PSA..Mandatory posession on Lake Fork begins today.

Gotta keep them all till 25.

What? No culling?

https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/action/fishregs2.php?water=0433

No can do, sir.

Can you reel the dinks in real slow? You know, slow enough to get a double digit ditch pickle's attention.

That's how ya do it

WTH is this for? Never heard such a rule?

I am guessing they did a population estimate, and they are way over the healthy population of crappie for that body of water. They need to " thin the herd" to keep from a depletion of food sources.

I believe it is mainly because of the higher mortality during the winter months. Typically the crappie will migrate to the Dam or other deeper water haunts (30' plus) and they tend to not live when brought up from those depths without fizzing. I doubt that most fishermen want to waste time fizzing a 8" crappie so that is the rule for Fork as well as LOP.

I'm in agreement for the most part because I have seen a bunch of floaters around the 35 bridge on Lewisville this time of year.

Fork, pines, and Toledo bend all have this rule. On these lakes the fish go super deep and the state doesn't want a bunch floaters, just as bluenitro said

Learn something new everyday!

I'll give a little tip that works well for me most of the time - If I am fishing deep, I will toss the fish on it's side when I release it. I think it forces out a little burp thus releasing some air from its swim bladder. If I notice that it starts floating, I'll pick it out of the water and then throw it back in the water with a little more height (I said "a little") and try to make sure it lands flat on it's side. If that doesn't work, then you need to fizz it (learn how through YouTube). Very seldom do I need to fizz a fish after a good tossing.

I remember before this rule, and before I came over to crappie from the dark side, you could see floaters in the creek channel current for as far as you could see. Crazy waste, but the birds sure liked it.

LOL...or a giant Flathead.

BINGO!!!

BlueNitro has the right idea.

Mine always come off at the boat and swim away just fine