 BLACK CRAPPIE
Scientific
Name: Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Other Common
Names: speckled perch, calico bass, papermouth
Identification: With a compressed body, small head and arched back, the black crappie
is silvery-green
to yellowish, with large dorsal
and anal fins of almost identical shape and size. It has a large
mouth with an upper jaw extending under the eye. It has many dark
spots on its sides and fins, which become more mottled toward the
back. To differentiate between a black crappie and a white crappie,
count the dorsal spines. The black crappie has seven to eight dorsal
spines, while the white crappie has only five to six.
Habitats
and Habits: Black crappie are thought to be native to North Carolina and 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. Young black crappie prey on insects, plankton and larval fishes. Adult
black crappie eat mainly fish, but they will also eat aquatic organisms
and terrestrial insects.
Fishing
Techniques: Effective bait and lures are small jigs, minnows,
silver spoons, flies and
spinners fished along shorelines, around submerged
brush piles and near fallen trees. Fishing vertically is effective
when black crappie are deep enough to tolerate a boat directly overhead.
Drifting or trolling with jigs works well when crappie are roaming
open waters. To attract black crappie, anglers will often sink fish
hides or “hurdles” consisting of Christmas trees and other
woody debris. Good
Places to Fish: Chowan River, Roanoke River, Cashie River, Lake Mattamuskeet,
Lake Gaston, Falls of the Neuse Reservoir, Shearon Harris Reservoir,
Jordan Reservoir, High Rock Lake, Badin Lake, Lake Tillery, Blewett
Falls Lake, Lake Rhodhiss, Lake Norman, Lake Wylie, Neuse River (downstream
of Pelican Landing), Tar River (from Greenville downstream to Washington)
NCARP Minimum
Requirements:
2 pounds or 16 inches
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