Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)

Photo by Quinn on iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0

FishActive now (September)

Black crappie

Pomoxis nigromaculatus

When
Sep–Jun — January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November, December. Earlier in the south, later in the north.
Where it holds
Brush piles, standing timber and docks; shallow to spawn in spring, suspended over basins in summer and winter.
How to know it
Silvery with irregular black speckling, a deep flat body and seven or eight dorsal spines.
What to know
Spring spawn in the shallows is the year's easiest fishing. Paper-thin mouth — set the hook gently.
The tactic
Small jig or minnow under a slip float, right at the depth the sonar shows them.

Seasons, size limits and catch limits change every year and differ by water body. Check the current regulations for your province or state before you fish.

Found in these regions

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Also active in September