How do you tell the difference between black and white crappie?

The main way to tell them apart is by looking at how regular their dark markings are. Black Crappie have irregular dark blotches all over their body, while White Crappie have regular dark bars running down their body. If the markings aren't clear enough to tell which fish you're holding, don't worry.

1. What crappie gets bigger white or black?
2. What tastes better white crappie or black crappie?
3. What do black crappie look like?
4. Where are black crappie found?
5. How do you tell the difference between a male and female black crappie?
6. How old is a 14 inch crappie?
7. Does black crappie taste good?
8. What is the best bait for crappie?
9. Are bluegill and crappie the same?
10. How can you tell a hybrid crappie?
11. Are all black crappie male?
12. Why are some crappie black?
13. What is world record crappie?

What crappie gets bigger white or black?

The black crappie grows slower than white crappie, but because of its stockiness, a black crappie will weigh more than a white crappie of similar size.

What tastes better white crappie or black crappie?

John Harrison (Grenada Lake, MS): “Black crappie are more structure-oriented. ... “Because they eat more fish, the meat of a white crappie is sweeter than that of a black crappie. I've fileted them side-by-side, cooked them and held a taste test at a cookout. Everybody who tried them could tell the difference.”

What do black crappie look like?

They are usually silvery-gray to green in color and show irregular or mottled black splotches over the entire body. Black crappies have rows of dark spots on their dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. The dorsal and anal fins resemble each other in shape.

Where are black crappie found?

RANGE: The native range for black crappie in North America extends from Virginia to Florida along the Atlantic coast and southwest along the Gulf of Mexico from the western panhandle of Florida across to Texas.

How do you tell the difference between a male and female black crappie?

Check the color of the belly and fins prior to and during spawning, suggests biologist Mike Colvin during an interview with "Game & Fish" magazine. On a male crappie, these areas will change to a black color. The coloration of the female will not change. Look for a swollen belly prior to spawning season.

How old is a 14 inch crappie?

At fourteen inches, the typical black crappie weighs 1.7 pounds and will be 14.3 years old. A 14-inch white crappie will be 1.4 pounds and 9.1 years old.

Does black crappie taste good?

For the most part, crappie have a very mild flavor. There is also very little red meat on them. ... Crappie is a great fish for people who don't like fishy flavor. The white meat on crappie usually has no fishy flavor at all.

What is the best bait for crappie?

Minnows, worms, insects—just about anything can catch a crappie's attention. You don't have to worry about the color of the bait, and you're only throwing them what they would be eating anyway. Minnows are hands-down the favorite used by most, and some even tip a jig with a live minnow for a double-whammy.

Are bluegill and crappie the same?

To begin with, Crappie have much larger mouths than Bluegill. Bluegill also have a more rounded shape, partly due to their small mouths and heads. Beyond all that, Crappie grow to be a lot larger and heavier than Bluegill. Bluegill are normally around 6 inches long and rarely hit double digits.

How can you tell a hybrid crappie?

Hybrid crappie are easy to pick out if you're looking for them, having characteristics of both species, but varied among individual fish. Most hybrids in Kinkaid have the body type of a white crappie and at least some vertical bars, but the bars become distorted or fade into a random speckled pattern towards the tail.

Are all black crappie male?

A black crappie is usually a shorter, stockier fish with specks all over it. A male caught during the spawn, especially in a lake with darker water will sometimes be so dark they become almost completely black. In my opinion, a black crappie will outfight a white crappie of the same size and weight.

Why are some crappie black?

You can find crappie turning black when it's the spawn. As the water warms and the spawn approaches, crappie (both black and white species) change colors. In fact, male black crappie will turn nearly all black when they are preparing their nesting areas.

What is world record crappie?

This massive 21-inch long, 5-pound, 3-ounce white crappie has been the IGFA all-tackle world record for the species for over half a century. It was caught in the Yocona River below Enad Dam.