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Southern Company River Scout
Black crappie
(Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
The black crappie can be found in many freshwater habitats throughout North America. It is a popular game fish and has been introduced widely into lakes, ponds, sloughs, pools, backwaters and steams. This fish prefers environments with clear water and vegetation over mud or sand bottoms.
The black crappie has a deep and strongly compressed body which is mottled in dark green to black with silvery markings. It ranges in length from about 8 to 12 inches and averages around 5 lbs. The largest individual recorded was 19.3 inches and about 6 lbs.
Look for the black crappie in the overhead river in the River Scout gallery.
Fun Facts
- The black crappie feeds throughout the day and night and is most active from midnight to 2 am.
- Adults feed on small fish and larger invertebrates, while juveniles consume zooplankton and free-swimming insect larvae.
- This species does not tolerate murky water well.
- The male builds a nest in which the female lays between 11,000 and 188,000 eggs.
- In the Southern U.S., its name s pronounced to rhyme with "choppy". In other areas, the name rhymes with "snappy".
- Download full fact sheet
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