Fish
White Crappie
Pomoxis annularis · also called white crappies
A school of white crappies holds near a submerged brush pile in slightly murky water, their regular vertical barring and fewer dorsal spines distinguishing them from the more speckled black crappie an angler might catch in a clearer lake nearby.
Overview
The white crappie, Pomoxis annularis, is a popular panfish native to lakes, reservoirs, and slow-moving rivers across a very broad range of central and eastern North America. Its regular vertical barring, fewer dorsal spines, and somewhat greater tolerance for murky water distinguish it from its closely related and frequently confused relative, the black crappie.
A crappie built for murkier water
Where the black crappie favours clearer habitat, the white crappie’s somewhat greater tolerance for turbid conditions lets it thrive in a wider range of lakes and reservoirs, a subtle ecological difference that helps determine which of the two closely related species dominates a given body of water.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and abundant across suitable lake, reservoir, and river habitat throughout much of North America.
White Crappie: common questions
How do you tell a white crappie from a black crappie?
The most reliable feature is dorsal fin spine count, a white crappie typically has five to six spines compared with seven to eight in the black crappie, and the two species also differ in body pattern, with the white crappie showing regular vertical bars rather than the irregular speckling and mottling typical of the black crappie.
Why can the white crappie live in murkier water than the black crappie?
This species has a somewhat greater tolerance for murkier, more turbid water conditions than its close relative the black crappie, which generally favours clearer habitat, a difference that can influence which of the two species dominates in a given lake or reservoir depending on local water clarity.
Why is the white crappie so popular with anglers?
This species is widely considered an excellent food fish and is relatively easy to catch in good numbers when schooling around submerged structure such as brush piles and fallen trees, making it a favourite target for recreational anglers across its very broad native and introduced range throughout North America.
What does a white crappie eat?
This species feeds on small fish, insects, and other invertebrates, becoming increasingly piscivorous as it grows, with adults often targeting smaller fish species found around the same submerged structure the crappie itself uses for cover.