| Black Crappie |
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Black Crappie |
| Pomoxis nigromaculatus |
Crappie
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Key Distinguishing Markings:
- Broad, compressed body mottled with dark spots
- Large eyes, rounded back (dorsal) and belly (anal) fins
- Young have dark, narrow bars on the side
- Fins are dusky and mottled
View the Black Crappie Gallery
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Distribution:
- Widely distributed in the United States
- Common in many freshwater streams and ponds of Maryland
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Size:
- The maximum adult size reported is 1.6 feet, but usually the species is not that large
- Typically adults range between 4 and 6 inches
- The maximum weight reported for Maryland is 4.4 pounds
- Maximum reported age is 10 years
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Habitat:
- Found in swamps, ponds, lakes, reservoirs and slack water
- Usually caught in aquatic vegetation, fallen trees, or clear
backwaters of rivers
- Sometimes trees are sunk in reservoirs to help attract
crappies
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Spawning:
- Males build nests from March to July (59° - 68° F) in sandy bottoms of weedy areas
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Fishing Tips:
- Crappies are pursued by many
freshwater anglers because they taste good
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Fun Fact:
- Crappies and other types of
sunfishes are often called "panfish" because their body shape resembles a skillet pan used to cook the fillet
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| Family: Centrarchidae (sunfishes and temperate basses) |
| Order: Perciformes (perch-like fishes) |
| Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) |
Illustration Courtesy of Duane Raver, USFWS |