Crappie - best size to keep?

[GBW]

Hey all.

I see people all the time keep fish of all sizes and I've never kept crappie personally. I did find/catch a few 13.5" ones this evening locally and a friend asked me now to keep her some for a fish fry next time I go. I considered keeping these two cause they had thick backs but I didn't have anything to transport them home in as I went to the river to fish for bass today.

So, what size do you keep?

[crappieperchhunter]

Depends on how many you wanna clean.

 

Personally I don't like the bigger ones. I find the chunks too thick and they don't fry up as nice unless you cut them up to make them smaller. If I had my choice and was getting enough fish to be selective I would keep only 9-10 inchers.

 

Keep in mind this opinion is coming from a guy who keeps 7-8 inch bluegills all summer long for fish fries.

[Sinker]

^ he knows.

[GBW]

Depends on how many you wanna clean.

 

Personally I don't like the bigger ones. I find the chunks too thick and they don't fry up as nice unless you cut them up to make them smaller. If I had my choice and was getting enough fish to be selective I would keep only 9-10 inchers.

 

Keep in mind this opinion is coming from a guy who keeps 7-8 inch bluegills all summer long for fish fries.

Thanks

 

^ he knows.

I would hope so based on the user name

 

Anyone else?

[manitoubass2]

Anywhere from 8" to 15"

 

Most crappie on the backlakes here are about 10"s, so thats mainly what ill keep.

 

If im crappie fishing im keeping a limit, regardless of size. Even a 15"er tastes great!

Edited September 14, 2016 by manitoubass2

[Big Cliff]

What CPH said.

[BillM]

We don't keep the monsters and we don't keep the small ones. 8-10inches or so is what the oldman likes to eat.

[NAW]

I keep anything over 6-8" if I'm hungry. And I keep the monsters. Maybe I shouldn't keep the big ones, but I love getting a big haul of meat.

 

My girlfriend LOVES crappie, and gets quite angry if I come home empty handed. So if it's a slow day, I'll keep pretty much any size, as long as I can get a slab of meat off it. They are easy as all get out to clean.

 

The larger crappie I fry up the entire fillet at a big chunk, and make fish sandwiches out of them. Delish, once you figure out how to fillet the bones out of them.

 

You know what's going to happen now though.... Now that someone want some crappie meat, you won't catch any more this summer!!!

 

Come out with me this fall for some early ice crappies!! They are fun to catch on first ice.

[OhioFisherman]

My dad started us off crappie fishing when we were 5 years old, we didn't keep them unless they were 10 inches long minimum.

[AKRISONER]

 

 

Come out with me this fall for some early ice crappies!! They are fun to catch on first ice.

 

Lets make this happen this year...the ice last year was ridiculous

[GBW]

 

You know what's going to happen now though.... Now that someone want some crappie meat, you won't catch any more this summer!!!

 

Come out with me this fall for some early ice crappies!! They are fun to catch on first ice.

I sure hope not...

If I can I sure will!

[GBW]

Thank you all. Going to give it another try after I get my errands and chores done.

[jimmer]

If the bluegills are biting, all the crappie go back. 10" if I'm keeping some.

[crappieperchhunter]

If the bluegills are biting, all the crappie go back. 10" if I'm keeping some.

X2

[BillM]

Are bluegills that much better then crappies? I might try and keep a few for the gf.

[206]

I feel bad killing any under 10" because there really isn't enough meat there...seems like a waste to me.

[landry]

IMO Best tasting fish:

1. Perch

2. Bluegills

3. Walleye

4. Crappies.

 

First time we had gills I was amazed how good they were.

[crappieperchhunter]

Are bluegills that much better then crappies? I might try and keep a few for the gf.

Everyone has there own taste buds to decide with...but for me...bluegills hands down over crappies. The flesh is much firmer and I like the taste better.

 

Perch are still #1 for me though.

[Fisherpete]

I prefer gills over crappies too... That being said they are both excellent. And as for crappie keeper size 8-11" is my preference too

Edited September 14, 2016 by Fisherpete

[Mister G]

Ten inches and up.........they are by FAR the best fresh water fish to eat. Their flesh is pure white when fried up and no strong fish taste whatsoever..........only thing, they are VERY delicate and must be either kept alive or iced down while fishing until filleted. NEVER put them on a stringer and have them bake on the surface......what a waste if that is done.

[manitoubass2]

Ten inches and up.........they are by FAR the best fresh water fish to eat. Their flesh is pure white when fried up and no strong fish taste whatsoever..........only thing, they are VERY delicate and must be either kept alive or iced down while fishing until filleted. NEVER put them on a stringer and have them bake on the surface......what a waste if that is done.

I back this.

 

Good crappie have a very subtle sweet taste(at least up here, im sure it varies with waterbodies to a degree)

 

Cook a perch, bluegill, walleye and crappie, with no coating whatsoever.

 

Its funny we all love walleye so much. Do this and guess what? Thats all breading seasoning and cooking. Walleye has about .25 outta ten on the flavour scale lol

[bigugli]

I like 9-12 inch for keeping crappie.

I really love keeping slab gills for the pan. A much firmer and tastier flesh.

[crappieperchhunter]

Its funny we all love walleye so much. Do this and guess what? Thats all breading seasoning and cooking. Walleye has about .25 outta ten on the flavour scale lol

I have never been a big fan of walleye. I find the flesh very bland. That's why I eat gills all summer long in the Kawartha's and never even target eyes anymore.

[Canuck]

Do the big bluegills have worms like the larger perch do in the summer? It's not a big deal, just an extra step in cleaning, but curious. I also prefer perch and sunfish over eyes in terms of taste. It's just more tedious to clean them. It's not hard, just time consuming to clean 25 fish. I will keep smaller perch maybe over 6 In or so too, as well as larger pumpkinseed sunfish. Maybe that is why they are slow. I like to clean them the least waste method, which is boneless/skinless filets. Small rapala filet knife and take the clean filet off the fish down the backbone and along and over the ribs to take all the meat off, then de-skin the filet. I know some just take the whole side off then cut out and throw away the rib portion. To me that is a waste and I avoid it except on the really smaller fish.

[AKRISONER]

Do the big bluegills have worms like the larger perch do in the summer? It's not a big deal, just an extra step in cleaning, but curious. I also prefer perch and sunfish over eyes in terms of taste. It's just more tedious to clean them. It's not hard, just time consuming to clean 25 fish. I will keep smaller perch maybe over 6 In or so too, as well as larger pumpkinseed sunfish. Maybe that is why they are slow. I like to clean them the least waste method, which is boneless/skinless filets. Small rapala filet knife and take the clean filet off the fish down the backbone and along and over the ribs to take all the meat off, then de-skin the filet. I know some just take the whole side off then cut out and throw away the rib portion. To me that is a waste and I avoid it except on the really smaller fish.

 

 

The worm thing is 100% dependant on the lake you fish bud.

 

kawarthas fish get wormy...ive yet to see a worm in any of the G bay fish weve cleaned...that includes rock bass pumpkins and gills