Crappie

Where it lives

Crappie favor brushy, structure-rich freshwater: standing timber in reservoirs, submerged stumps, fallen logs, and weed edges. Two species share the range — white crappie tolerate murkier water, while black crappie prefer clearer lakes. They suspend in schools at moderate depths.

How to recognise it

A deep, silvery body with dark mottling or vertical bars. The mouth is large for the body and notoriously thin-lipped — hence “papermouth.” A long-based dorsal fin distinguishes crappies from other sunfishes; counting dorsal spines separates white (six) from black (seven or eight).

Diet & behavior

Crappie feed heavily on small fish, particularly shad and minnows, plus aquatic insects and zooplankton. They are most active at dawn and dusk. Spring spawning brings dense schools into shallow brush, where males fan saucer-shaped nests.

Fisheries & Conservation

Globally Least Concern. Crappie support enormous spring fisheries across the southern United States, where minnow-tipped jigs fished around brush piles are the classic technique.