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Thread: Determining the sex of crappie.

  1. #1
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    Default Determining the sex of crappie.


    I have seen several fishing shows where the host comments about keeping this one because its male and letting that one go because its female. Nary a one explained how they could tell. I would love to practice this form of selective harvest.....If I could tell em apart.

    Didn't see any lipstick on 'em. Of course if the kids at my daughters high school are any indication, that wouldn't matter nowadays.

    Any help appreciated.
    Huntinbull. Christian outdoorsman sharing my faith and the bounty God has made.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Huntinbull View Post
    I have seen several fishing shows where the host comments about keeping this one because its male and letting that one go because its female. Nary a one explained how they could tell. I would love to practice this form of selective harvest.....If I could tell em apart.

    Didn't see any lipstick on 'em. Of course if the kids at my daughters high school are any indication, that wouldn't matter nowadays.

    Any help appreciated.
    Me too, I don't know till I cut em!
    Alan
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    Tight Lines to all
    Roll Tide Roll






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    Other than the color change in the males during the spawn, is there an "easy" way to tell them apart?
    Don't outsmart your common sense!
    Jack

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    Cane Pole's Avatar
    Cane Pole is offline Crappie.com 2011 Man of the Year * Crappie.com Supporter
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    Does it really matter?
    Member BS Pro-Staff and Billbob Pro-Staff
    Proud Member of Team Geezer... authorized by: billbob and "G"

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    It always seems the bigger ones are the females, but not 100% of the time.

  6. #6
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    CrappiePappy is online now Super Moderator - 2013 Man Of The Year * Crappie.com Supporter
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    I'm going to go out on a limb, here, and say that the "TV anglers" were probably catching White Crappie during the spawn. In this case, the females could be identified by the bulging belly, while the males could be identified by the darker markings on their fins & body.

    In the case of Black Crappie, it's a little more complicated, and goes something like this :

    Black coloration under the jaw in the gular region (between the gills) indicates a male
    The urogenital area (scaleless area around the anal openings) was round/ oval it is male, tear drop/ pear shaped it is female
    (Smeltzer/Flickinger research 1980-81)............................................... ...............

    Outside of the spawning period, it's just not feasible to distinguish between the sexes in either species of Crappie.

    IMHO - Self imposed "selective harvest" attempts, while noble in their concern, may not prove to be as ideal as they would appear. Keeping just the males can have a negative effect ... by removing the nest guardian. Keeping just the females can have a negative effect ... by removing the genetic diversity component of the species (female Crappie do not spawn in one single nest). It would appear to be a more beneficial idea, to harvest on a more equal ratio (male/female) basis.

    ... cp

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    In ranching we normally lift the tail and take a peak.

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    papasage is offline Crappie.com 2011 Man of the Year & Moderator GA * Crappie.com Supporter
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    male is the hansom one and the female is thre prettiest.
    retired and now i will always fish

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    I just ask em ,
    If they refuse to answer, I eat em ! !
    "Teach a man to fish = he can feed himself "
    "Teach the world to fish = you won't have any fish left to eat "

  10. #10
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    dkb23 is offline Moderator Illinois Forum and Supermod
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    Quote Originally Posted by phantom309 View Post
    i just ask em ,
    if they refuse to answer, i eat em ! !
    lol Hands Clapping
    If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles.:rolleyes:

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