How to tell a black crappie from a white crappie

[MOfishmgr]

I get this question a lot and while I'm sure most of you folks know the difference, many do not. They are not that difficult to tell the difference really. The quick way to tell is to look at the markings on the side of the fish. White crappie's black markings form loose vertical bands where black crappie have the markings evenly distributed across the entire side. Of course the surefire method is to count the dorsal fin spines. These are the sharp spines on top of the fish that tend to poke the crud out of me when I'm measuring a big tub of fish! White crappie have 6 of these spines where blacks have 7 or 8 of them. Blacks also have a more rounded body when viewed from the side while white crappie are more elongated.

Whites are more tolerant of muddy water which explains why you catch fewer black crappie in the upper end of our more turbid reservoirs. Hope this helps those you who haven't learned the difference yet. Oh and by the way, color has no bearing at all! A male white crappie can be as black as any black crappie. Go figure.

[jackb]

Good info Jake, thanks!

[longliner]

I can also tell you a Black will out fight a white hands down in Missouri!!! Just my thoughts only!!

[rugsrme]

Thanks, A guy told me that the white crappie will get very dark during the spawn, (LOZ) and many people mistake them for black crappie. But I've learned that no matter how dark they get, the whites still have the vertical stripes.

[Kokopelli]

good info sir thanks for sharing

[DEADEYE]

Thanks, A guy told me that the white crappie will get very dark during the spawn, (LOZ) and many people mistake them for black crappie. But I've learned that no matter how dark they get, the whites still have the vertical stripes.

Male white crappie will get real dark spots during the spawn on the banks.