Page 8 - Crappie NOW | September 2015
P. 8
By Jeff Samsel
T a commonly held idea that something won’t
he Tennessee Wildlife Resources work or isn’t necessary, if that something has
Agency has long been proactive with crappie the potential to improve fisheries and enhance
management strategies, including crappie opportunities for Tennessee anglers.
stocking. The results for anglers are better Crappie provide ideal evidence. More
and more consistent fishing. specifically, the history of crappie stocking in
Status quo might cut it for some folks, Tennessee provides that evidence. The long-
but it has never been good enough for held belief in the fisheries community was
fisheries biologists at the Tennessee Wildlife that crappie would reproduce to the level the
Resources Agency. While TWRA biologists habitat allowed, and that stocking fish was
certainly will embrace sound scientific proof neither necessary nor likely to improve fishing.
of management approaches that will not When Tennessee first experimented
work, they aren’t content to simply accept with crappie stocking, which goes all the way
8 Crappie NOW September 2015
