| What are Crappie? Besides being one of the best | | | | Both crappie like structure and will congregate |
| tasting and fun to fish for they are a member of | | | | around areas with abundant aquatic vegetation, |
| the sunfish family. The sunfish family includes | | | | brush piles or other types of cover. |
| bass, bluegill and redear sunfish. They can be | | | | The world record Black Crappie is 6 lbs - 0 oz. |
| found throughout North America and due to the | | | | The world record White Crappie is 5 lbs - 3 oz. |
| fight they give on light tackle have become | | | | You are much more likely to catch them in the |
| increasingly popular. | | | | ¼ to 1 lb size but because they are a |
| There are two species of Crappie the Black | | | | school fish once you have found one there are |
| Crappie and the White Crappie. They are most | | | | many more where that one came from. |
| easily identified by the number of spiny dorsal fin | | | | The spring spawning period is when a lot of |
| rays. The black crappie has 7 or 8 spiny dorsal fin | | | | anglers like to focus on crappie but in truth they |
| rays, while the white crappie only has 5 or 6. The | | | | can be caught all year long. The spawning period |
| black crappie is distinguished by irregularly spaced | | | | for both is when the water temperature is |
| black blotches or spots. On the White Crappie | | | | between 58-68 degrees. Black crappie nests are |
| these spots tend to form vertical bars. | | | | frequently found in gravel or in soft, muddy river |
| Black Crappie like clear water and can usually be | | | | or lake bottoms. White crappie nests are often |
| found in ponds, reservoirs and slow moving rivers. | | | | located near structures such as brush piles, |
| White Crappie are more tolerant of the water | | | | stumps or rock outcrops. |
| conditions and can be found in muddier waters. | | | | |