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.
Wetland
The Black Crappie is endemic to North America. Its native range encompasses the majority of the eastern United States. The black crappie can be found as far west as the Mississippi River, north to the border between the United States and Canada, and south to the Gulf Coast.
Spring, Summer
Abundant
Nocturnal
Adults eat small fish, crustaceans, and insect larvae while the average juvenile subsists mainly on zooplankton and microcrustaceans.
The black crappie is a schooling fish. It moves inland in order to feed and reproduce. It is mostly nocturnal, typically feeding from the hours of midnight to 0200 hours.
Least Concern
