I did some digging and found this link showing fish populations sampled from various lakes.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/lake_survey/index.phtml

I can see the following from 2007 for Lake Lewisville:

Crappie: The white crappie population declined over previous surveys. Black crappie relative abundance increased since the previous survey with mostly sub-stock fish collected.

i keep all keepers in april for fish fry on mothers day in may annual thing

This is an interesting topic because I used to be in the keep every fish I caught group...came from my grandparents.

On average now I release about 95% of the keeper crappie I catch, which last year was close to 750 keepers released. If we do keep, dad and I went to an 11 inch minimum in regards to earlier posts on size and spawn. The amount of meat on a 12 inch versus 10 inch fish is nearly double it seems. Also, any fish 14 and above goes back (tourney money). I even did this when I guided. The only exceptios are badly hooked/injured fish.

This past year we actually instituted a no spawn keep rule. In fact, dad has even went to the point he doesn't care if he fishes the spawn for that reason. Let them do their thing and then keep them May-October.

There is also the concept of location management to consider. If you keep too many at a spot, even though, there are more in the lake you can decimate a population in a given area. I know of a situation where someone hammered them in the spawn one year and then the next few were very mediocre in that area due to keeping too many from that one spot. Some spots are on highways that always replenish...some are not. For me when I 'm keeping, I fish an area until they start to slow just a hair, then I move to avoid over harvesting one location.

I can't bring myself to do it....they are just too delicious. In saying that, my freezer never stays stocked, because I don't fish as often as I would like.

I'm guilty!!! Somtimes I end up giving them to some of the older folks who aren't having much luck.

After I threw out a ton of fish last year cause I didn't eat it I had a change of heart.

I throw almost everything I catch now-a-days back. If the guys on the boat want fish I sometimes keep it for them.

We have gotten real good at keeping just enough for what we want to eat. Good feeling.

To each his/her own. Unless I only catch a couple, then I throw back,or give to someone at the lake. I do not believe in wasting resources.If I don't eat it I have many friends, family, neighbors, and elders who no longer are able to fish who never turn down bags of Crappie.

Release to the grease

I kept everyone i caught last year .... All 6 of them . This year i plan to do the same .

I'm with Lucas and Salsa. Since I started fishing tournaments, when I need some fish, just take the cooler and collect some at weigh-in. Haven't had to keep fish for eating in a long time. I don't need to throw fish in the cooler to feel like I've had a good day. Keeping 4-6 bags of fillets ahead is plenty. I've thrown a lot of keepers back the last 4 years.

As long as within the legal limits do as you please.

From a conservation standpoint, I think catch and release is dependent on the waterbody and the waterbody has many factors that go into determining what is best from a conservation standpoint. Some you should release. Others you should harvest.

I would just encourage us to not be a one size fits all but view it from a specific waterbody standpoint and understanding of the factors/environment for that waterbody.

For example, I fish a lake in OK that has an 8" minimum size. The reason is they are abundant. Although a 8" crappie doesn't make for much meat I feel obligated in that environment to keep all I can catch to help the population.

I think in the end we need to understand the water and environment we are fishing and do what is best in that situation.

undersized fish have more to do with the forage base than it has to do with the number of crappie that are being caught and kept.
So to that end, keeping more crappie would work to increase the size of the crappie not caught more so than releasing crappie.

it is the same principle that fishery experts that run trophy bass private fishing lakes apply by making people keep all smaller bass.

If you just have to release some to feel like a sportsman, then keep all the 10 inchers and 12 inchers and release the 2 and 3 pound slabs. Their genetics actually help the gene pool.

Wes makes a a really good point about understanding your lake and its needs.

I definitely try to keep less from Stillhouse (only tourney or killed fish) beacuse the numbers of fish just aren't there. On Belton we do have a good crappie population, but not exceptional with generally a pretty balanced size.

The last two years on Waco has seen an incredible number of 10-11.5 inch fish. The first year I fished it I could have my limit in 2 hours or so if I kept them, but only 5 of my 25 would be above 12 inches. If a limit is coming that fast on average from multiple parts of the lake (was slower last year though), then definitely no issues with loading up, but also load up on those that are most prolific. They can overpopulate.

intelligent fishing pressure, with the hi tech sonar thats available to almost all fisherman nowdays,(quite affordable), is going to start making an impact on the fish. they may breed quickly, but they can be overharvested. Back when I was a kid growing up in Louisiana, we could go to almost any bayou, canal, ect, and throw castnets, and fill up a cooler with shrimp in no time. It started getting hammered by everybody and there brother, the trawls got bigger, the boats got huge, and it started to dwindle away very rapidly. We have a great thing going here in texas with the fine ecrappie fisheries, lets all just be respectful and appreciate, and dont waste fish. also consider releassing the swollen females during spawn. you got 11 other months of the year, to keep them, cant you just let them get thier spawning done in the approximate 30 days? spawn = fun fishing. May thru november.. EAT THEM!! plz just consider it.

+1 Leanin Post. I think you ae spot on. There's plenty of Crappie here, and intelligent conservation will keep thme here.

You bet - Release them when you don't need em,

Okay here is my rationalization – it’s just me talking,

I too was a multiple days per week fisherman (before I was a Guide).

I quit working the full time job back in May 2004 (I quit – no retirement – just up and quit).

Me and another old fart friend of mine (he’s retired) fished often 3, 4 or 5 days per week and by August of that year we were catching and KEEPING over 1,000 crappie per month. Both of our freezers were full and also most of our families and friends were too – just giving fish away.

Then it hit me – (What a waste of our outdoor resources) - We don’t have to keep every legal Crappie we catch – we have an option – We can Release them. I already practiced C&R on Black Bass for years and I release most of the White Bass/Hybrids/Stripers I caught, but Crappie – yea I kept them – way – way - way to many (I just got carried away with it).

My thinking is fish stay fresher in our lakes rather than our freezer (we can catch them when ever we want to – then keep what we need and release them when we really don’t need any). Those fish do all the good in the lakes and no good in my freezer. Plus I don’t have to clean fish on every outing (that’s a real bonus too).

I know it’s hard for a Crappie fisherman to understand the concept and benefits of Catch and Release – but it is an option.

As to Guide Fishing – most of the customers that use guides are not multiple days per week fisherman; most are a few times per year fisherman. You can’t keep the guides limit anymore – that went away some years back.

Catch and Release - It's optional (sometimes I think we just get into a habit (or of a mindset) of keeping everything we catch) But It's optional,

My Best Days On the Lake are When we don't Keep ANY!