What are your thoughts on lowering the 10" to 9" and deploying a upper limit, say 16".

3lb. crappie do exist in Texas

TP&W do survey's at multiple lakes every "Fall" with traps and nets to determine crappie populations. The survey's are not at each and every lake every year, but they have information for the asking. Problem is that they sample only small percentage's of the lakes and thus some of the locations of the larger crappie may not be exposed to them in their samplings.

I can verify there have been multiple over 3lb. crappie caught (rod/reel and trotline, jugline) in multiple of the lakes west of Possum Kingdom this year and years prior. Why the growth, many of these lakes have been as much as 20 feet low and now have multiple years of being at full pool levels with exploding populations of crappie and other species due to the new growth from when the lakes were low for so long and vegetation is unbelievable. Most of these lakes are murky to very muddy and will not change due to the red clay bottoms. Most all have a slightly akaline base, but few are clear (O.H.Ivie)(Looks where your Share a Lunkers came from this year).

Most of the crappie I am aware of are caught from everyday fishermen that eat what they catch and are just as likely to fish for other species as crappie. Not nearly as much pressure on these lakes and no commercial guides on most of them except perhaps O.H. Ivie.

Another sleeper for 3lb. crappie that most have not fished at or considered, the smaller City Lakes in multiple cities that are turbid, but have a few 3lb. fish. It would appear the 3lb. crappie are growing in less disturbed water, often that have experienced a new lake effect from being full poll versus being very low in pool level until several years ago.

Go WEST of Possum Kingdom and you will find 3lb. fish, not an overwhelming amount, but they are being caught and not always on rod and reel. Check out your local TP&W for netting results. In addition, many of the big, adult crappie were moved by TP&W from larger lakes to smaller lakes and city lakes that had dried up and refilled. There are some really big crappie getting a big head start in with less competition from other fish species for food area lakes that are nutrient rich from farming activity.

I might mention that in Abilene, the TP&W publishes a book or pamphlet with many of the small bodies of water in multiple counties for free, if you would just request it. I have no idea about the TP&W in other areas if they have booklets with small bodies of water information, but it would be worth asking for.

If you consider lakes in this area, you may want to check the hit list for lakes affected by golden algae .

Best Regards and Great Fishing to You,
Mud-Dabber

GUY, you need to call this guy...