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| late winter trips to my uncle Earls in Louisiana and his familiar words “wait until the Dogwoods bloom and we’ll go” as I would plead for him to take me fishing at the place he called the “Brake”. It was a cypress laden bayou swamp near the town of Monroe that he would frequent on his days not minding his farm. A few sodas, sandwiches, cane poles and bobbers along with a screened container of crickets from the bait store and our day would begin. No motor, no electronics, just a pole to push through the shallows to our favorite hole filled to the brim with Crappie. Then there was Uncle Gus in Kentucky and his precious lake Cumberland that he would visit on a daily basis in pursuit of this delicious species. Afterwards, Aunt Mabel’s coleslaw and hushpuppies would compliment our southern-fried catch of the day. As the years passed I would give many hours of attention to this little fish from the south. Lake Conroe, Livingston, Toledo Bend and Caddo would draw my attention and presence to angle for our tasty friend. Little did I know that this fish would exist in more places than I knew. Now residing in Pennsylvania I still make an annual pilgrimage to Lakes like Anna and Kerr in Virginia to solely fish for Crappie. Not the “slabs” of the south but their relatives whom still satisfy my excitement and taste buds. Uncle Earl and Uncle Gus have long since passed but their spirits are with me on each cast for these sporty little creatures. Angling for Crappie and other types of sunfish can make a wonderful family outing. They can be caught from both the boat and the shore with little effort or fishing experience. Fancy Lures and presentations can be left at home. A simple rod and reel, line, weights, hooks and bobber with a pail of small minnows are all of the essentials needed along with a basic understanding of the Crappie’s habits will afford all a successful day and a creel for the family dinner. Crappie will take other baits and artificials from those who like variety in their angling. Little jigs with spinners like the Blakemore Roadrunner can be deadly on these guys. I myself love to present a small silver or white streamer fly to the Beaver huts and shallows in the spring. Crappie on the fly? “Oh Yes” Pennsylvania Anglers will find Crappie in many of the state's lakes. Blue Marsh, Marburg and Raystown all have Crappie populations and a little "chunk and chance" can yield results. If you find one you will find more near-by. The limits are generous and they are delicious table fare. Crappie can be caught year round in deeper water usually 15 to 30 feet in depth around structure such as bridges and downed trees. Give them a try ! |
| There are two types of Crappie, the Black Crappie and the White Crappie. They are both members of the Sunfish family. While both species are very similar, as their name implies, The Black Crappie is slightly darker than the White Crappie. The only other major difference is that the White Crappie seems a little more stretched out. Today, there are Crappie living in all of the contiguous states. This is primarily due to government stocking programs. |
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| White Crappie Pomoxis annularis Other names: White perch, sac-a-lait Description Pomoxis is Greek for "opercle sharp" and refers to the fact that the fish's gill covers have spines. The word annularis is Latin for “having rings” |
| and refers to the dark bands (vertical bars) around the body. 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. Angling Importance Taken together, "crappie" (white and black combined) is the most popular panfish in USA. The crappie group is the third most preferred group overall, ranking behind only "bass" and "catfish." Crappie are sought after by both bank and boat anglers. Typically, minnows are the preferred bait, often producing monumental results when an aggregation is located, usually around submerged trees, boat docks, or other submerged structures. Biology Like other members of the sunfish family, white crappie are nest builders. They are similar to bluegills in that they tend to nest in relatively large "beds," and they have very high reproductive potential which often leads to overpopulation and stunting in small lakes and impoundments. 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. Schools with large numbers of individuals are often found in the middle of lakes. 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. Adults feed on small fish and insects. Distribution The native range of white crappie included the area west of the Appalachian Mountains north to southern Ontario and south to the Gulf of Mexico. The range extended west to Minnesota and South Dakota in the north, and to northeastern Mexico in the south. Today the range extends east to the Atlantic coast, and west to include California and portions of Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, Colorado, Utah, and North Dakota. |
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| Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus Other names: White perch, calico bass Description Pomoxis is Greek for "opercle sharp," and refers to the fact that the fish's gill covers have spines. |
| The species epithet nigromaculatusis Latin and means "black spotted." 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 dorsal fin has seven or eight spines. Males do not develop specialized breeding coloration during spawning season. Biology Like other members of the sunfish family, black crappie are nest builders. 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. Black crappie adults feed on fewer fish, and more insects and crustaceans, than do white crappie. Distribution The native range of the species was 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. Information compliments of Texas Parks and Wildlife |
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