Black crappie across North Carolina

“Two species found throughout North America are the black crappie ( Pomoxis nigromaculatus ) and the white crappie ( Pomoxis annularis ). They are members of the sunfish family, which also includes largemouth bass and bluegill. Crappies are two of the largest of the panfish species. Black crappie have been widely stocked across the state. They thrive in clear ponds, natural lakes and reservoirs with moderate vegetation. Black crappie are also common in large, slow-moving rivers in the Coastal Plain but will avoid areas that are turbid or murky.”

“The black crappie is distinguished by irregularly spaced black blotches on its silvery-green to yellowish sides. In the white crappie these blotches often formvertical bars. The black crappie has a dark green, olive-colored back and a thin,compressed body, which is somewhat deeper than that of white crappie. Its dorsal and anal fins are about the same shape and size and are colored with rows of greenish black spots. The black crappie has 7 or 8 spiny dorsal fin rays, while the white crappie only has 5 or 6. Because crossbreeding sometimes occurs between black and white crappies and water quality often affects fish coloration, counting spiny dorsal fin rays is the best method for distinguishing between the two species.”