Black Crappie

How to recognise it

• Irregular black blotches with no clear pattern, instead of vertical bars.
• 7 or 8 spines in the dorsal fin; a white crappie has 5 to 6.
• Deeper-bodied than a white crappie.

Habitat: where it lives

• Most abundant in the clear, acidic waters of East Texas. Native to central Texas, except the Edwards Plateau.

Habits: behavior, spawning and growth

• Builds nests and spawns in spring, generally at about 60°F.
• Stockier than a white crappie, which grows faster in length. Fish over 3.5 lb have been caught in Texas public waters.

Where and when

• Most common in the clear waters of East and Northeast Texas.
• Spawns at about 60°F.
• Around standing timber and brush; moves deeper than 15 ft after spring.

Bait and lures

Why these baits work

• Eats fewer fish and more insects and crustaceans than white crappie, so small jigs and insect-sized baits work alongside minnows.

Rod and reel setups

Grouped by lure fishing (artificial baits) and bait fishing (live or natural bait).

Tips

• Crappie have soft mouths. Set the hook with a steady lift, not a hard jerk.
• Hold the jig still right next to the cover instead of jerking it.

On the table: cleaning and cooking

• Scale it and cook it whole, or fillet it with the panfish method in the handbook.

Sources

• TPWD: Black Crappie
• Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation: Black crappie field guide
• Missouri Dept. of Conservation: Crappie tips
• Minnesota DNR: How to catch crappie
• Virginia DWR: Four tactics for spring crappie
• Arkansas Game & Fish: Getting to the point on hooks
• Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation: Fish identification
• Kansas Dept. of Wildlife & Parks: Cleaning and preparing fish