch people keep under size fish. It makes me angry. To sum it up if a lake is loaded with adult breeding white perch in one county then yes let em keep 8 inch crappie but in my town its tough to get 10 in crappie due to all the ******** keeping under size fish. Off topic I bet a 14 inch redfish is the tastiest size. 20 inches is still to big.

10 inch is pretty small. That said, crappie are very prolific. I doubt it makes much difference.

Oklahoma has some nice generous limits. I went to school at OSU and lived there for over 10 years. Way back when there was no limit on sand bass.

Growth rates play a big role in minimum size limits. A 10" fish in Texas is 2-3 years old on most lakes. Life span of a crappie is 5-7. A 12" fish in most lakes is 3-5 year old.

On the Texas lakes with good growth rates (i.e. Fork LOP) a 2 year old fish is 10". One might suggest a 12" limit similar to some Mississippi lakes would work at Fork and LOP. At least the growth rates, potentially would support it, however remember in winter you have to keep the first 25 you catch regardless of size and there is no lack of big crappie in these lakes.

I have fished OK lakes with 8" minimums all the way to some Mississippi lakes with 12" minimums and understand biologist are setting this limits based on local conditions (population size, predator base, food sources, growth rates, etc.)

MS is an example where 3 or 4 lakes have a 12" minimum size but the rest of the state is 10" because growth rates statewide could not support a 12" minimum.

Those who have been asked to participate in the research study know that the TPWD in conjunction with Mississippi State University are conducting a research study of anglers fishing Lake Fork. The study is to determine the attitudes and options of lake Fork anglers and how much money you spent when fishing Lake Fork.

The information will be useful in evaluating fishery management on Lake Fork as well as the economic impacts.

Their survey has questions on the TPWD regulations that effect bass, crappie, catfish and white bass.

Survey questions on crappie were.

Do you agree with.

1. 10" minimum March - November.
2. A 25-fish daily bag limit on crappie.
3. The mandatory harvest regulation on crappie during winter months.

I believe TPWD knows fishery management, conservation and is willing to listen and manage a fishery towards public opinions within reason.

Hey I resemble that remark....

I'm all for 12/20 myself...

But I deffer all wildlife management practices to TPWD. Most of em are well educated in their chosen field!

I'm surprised at how many people like to keep small fish. I rarely keep anything under 11 inches. The amount of meat you get doesn't seem worth the effort to me. An 11 inch limit would be fine with me. But I'm fine with whatever TPWD thinks is best for crappie populations.

The people who keep 25 fish limits all the time must put on a whole lot more parties than I do, too. I keep a half dozen fish on some trips and no fish on other trips, and usually have plenty of fish in my freezer. But again, I'm OK with any number limit that keeps a good population of healthy fish in the lakes.

I agree with Bud B. I have noticed that the fish I catch are mostly in the 11-12 inch range and catch very few under tens. I am concerned that the fry are being eatten by bigger fish due to the low water and lack of structure for the fry to develope so when I catch a 12-13 inch fish I throw them back so them can keep the population up till the water returns to normal level. I only keep what I need for a meal or two and the rest are returned to the water. After all, the fun is in catching them as much as eating them.

Txfsh, I hear what you're saying. Again a 10 in rule obviously isn't an issue if all the fish your catching are 11 and 12 But a lot of guys don't have that luxury. I think that probably 15 to 20 percent of my fish right now are over 10 per trip. I just think that with the size of Texas that a statewide rule is harder on some guys. It's easy for a guy to say they should up it to 12 when the body of water they mainly fish produces big fish. But you might be killing a guys that only has acces to smaller fish. If he follows the rules he might not ever catch a big mess of crappie.