When can I start to eat the Crappie I catch? (With Pictures)

Post by **FishingIsHealing** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:46 pm

I have found an excellent Crappie hole. It produces some beautiful large fish.

Believe it or not they look much bigger in real life than they do in these photo's. I caught 3 of them tonight and lost about 10 of them due to a faulty hook which they kept throwing as I lifted them out of the water.

This special place I found is Crappie Heaven! so many of them, just massive amounts. And they are not there always either, only a certaintime of day/night. During the other times, sunfish/rock bass move in.

I really would love to know if these fish taste good, and if they would have that nasty muddy taste everyone complains about during the summer......

When is it safe to start eating them?

I ran into a Conservation Officer tonight for the first time in 10 years. He came a bit too late though as I was the only guy fishing, and the huge crowds had left.

He was a nice guy and I showed him my licence made some chit-chat about fishing and he was on his way to stop those evil poachers. I'm guessing he thought i was poaching because I had been fishing during the night.

Anyways, if you can, give me as much info about Crappie and how they taste, and when I can start eating them.

Also what is the limit for them if i have a conservation licence? I live in zone 18....Manotick.

Thanks a million guys! Man I'm happy I found this spot.......I just hope they stay there for a while haha......

Also, don't burn me for having this one fish on the wooden bench. My knot came undone and he was flopping around on the bench so I took a picture, picked him up and he was on his way....

This Rock Basses Eye ALMOST peers into the soul......Carp do it much better! They are soulsuckers!!!!!!

Goodnight Guys, thanks for your answers in advance........sorry for another pathetic report! haha...but i want to give you guys things to look at incase you are bored!

==Tom==

Post by **katch moore** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:01 am

i'll only keep a couple crappies during the ice season. you'll see people go crazy for those during the ice season. k

some guys will put anything in a bucket for home. i saw a guy who was going to keep a sturgeon he just caught, but when he was told that sturgeon is not in season, he tried to return the half frozen fish down the hole. pretty sad what people will do.

you should check out the eating guideline set by the ministry, here's the link.

http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/guide/index.htm

Post by **Jimmy_1** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:07 am

Mmmmmmmmm.......Sturgeon.....

Almost as good as Carp taco's!

Gotta love that mercury, garbage taste!!!
Cooking them on an old, rusty oil drum fished out of the Ottawa and using a sewage grate as a grill really brings out the contaminants flavoring!!!

They go great with sea-weed salad!!!!

J

Post by **katch moore** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:15 am

Jamsers wrote:Mmmmmmmmm.......Sturgeon.....

Almost as good as Carp taco's!

Gotta love that mercury, garbage taste!!!
Cooking them on an old, rusty oil drum fished out of the Ottawa and using a sewage grate as a grill really brings out the contaminants flavoring!!!

They go great with sea-weed salad!!!!

J

Post by **Mr. T.** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:36 am

Katch Moore wrote:i'll only keep a couple crappies during the ice season. you'll see people go crazy for those during the ice season. k

some guys will put anything in a bucket for home. i saw a guy who was going to keep a sturgeon he just caught, but when he was told that sturgeon is not in season, he tried to return the half frozen fish down the hole. pretty sad what people will do.

you should check out the eating guideline set by the ministry, here's the link.

http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/guide/index.htm

Maybe he was trying to make his own caviar.

Post by **Tip-up** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:51 am

Katch Moore wrote:i'll only keep a couple crappies during the ice season. you'll see people go crazy for those during the ice season.

I am guilty as charged

Don't mind a feed once or twice a ice season. That's the only time I will keep them..And they have to be at least 11''

I love crappies. This was a great report. Bring a tape measure along with you next time and get some quick specs... from the looks of your photo's it's not uncommon to find them double that size in the Rideau River.

Thanks for sharing FishingIsHealing

Post by **Fishing 24/7** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:49 pm

ROCK BASS MASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post by **FishingIsHealing** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:58 pm

hahaha damn you 24/7! This name "Rock Bass Master" has really stuck with me....lol

You have cursed me to catch panfish forever!

So you guys are all saying you wouldn't even try to eat them? even with the rain we've got..........The rideau usually reeks at this time of year and is pretty nice now....

I guess the only way i'll find out is by bringing 1 home to test. I'll bat one over the head and bring her home.

I guess it's not legal to keep one in an aquarium for a week to flush out the taste right? didn't think so.....

I'm sure crappie get much bigger than the ones I caught but they seemedpretty big. Probably because they are so flat.......I didn't realize how thin they were until yesterday.....i guess they don't have much meat.

Post by **Paddler** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:41 am

Hey Tom,

Nice report. Nice pic's.
Crappie are good to eat, keep some to try & return the rest.
Does the area have any consumption advisories?

Looking forward to your next rockbass, uh I mean fishing report..

seriously though, good report

Post by **Fishosophy** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 8:00 am

Hey there,

I caught a few good size Crappie a few weeks back on the Rideau which I kept and ate. There were amazingly mild. Many people feel that Crappie are secod only to Pickerel for eating. I think they are great and well worth eating. If you found a hole stay on it because they will most likely be gone very soon. I prefer to fish them with a small red and white toob jig and a small bobber set about a foot and a half up. Tell nobody of your secret spot and enjoy your find.

Post by **Wallyboss** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 6:47 pm

Actually I prefer a couple of crappie fillets before a walleyue fillet. All you have to do is make sure not to over cook it. But all the ones I eat are caught on the ice.

Post by **FishingIsHealing** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:37 pm

Thanks for all the interesting answers guys.

I may just bring one home and beer batter it and try it. It makes me feel better to hear someone actually ate one recently.

Tommorow hopefully I'll go fishing in Calabogie and catch something larger than my usual panfish getaways. lol.....

Wish me luck.

Post by **Joisey Joe** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:16 am

Gananoque Lake has some nice slabs, caught a wack of em in May, threw most back, cooked a few, dee-lish!

Post by **wolfe** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 1:51 pm

I don't eat fish, and release all mine, but I hear folks enjoy crappies.

They're fun to catch. The best time I had with them was on Gan Lake (as Joisey Joe mentioned)...boy we got into them a few times there and they were a blast.

Good report.

And, by the way, take it from another Pro Rockbass Angler (

)...don't knock them, and least something's biting, right?!

W.