View Cart
CheckOut
My Account
 

Identicards

   Online Store
 
   Magazines
     Free Fishing Magazine
     Free Hunting Magazine
     Subscriptions Fishing
     Subscriptions Hunting
     Back Issue Magazines
 
   Quick Links
     State DNR's
     Fishing Link Index
     Hunting Link Index
     Outdoor Link Index
 
   Species Identification
     Freshwater Fish
        Bass
        Catfish
        Crappie
        Pike
        Salmon
        Sunfish
        Trout
        Walleye
     Saltwater Fish
     Waterfowl
     Deer
 
   Articles
     Hunting Articles
 
   Information
     Contact Us
      Advertising

Return to All About Crappie   

Black Crappie
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Common Name(s):

Calico bass, papermouth
Description:

Irregular dark blotches mark the sides and fins of the black crappie and give it its name. The body color is silvery on the sides, changing to dark olive or black on the back. The long dorsal fin with 7 or 8 spines can easily differentiate it from its close cousin the white crappie.
Similar Fish:

White crappie
Feeding Habits:

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

The native range of black crappie included the area west of the Appalachian Mountains north to southern Canada 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.
Habitat:

Generally, the black crappie prefers clear water containing aquatic vegetation. They are less tolerant of silt and turbidity than white crappie.
Typical Size:

Black crappie average 10 to 14 inches in length and a good size fish will weigh 1 to 2 pounds.
World Record:

4 pounds, 8 ounces (Source - IGFA)
image linking to 100 Top Captain and Guide Sites
Saltwater 100