It seems like everyone I talk to and every publication I read, I hear that the URL crappie population is almost over. I do agree that the crappie fishing isn’t what it used to be, but no more crappies? We fish such a small amount of the lake that I can’t believe that there aren’t huge popds of crappies still roaming the lower basin or the rest of upper? Someone set me straight, maybe I’m missing something. 
Its not that theyre gonna be gone altogether, its that the strong year class of slabs is expiring. I believe it was the 95 class, which would make the fish 12 years old. Correct me if Im wrong, but I think thats the reason.
From what I understand the big crappie’s that were being caught came from one year class. That year class is about done, I guess they die off after reaching a certain age. Couple that with all the fish caught when the lake was “hot” and I think the class is about done.
They say everything runs in cycles, so the big fish will eventually come back.
5000 trucks a night x 15 fish limit x people taking 2, 3, and 4 extra limits home in a weekend, you figure it out. when the limit was changed to 10, a lot of folks figured that after driving the 4 to 6 hours to get there, they were going to get their moneys worth and take a few extra limits. that is just my opinion, and there is other contributing factors, but just think about how many fish were caught over the last 6 to 7 years?
I wish we weren’t talking about this right now. Just yesterday at the Ice fishing show I booked a week in March fishing LOTW for walleyes, and Red for crappies. 
Jack, I saw you for a second at the show and then you were gone. How have you been flash?
Terry Hagstrom
Terry’s Guide Service
Back a few years ago we interviewed a Federal Game and Fisheries Biologist regarding the crappie population on URL. The reason for the explosion of crappie was due to the over harvest of walleye in the lake. The crappies were there to fill the void. And the population exploded! The crappie are highly canabalistic, and ate much of their young just to survive. That is why a very limited number of younger year classes are not present. Also exploding were the sheepshead populations. They are another predator of the crappie fry. Now that the walleye have again taken a large foothold in the ecosystem, the crappies will be brought down to what is considered a “Normal” level for the lake. He had tolds us that crappie were always present in the lake, but more on the terms of a lake like Mille Lacs and Winnie, where you see them from time to time in the bays. He hit the demise of the crappie population to a “T”.
I did a search on that article, but I cannot find it.
Thanks Chris!! That’s why I was wondering why there wasn’t other year classes starting to show up. I didn’t know they were canabalistic to that degree.
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