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Thread: What kind of crappie?

  1. #1
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    Default What kind of crappie?


    There's a little state park lake close to me, about 330 acres, name
    is Lamar Bruce. I have never crappie fished much there, what few times
    I have, it has either been feast or famine. The ones I have caught there
    though, just look different from the ones I catch anywhere else. I am used
    to seeing both white and black crappie on Pickwick and the Tenn-Tom,
    but these at LB have a funny ski-slope "hook" to their nose/head, looking
    at them in a side profile. Most of the things about them seem to correspond
    with what I've seen of black crappie, mainly they seem to only like the
    tiniest of jigs, have an unusually strong attraction to worms and crickets,
    and don't get very big (did catch one or two 1.5 lbs, but most are 9-10")
    Also, they are FINICKY! Could count on catching 30+, or NONE.
    I always somehow felt these are different, maybe some kind of native
    population, maybe even inbred? Or is this the "blacknose" I hear about
    on here? I don't remember anything about the color of their nose, just
    the shape, didn't think to count dorsal spines, either. Lay some knowledge
    on me, folks!
    Shoals Area Crappie Association

  2. #2
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    They are probably either black or white. the slope of their noses can vary between local populations, and even among those fish of the same population.
    Many folks claim that there is a white/black crappie hybrid, and they can be identified by a black stripe from their dorsal fin down their nose. Whether or not this has been reported scientifically I have no clue.

    But I do know that crappie forms can vary like the ones in this pic from the lake of the ozarks.

    For instance in the photo below of crappie from the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, all four crappie have a unique look. The bottom fish has a snub nose, and the top and third down have a steeply sloped "shoulder" area, while the second fish down has an elongated head.
    Missouri-Fishing.com! Total Fishing Resource for Missouri Anglers!

  3. #3
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    Default Same genus/different species

    White crappie are Pomoxis annularis.
    Black crappie are Pomoxis negromaculatus.

    We catch mostly whites and the color and shape vary widely. During the spring pre-spawn and spawn, the males are highly colored and almost look like blacks. Stunted fish have more defined shoulder humps, but the smaller fish - say those under 8" that we catch - are usually more elongated than larger fish since it seems that the "dish face" develops with age. Color has ranged between defined stripes to almost golden-white with very faint stripes. - Roberta
    "Anglers are born honest,
    but they get over it." - Ed Zern

  4. #4
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    I noticed that the fish in the above picture are on ice. It is my experience that this causes the colors of the skin to somewhat lighten up. This is one reason most taxidermist tell you to get a picture of your trophy crappie before you ice him. This way he has a reference photo to paint its natural colors back.

    It's my opinion that the top 3 are white crappie and the bottom crappie is a black.


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  5. #5
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    If you have any questions, follow this link. Lots of good information.

    http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showthread.php?t=6699
    Life is what you make of it...

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Roberta
    Stunted fish have more defined shoulder humps, but the smaller fish - say those under 8" that we catch - are usually more elongated than larger fish since it seems that the "dish face" develops with age. Roberta
    Ok, that makes sense - what I caught there are probably stunted black
    crappie. I do know they (MS fish & game) have at times considered it
    overpopulated. Thanks to all, Jeff
    Shoals Area Crappie Association

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