Freshwater

White crappie

Crappie blanco (mojarra blanca)

Pomoxis annularis

Freshwater

At a glance

Typical size

½–1 lb.

Depth

3–30 ft.

Best time

Morning, evening and night under lights.

Found in

8 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Silvery-white crappie with 5–10 faint dark vertical bars, usually 5–6 spines in the dorsal fin (the black crappie has 7–8 and scattered speckles), and a long dorsal base shorter than its distance to the eye.
Typical size: ½–1 lb.
Maximum size: About 21 in and around 5 lb.
Diet: Small fish (especially shad), insects and zooplankton.
Behavior: Schools around brush piles, standing timber, docks and bridge pilings; moves shallow to spawn in spring.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Southeast Lakes, Ozarks & Mid-South, Texas & Oklahoma Lakes, Midwest & Ohio Valley Lakes, Louisiana & Mississippi Delta, Upper Midwest Lakes, U.S. Great Lakes and Southwest & California Lakes. Lakes, reservoirs and slow rivers, often in murkier water than the black crappie; native to the central and eastern U.S., stocked widely.
Habitat: Lakes, reservoirs and slow rivers, often in murkier water than the black crappie; native to the central and eastern U.S., stocked widely.
Depth: 3–30 ft.
Fishing depth: 2–6 ft in spring; 10–25 ft over brush the rest of the year.
Best season: Spring spawn (water around 60–65°F) is best; good through the ice up north.
Best time: Morning, evening and night under lights.
Best tides: No tide; wind and water level matter more.
Best weather / conditions: Stable weather; cold fronts slow them down.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Live minnows under a float.
Best artificial lures: Small tube jigs, curly-tail grubs and hair jigs (1/32–1/8 oz).
Tackle setup: Ultralight spinning rod or a long jigging pole.
Hook size: Size 4–1 light wire hooks.
Line: 4–6 lb.
Leader: Not needed.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Rod Line Jigs Bobbers Hooks Bait Tool

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Lakes, reservoirs and slow rivers, often in murkier water than the black crappie; native to the central and eastern U.S., stocked widely.
Rig up: Ultralight spinning rod or a long jigging pole. Not needed.
Pick your bait: Live minnows under a float. Lures: Small tube jigs, curly-tail grubs and hair jigs (1/32–1/8 oz).
Fish it: Spider-rig or vertical jig over brush piles and timber, or fish minnows under a slip bobber.
Time it: Morning, evening and night under lights. No tide; wind and water level matter more.

Fishing techniques: Spider-rig or vertical jig over brush piles and timber, or fish minnows under a slip bobber.
BigJoe's tip: Crappie mouths are paper-thin — set the hook gently and use a light drag.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Excellent eating — one of the best-tasting fish in its range.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: One of the best freshwater fish to eat — white and flaky, classic fried.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Few hazards; light spines.
Regulations: States set creel and size limits for crappie; check local rules. Licenses, limits and seasons are set by each province, territory or state, and many lakes and rivers have special size limits, slot limits or closed spawning seasons — check the current regulations for the water you fish.
Conservation: Abundant; can overpopulate small ponds.

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Sources & photo credits