Pic's of my Crappie Mount

[Big_Lake_Michigan]

I caught this bad boy a couple years back. I caught him in Northern Michigan in the month of May using a live shiner that I caught earlier that day (the crappie in this lake usually wouldnt touch "store bought" minnows). He measured 17.50 inches and weighed 3.80 #'s.[/COLOR]I have a question under the pics





Question: all the large crappie I catch in this lake have this same golden color. I have viewed hundreds of crappie pics online and only 1 out of 50 of them have this similar color. The guys on iceshanty.com either said that my taxidermist sucks, it is actually a rock bass!, or that it is normal but rare. I'm a new member on crappie.com and I figured if anyone knew the answer it would be you guys! THANX

[luvjign]

Big Lake, before I jump to conclusions to whether it's a crappie or not, how many spines are on the dorsal fin?

[lugnut]

i don't know much about crappie but i'm going to post a picture of one so i can compare the 2 side by side

[lugnut]

yep, looks like one to me just a little different color

[whackmaster]

I've caught plenty of crappie that were yellow in color...not sure why certain lakes have them ....seems like they were all northern lakes though....

[Crappie Kid]

Well here is one that is as gold as yours or if not golder.. Im from NY and i find that northern Callies are golder than most.. But i think the guy who mounted it should of made the fins look more like this.. This fish was 15" and was the first one i caught this year through the ice..

[Ken Kinser]

Great Crappie Congs.

[GRIZZ]

Well the fins are definitely crappie. Rock bass have several more dorsal spikes and the dorsal fin goes much further up toward the gills. I must admit when I first saw the mount I had the same thoughts that it was a bad paint job for a crappie and that it looked like a rock bass before I read your post. Another point is that I've never seen or caught a rock bass close to 17 inches, and I've caught a bunch. Do you have any pictures of live fish with that coloration? I know Camofish from NY has posted several fish that were more yellow than any crappie I've ever seen here in NY, but I can't find the posts with his pics. The patterns on your fish also looks rockbassish. Fresh pic would help.

It would also have been a state record. Mich record is 3lb 6oz.

[Crappie Reaper]

If I caught something that color out of my usual waters, I would wonder what it was. It looks like a crappie other than the color. Where's the specks?? Regardless, it's a nice fish.

[lamplighter]

looks like he has 5 dorsal spikes, should be a white crappie