CRAPPIE Crappie are prolific fish that congregate in large schools. Most popular bait for this warm-water species is live minnows, fished around brushpiles and boat docks...Read More View All Crappie Tips

 

The black crappie is easily confused with the white crappie. However, it is deeper-bodied than the white crappie, and silvery-green in color. There are no distinct vertical bars, rather there are irregular black blotches.

The white crappie is deep-bodied and silvery in color, ranging from silvery-white on the belly to a silvery-green or even dark green on the back. There are several vertical bars on the sides. The dorsal fin has a maximum of six spines. Males may develop dark coloration in the throat region during the spring spawning season.

Distribution

The native range of the black crappie is very similar to that of the white crappie, except that it extended slightly further north into Canada and east to the coastal plain south of Virginia. Currently, populations of black crappie can be found in each of the 48 contiguous United States.

The native range of the white crappie extends south into the Gulf Coast states and east to the Atlantic coast, and west to include California and portions of Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, Colorado, Utah, and North Dakota.

Behavior

Black crappie and white crappie are similar to bluegills in that they tend to nest in relatively large communal beds, and they have very high reproductive potential. In some cases, their prolific reproduction rate leads to overpopulation and stunted growth in small lakes and impoundments.

Black crappie are nest builders, like other members of the sunfish family. They nest in the spring, generally when water temperatures reach 60°F. The biology of black crappie is very similar to that of white crappie. Growth in terms of weight is very similar between the two species. White crappie tend to have higher growth rates in terms of length, but black crappie are more robust in body construction.

White crappie nest in the spring, generally when water temperatures reach 65°F to 70°F. However, spawning activity has been observed at temperatures as low as 56°F. Fry hatch in three to five days, but remain attached to nest substrate by an adhesive substance from the egg for a few more days. Just before leaving the nest, fry free themselves by vigorous swimming actions. Once free, they begin feeding on microscopic animals. Although fry do not appear to school, fingerlings do. Typically, white crappie grow three to five inches in length the first year, and reach seven to eight inches during the second year. Maturity is usually reached in two to three years.

Diet

Black crappie adults feed on fewer fish, and more insects and crustaceans, than do white crappie.

Habitat

Black crappie occur in greatest abundance in rivers, reservoirs, and large lakes, although small individuals occasionally enter medium-sized to large streams. Black crappie seem to prefer clearer waters than do white crappie. Before spawning, black crappie form schools and venture to feed into shallow water, where they are caught in large numbers by anglers using minnows and tiny jigs around heavy cover.

White crappie congregate in schools with large numbers of individuals often found in the middle of lakes.