What does a crappie look like?

For starters there are two different species of Crappie, the Black Crappie and the White Crappie. Both species of Crappie have the same body shape. Their bodies are sort of like a cross between a Largemouth bass and Bluegill. Not as round as a Bluegill but more rounded than a Largemouth bass. They do not get very large and are considered a pan fish. Typically they are caught anywhere from a half pound to two and one half pounds. You will occasionally get a larger one but most of the fish caught will be within this size range. You will notice that both species of crappie have a large yellow eye, much larger than most other fish when its body size is considered. This eye is very sensitive to light and this explains why the Crappie is most often caught in the evening and in deeper waters. When trying to learn about a species of fish it is often good to consider its physical characteristics and plan your method of fishing accordingly. Both species of Crappie are colored with a mixture of white and black. Ass you would surmise the White Crappie is predominately white and the Black Crappie predominately black in color. Sometimes it is easy to clearly identify a fish and other times it is not. As a rule of thumb White Crappie dominate their darker cousin in rivers and in the Southern portions of the United States. In deep lakes and in the Northern United States the Black Crappie is the dominant species.