Black Crappie in Washington
Washington rules and water for black crappie.
- No min. size. Nolimit
- 4.50 lbsrecord
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black crappie in the Evergreen State
Washington freshwater rules place black crappie on the line labelled "Crappie, Northern Pikeminnow, Peamouth Chub, Perch, Suckers, Sunfish, Catfish (Except Channel), Rock Bass, Striped Bass". Word for word, the row gives: No min. size. No daily limit.
WDFW credits John W. Smart with the record, 4.50 lbs out of Lake Washington, King County in 1956. This guide links it to 129 Washington waters, beginning with Lake Roosevelt, Lake Umatilla and Banks Lake. For 14 waters, the pamphlet prints a Special Rule about it. Its Latin name is Pomoxis nigromaculatus.
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| Pamphlet row | Waters | Limit as printed | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie, Northern Pikeminnow, Peamouth Chub, Perch, Suckers, Sunfish, Catfish (E | all freshwater | No min. size. No daily limit. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 |
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026-2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules (WDFW pamphlet, in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), PDF page 27 (pamphlet PDF; eRegulations statewide freshwater page), read October 31, 2026.
Waters with their own black crappie rule
Labels like "crappie" appear on 14 waters in the Special Rules tables.
Waters that break from statewide rules
Special Rules as printed in the 2026-2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules (WDFW pamphlet, in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), pamphlet page 26 (pamphlet PDF), read on eRegulations October 31, 2026.Record weight for Washington black crappie
| Listing | Weight | Angler | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 4.50 lbs | John W. Smart | Lake Washington, King County | May 1, 1956 |
WDFW sport fish records, read October 31, 2026; record list.
Lakes, rivers and sound with black crappie
Washington lakes with black crappie
- Lake Roosevelt83,988 acres
- Lake Umatilla48,738 acres
- Banks Lake26,888 acres
- Lake Wallula26,274 acres
- Lake Washington21,934 acres
- Potholes Reservoir14,282 acres
- Riffe Lake11,326 acres
- Box Canyon Reservoir9,317 acres
- Moses Lake6,728 acres
- Lake Spokane4,748 acres
- Alder Lake2,877 acres
- Lake Tapps2,433 acres
- Vancouver Lake2,287 acres
- Rock Lake2,190 acres
- Palmer Lake2,032 acres
- Sprague Lake1,760 acres
- Boundary Reservoir1,579 acres
- Silver Lake (Cowlitz County)1,424 acres
- Deer Lake (Stevens County)1,146 acres
- Newman Lake1,099 acres
- Lake Union1,030 acres
- Lake Stevens1,003 acres
- Billy Clapp Lake974 acres
- Diamond Lake754 acres
WDFW Fish Washington and high lake layer species lists, WDFW SWIFD distribution, record waters and 2026 trout plants; largest waters first.
Kin of black crappie in the WDFW tables
- White Crappiefreshwater
Photographs of fishing water around Black Crappie
Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain
Photo: Richard Probst – Shot in a Frame, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, CC BY 2.0
Photo: The Greater Southwestern Exploration Company, CC BY 2.0
black crappie in Washington: questions anglers bring
What does WDFW allow for black crappie each day?
WDFW prints: No min. size. No daily limit.
How big is the Washington record black crappie?
It weighed 4.50 lbs, out of Lake Washington, King County in 1956; angler John W. Smart.
Where do black crappie live in Washington?
It is on 129 pages, Lake Roosevelt, Lake Umatilla and Banks Lake first.
Do Washington hatcheries release black crappie?
No hatchery plant of it is on file for 2026.
On which Washington waters does the black crappie rule shift?
On 14 waters the line changes.
Is the black crappie season open now in Washington?
The row prints: Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31. An emergency rule may still close it.
Is a freshwater license enough for black crappie?
Anglers 16 and older need a Washington Freshwater license ($39.95 resident, $115.85 nonresident for 2026-27) or a Combination license; salmon, steelhead and sturgeon also take a catch record card.
Who checks a new Washington black crappie record?
WDFW verifies records at its offices after a certified-scale weighing witnessed by two people.
Pick Washington water for black crappie
Ramps, limits and maps sit on each page above.