Black Crappie
Black Crappie have black to dark olive back, that is slightly more arched than White Crappie. Silver side with dark green/ black blotches.
About This Species
Introduced in 1882, crappie are now abundant in eastern Colorado waters. Crappie are a pan-shaped fish with black splotches on a silver background, whose dorsal spines and rays get longer as they approach the tail. Crappie are a schooling fish that often congregate around vertical structures. Anglers have the most success for crappies jigging by structure in the early spring. Typically, crappie weigh 1/2 to 3/4 pounds, but specimens in excess of four pounds have been caught.
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Physical Characteristics
The easiest way to determine the difference between a black crappie and a white crappie is to count the number of spines in the dorsal fin. They also have seven to eight spines in their dorsal fin, and white crappie have six. Black crappie have irregularly arranged speckles and blotches in their color pattern as opposed to the faint vertical bars of the white crappie.
Commonly Found
Adult crappie are found in freshwater lakes, reservoirs, ponds, and streams. Crappie prefer cover, such as vegetation, fallen trees or boulders. They often form in large groups, called schools, in clear water among vegetation over mud or sand.
Reproduction
In the spring, during spawning season, male crappie begin building nests by clearing sand, mud, or gravel from the water bottom in preparation for the egg-laying females to arrive. Upon their arrival, female crappie may spawn with different males in more than one nest. Spawning involves the simultaneous release of eggs by the females and milt (sperm) by the males in the nests, which were previously prepared by the males before the female crappie had arrived at the spawning habitat. After spawning, male crappie guards the nest for approximately 5 days or until the juvenile crappie begins to emerge from their eggs and begin to feed.