A thin fish with a green back, sliver-green sides with dark mottling, silver bellies, a rounded profile, and a long head. The Black Crappie, also known as the Calico Bass, lives in clear lakes, rivers, and streams and is most often darker in color than the similar White Crappie, which generally inhabits silty, slower-moving bodies of water. The Black Crappie has 7 or 8 spines on its dorsal fin, often the only way to differentiate it from the White Crappie. A highly regarded game fish that is most active in the evening, Black Crappie are considered to be one of the best tasting freshwater fish.