07-06-2004, 01:05 AM
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000] [/#000000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]Douglas Reservoir has for many years been one of the most popular crappie fisheries in Tennessee. Douglas is located in Cocke, Hamblen, Jefferson, and Sevier counties and covers 30,600 surface acres at full pool.
It was not uncommon for an individual to catch 200 or more fish per day in the 1980s and the fishery was highy exploited. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission established a daily creel limit of 30 crappie in 1989 to distribute the catch and to provide a more equal opportunity for all anglers. A 10-inch size limit was established in 1997 to provide a better quality crappie for the creel and to protect the fish until they reached spawning size.
In 2000, almost 400,000 hours of fishing effort were expended on Douglas and 40 percent of this effort was expended by crappie anglers. The value of daily expenditures by crappie anglers at Douglas that year was estimated at $379,390, with an overall economic impact in the local area of $811,895.
Unfortunately, that year, anglers experienced a dramatic decline in fishing success. Crappie catches on Douglas declined 74 percent between 1998 and 2000. This decline was due to the almost total loss of crappie reproduction in 1999 - 2001.
Our sampling studies in 1998, 1999, and 2000, showed the crappie spawning success was low to nonexistent. This lack of crappie spawning success is attributed to low spring lake levels during those years.
Since there were very few young fish present in the lake, the daily creel limit for crappie was reduced from 30 to15 in 2001, in an effort to spread out the catch of the larger fish over a longer period.
The TWRA has developed a crappie recovery plan, which if successful, will help the population rebound and provide the excellent fishing that anglers have been accustomed to on Douglas.
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[#ffffff][size 4]The recovery plan includes:[/size][/#ffffff][size 4] [/size]
[url "http://www.tnfish.org/DouglasCrappie/Resolution.htm"][#0e01fe]Encouraging the Tennessee Valley Authority to raise and hold the water level at full pool prior to April 1st, and provide minimal fluctuation of water levels throughout the spring and summer months.
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[/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]TWRA will raise about 150,000 white crappie in hatcheries for stocking into Douglas fall 2002.
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[/#000000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]TWRA will improve the existing six-acre pond on Henderson Island to raise fingerling white crappie for direct release into Douglas.
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[/#000000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]Work with the counties that surround Douglas Reservoir to improve fish habitat. Since much of the lake bottom is privately owned, it is difficult to do fish habitat enhancement work. Landowner permission is required before TWRA can improve fish habitat.
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[/#000000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]Anyone, interested in helping improve fish habitat on Douglas, and particularly owners of land that is covered by water should call Doug Peterson (1-800-332-0900) to find out how they can help with this important work.[/#000000][/font] [center][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000][url "http://www.tnfish.org/TWRAmain.htm"][#ff00ff]Back to the Reservoir Home Page[/#ff00ff][/url] [/#000000][/font][/center]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000] [/#000000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]Douglas Reservoir has for many years been one of the most popular crappie fisheries in Tennessee. Douglas is located in Cocke, Hamblen, Jefferson, and Sevier counties and covers 30,600 surface acres at full pool.
It was not uncommon for an individual to catch 200 or more fish per day in the 1980s and the fishery was highy exploited. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission established a daily creel limit of 30 crappie in 1989 to distribute the catch and to provide a more equal opportunity for all anglers. A 10-inch size limit was established in 1997 to provide a better quality crappie for the creel and to protect the fish until they reached spawning size.
In 2000, almost 400,000 hours of fishing effort were expended on Douglas and 40 percent of this effort was expended by crappie anglers. The value of daily expenditures by crappie anglers at Douglas that year was estimated at $379,390, with an overall economic impact in the local area of $811,895.
Unfortunately, that year, anglers experienced a dramatic decline in fishing success. Crappie catches on Douglas declined 74 percent between 1998 and 2000. This decline was due to the almost total loss of crappie reproduction in 1999 - 2001.
Our sampling studies in 1998, 1999, and 2000, showed the crappie spawning success was low to nonexistent. This lack of crappie spawning success is attributed to low spring lake levels during those years.
Since there were very few young fish present in the lake, the daily creel limit for crappie was reduced from 30 to15 in 2001, in an effort to spread out the catch of the larger fish over a longer period.
The TWRA has developed a crappie recovery plan, which if successful, will help the population rebound and provide the excellent fishing that anglers have been accustomed to on Douglas.
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[#ffffff][size 4]The recovery plan includes:[/size][/#ffffff][size 4] [/size]
[url "http://www.tnfish.org/DouglasCrappie/Resolution.htm"][#0e01fe]Encouraging the Tennessee Valley Authority to raise and hold the water level at full pool prior to April 1st, and provide minimal fluctuation of water levels throughout the spring and summer months.
[/#0e01fe][/url][/#000000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"]
[/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]TWRA will raise about 150,000 white crappie in hatcheries for stocking into Douglas fall 2002.
[/#000000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]
[/#000000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]TWRA will improve the existing six-acre pond on Henderson Island to raise fingerling white crappie for direct release into Douglas.
[/#000000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]
[/#000000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]Work with the counties that surround Douglas Reservoir to improve fish habitat. Since much of the lake bottom is privately owned, it is difficult to do fish habitat enhancement work. Landowner permission is required before TWRA can improve fish habitat.
[/#000000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]
[/#000000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000]Anyone, interested in helping improve fish habitat on Douglas, and particularly owners of land that is covered by water should call Doug Peterson (1-800-332-0900) to find out how they can help with this important work.[/#000000][/font] [center][font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000][url "http://www.tnfish.org/TWRAmain.htm"][#ff00ff]Back to the Reservoir Home Page[/#ff00ff][/url] [/#000000][/font][/center]
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