Panfish Fishing Home Page

Black Crappie Quick Facts

Related Links: White Crappie Facts   Crappie Fishing Techniques

Features

The black crappie is a deep-bodied fish, flattened side to side. Its back is arched in front of the dorsal fin and dips over the eye giving it a hump-backed appearance. It has a green back, silver or white sides with black or green speckles, and a silver or white belly. The anal fin is nearly as long as the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin has seven or eight spines, differing from that of the white crappie that has six. The dorsal, tail, and anal fins are heavily pigmented with black. The black crappie may attain a length of over 14 inches and weigh over two pounds.

Spawning Information

Black crappie begin to spawn when the water temperature reaches 60 to 65 degrees. The male builds a nest by fanning his fins over the bottom. The female deposits 29,000 to 147,000 eggs that hatch in three to eight days. The male guards the eggs. When the male crappies begin to build the nest they become very easy to catch. Remember whether fishing from shore or a boat crappies in shallow water can spook easy so keep a safe distance away from them.

Where To Find Black Crappies

The black crappie lives in creeks, rivers, lakes, and ponds. It prefers clear water with little or no current and many hiding places like submerged logs and plants. It eats insects, small fish, and crustaceans. It moves in groups around submerged objects and may be found at depths of 15 feet or more but moves to shallow water to spawn. It reaches maturity at two to three years.

Crappie Length To Weight Conversion