Black crappie across Minnesota
black crappie: Minnesota limits and records.
- 10 combined totallimit
- 4 lb 1 ozrecord
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black crappie, statewide
Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) is a Minnesota fish in the DNR sunfish family group. The booklet row for inland waters (statewide) sets 10 combined total and runs Continuous.
The record table shows 4 lb 1 oz from Cedar Lake, 2026. The DNR has recorded it in 2,026 lakes; this site has pages for 2,357. Gill nets on Swede Lake caught 392 per net, the best among lakes here.
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“Crappie are some of Minnesota's most popular fish. In many an angler's catch, the black crappie probably ranks second behind the bluegill.”
“Minnesota is home to two types of crappie: the black crappie and the white crappie. Black crappies have irregular dark speckles on their sides. White crappies the dark markings consist of regularly arranged vertical bars. When in doubt count the number of spines on the dorsal fin that stretches across the top of the fish. Black crappies have seven or eight spines while white crappies have five or six.”
“It is common for crappies to produce very large year classes some years and very small year classes in other years. Unlike sunfish, which tend to produce strong year classes every year, the crappie is sort of a “boom or bust” species. Fishing tends to be the best in the fifth year following a strong year class.”
- Black crappies have irregular dark speckles on their sides.identification
- White crappies the dark markings consist of regularly arranged vertical bars.identification
- crappiealso called
Quoted from the DNR fish page and the 2026 regulations identification guide, checked October 2026.
What you may keep of black crappie
| Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Inland waters (statewide) | 10 combined total | Continuous |
2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations. All Minnesota limits.
State record black crappie
| Category | Weight | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| non certified weight | 5 lb 0 oz | Vermillion River | Dakota | |
| certified weight | 4 lb 1 oz | Cedar Lake | Rice | 2026 |
Minnesota DNR state records; angler names left out.
Best black crappie netting on lakes with pages
| Lake | Per gill net | Normal range | Avg lb | Survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swede Lake | 392 | 1.4-13.8 | 0.03 | 2021 |
| Shoper-Bush Reservoir | 277 | 0.13 | 1990 | |
| Eagle Lake, Carver County | 188 | 1.4-13.8 | 0.15 | 2023 |
| Dunns Lake | 126.5 | 1.9-18.0 | 0.05 | 2018 |
| Cedar Lake, Scott County | 120.75 | 0.8-11.1 | 0.36 | 2021 |
| Albert Lake | 117 | 1.9-18.0 | 0.12 | 2009 |
| Horseshoe Lake, Le Sueur County | 110.83 | 1.7-17.5 | 0.05 | 2024 |
| Richardson Lake | 102.5 | 2.5-16.5 | 0.08 | 2018 |
| George Lake, Blue Earth County | 101.33 | 1.9-18.0 | 0.07 | 2021 |
| Elk Lake near Zimmerman, Sherburne County | 94.67 | 1.4-13.8 | 0.13 | 2017 |
| Spider Lake, Chisago County | 91.5 | 1.5-14.7 | 0.04 | 2007 |
| Rush Lake, Sherburne County | 80.75 | 1.4-13.8 | 0.2 | 2019 |
DNR LakeFinder latest survey per lake; standard and special gill nets.
Lakes and streams holding black crappie
black crappie lakes
- Lake of the Woods725,583 acres
- Rainy Lake, St. Louis County210,200 acres
- Mille Lacs Lake128,250 acres
- Red Lake (Upper Red)119,294 acres
- Leech Lake103,444 acres
- Lake Winnibigoshish56,471 acres
- Vermilion Lake39,272 acres
- Basswood Lake25,953 acres
- Namakan Lake24,066 acres
- Kabetogama Lake24,034 acres
- Saganaga Lake18,767 acres
- Cass Lake15,958 acres
- Lake Minnetonka14,206 acres
- Otter Tail Lake14,079 acres
- Lake Pepin12,299 acres
- Big Stone Lake11,984 acres
- Pelican Lake, St. Louis County11,546 acres
- Traverse Lake10,849 acres
- Crooked Lake near Winton, St. Louis County10,360 acres
- St. Louis River Estuary10,255 acres
- Gull Lake, Cass County10,010 acres
- Bowstring Lake9,528 acres
- Sand Point Lake8,527 acres
- St. Croix River8,393 acres
black crappie streams
- Mississippi RiverAitkin
- Otter Tail RiverOtter Tail
- St. Louis RiverSt. Louis
- Red Lake RiverPolk
- Vermilion RiverSt. Louis
- Turtle RiverBeltrami
- Island RiverLake
- Mustinka RiverGrant
- Cross RiverCook
- Hay Creek, Goodhue CountyGoodhue
- Hay Creek, Pine CountyPine
- Hay Creek, Carlton CountyCarlton
DNR LakeFinder survey lists; largest lakes first.
Fish beside black crappie in the DNR groups
- Largemouth basssunfish family
- Smallmouth basssunfish family
- Rock basssunfish family
- White crappiesunfish family
- Bluegillsunfish family
- Pumpkinseedsunfish family
- Green sunfishsunfish family
- Hybrid sunfishsunfish family
- Warmouthsunfish family
Scenery a short drive from Black crappie
Photo: Jon Platek, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: chief_huddleston, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
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Reader questions on black crappie
How many black crappie can I keep in Minnesota?
10 combined total (Inland waters (statewide)), season Continuous.
Does Minnesota keep a record for black crappie?
4 lb 1 oz from Cedar Lake (2026).
Which lakes did the DNR net the most black crappie in?
Swede Lake leads the DNR gill net catch at 392 per net; 2,369 waters on this site list it.
Do DNR hatcheries raise black crappie?
25 rows on the DNR area stocking pages, such as Big Wolf.
Which marks identify black crappie?
Black crappies have irregular dark speckles on their sides.
Can black crappie be kept in every month in Minnesota?
Continuous
Which Minnesota license do I need for black crappie?
Minnesota residents 16 to 89 need an angling license ($25 for the year); nonresidents 16 and older pay $51.
Who runs trips for black crappie?
No Minnesota operator names it; try the guides page.
Find black crappie near your Minnesota home
Every lake named here has a page with survey catch and limits.