Male Female Crappie?

[donkeotae]

Hey gang trying to learn more about this fish I recently fell in love with. I dont know how to tell the diff. between males and females. Maybe some pics and what I should look for on telling the diff.

Thanks
Luke

[CrappiePappy]

Hey gang trying to learn more about this fish I recently fell in love with. I dont know how to tell the diff. between males and females. Maybe some pics and what I should look for on telling the diff.
Thanks
Luke

But, seriously Luke ... other than when the female is full of eggs, and the males have darker expanded black markings, during the spawn ... there's not much difference in their appearance, making it almost impossible to tell, until they go under the knife. Other than during the spawn, it don't much matter to the fish, either :p

... cp

[cityboy]

Hey gang trying to learn more about this girl I recently fell in love with. I dont know how to tell the diff. between males and females. Maybe some pics and what I should look for on telling the diff.

Thanks
Luke

seriously luke you still cant tell the difference from girls and boys ? i could give you a hint but you really need to find this out for yourself.

[cityboy]

just playing with ya luke , dont get mad

[donkeotae]

well, guys on here go out and catch fish and can just tell right then and there its a male or female when they pull it out of the water. Sorry if its a stupid question. And I have never kept, cut up, or eatin a crappie. Just want to have enough knowledge to say hey I just caught a male or female and know the diff.

Ha ha, I know you guys are just playing around, I knew all you guys would be the best to ask. Just trying to add to my fish knowledge.

[Fishin Addiction]

Early in the spawn the buck will be a darker color. I guess it's because they go to the bank first and spend time in the shallow water. I don't know if water depth/clarity effects color But spring spawn is the only time I can tell the difference. Even then I'm wrong sometimes.

[CrappiePappy]

well, guys on here go out and catch fish and can just tell right then and there its a male or female when they pull it out of the water. Sorry if its a stupid question. And I have never kept, cut up, or eatin a crappie. Just want to have enough knowledge to say hey I just caught a male or female and know the diff.

... and, don't worry, it's been asked several times before

The only way "those guys" can tell a male from a female, is by the coloration of the male or bulging belly of the female ... during the spawning period. Beyond that ... they're just guessing :p

Male White Crappie will have darker black coloration on their sides and fins.
Female White Crappie will be of normal coloration, but have bulging bellies.
Male Black Crappie will have slightly darker specs of black coloration.
Female Black Crappie will be of normal coloration, but have bulging bellies.

Here's a couple of females ... in my right hand is a female White Crappie, in my left hand is a female Black Crappie :



They don't look any different than they normally would (any other time of year) except for the bulge (egg sac) in their bellies.

Here's a short video, showing a Male White Crappie in full spawning colors (video was a mistake, partner didn't know how to use my digital camera :p )



A male Black Crappie would look just like the one I have in my left hand, in the first picture, except it wouldn't have a belly bulge.

And don't take the kidding around as us being mean or dissing you .... around here, it's the first sign of friendly acceptance

Hope some of this helps !!

... cp

[JIG Gene-e]

The females will always have their mouth open. oops!

[donkeotae]

Ha ha, thanks guys. Dont worry bout hurting my feelings I got thick skin, and I understand we are all here to just have some fun and learn.CP thanks for the input, helps out alot.Just another thing to add to my fishing knowledge!!!

[LSUguy]

Ok I spoke to a WLF Biologist here in LA, and here's what he had to say on this topic. While not always easy to tell, coloration (so called male spawning suit) is not a good indicator as sunlight plays into this coloration effect more than anything else. Clearer shallow waters will produce darker fish male or female than deeper darker stained water.
The anal area can be an indicator, the rear anal hole in female during the spawn, is usually protruding a bit (swollen) and is similiar to a doughnut in looks, as well as noticeably missing scales in the anal area generally mean a female crappie.
Now he also said since crappie tend to live around 3-4 years (there are exceptions) the mortality rate is more dependant on habitat (food supply, adequate water supply, predators) then anything else, and if your body of water has a good over all healthy number of crappie that fishing pressure (keeping males or females during the spawn) has by far less negative consequences on the over all population of the crappie in any given lake then old age, predators and all other factors. I am waiting on a call from a hatchery biologist and then i'll post what they say on this topic as well.