Crappie Forever was started by fisherman with the interests of fish and fishermen alike at heart. We are not about judgment, changing regulations, or a set of uniform rules. It’s about awareness, personal accountability and safeguarding the future of crappie fishing. We know this topic has strong feelings surrounding it and we want to be a voice for conservation in that discussion.
The technology we have access to today has made it a dangerous world for a big crappie to live in. Catching big crappie is easier than it’s ever been and social media has put a spotlight on that. The sport is growing, ramps are packed where they used to be empty, and this is a great thing. We want this growth to continue, but there is a responsibility that goes along with that.
We all love catching crappie, and there’s nothing wrong with keeping them. Let’s be honest, there’s not a better tasting fish out there! If you’re going out to catch a mess of fish to stock the freezer that’s great! It’s your right to do it and we think you should do it with pride! However, when the freezer is already stocked and you’re keeping limits of big fish just because you can, that’s when we want you to stop and think about the way you’re doing things. We as anglers have a duty to protect our natural resources. It is our responsibility to make sure the sport is around for generations to come.
Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching, even when doing the wrong thing is legal.
- AldoLeopold
The Future
Protecting the resource for the next generation to enjoy for a lifetime!
"We don't inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children"
-David Brower
Tagging Programs
Our current tagging program is looking at growth rates and longevity in large crappie in Mississippi Lakes such as Sardis, Enid, Ross Barnett, and Grenada. The tagging data is available under the "TAGGING PROGRAM" tab at the top of the page.
Habitat and Outreach
All of our proceeds are put back into our programs. A big part of that is habitat work. We have donated to programs such as The Lake Shelbyville Fish Habitat Alliance and Grenada Lake Habitat Day.
We donate to charitable events and tournaments as well, including The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition's Jack-N-Jill Tournament and The Devon's Donors Foundation.
We have been fortunate to have the opportunity to be on several podcasts and shows such as The Crappie Connection and Eat Fish Live, to share our message and talk about this great sport of crappie fishing!
So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
I reached out to one of the founders of Crappie Forever, Gabe Sewell, who said, “Our first goal was trophy fish management, but that quickly changed to include doing anything we could to support the sport of crappie fishing.” Sewell said, “Our main goals are habitat work, our tag study program, charity work, and anything we can do to support kid’s events.”
We sat down and talked with Brad Chappell and Hayden Jeffries from the Crappie Connection during the Mississippi Wildlife Extravaganza and talked about our new tagging research and reward program. Click to read more!
