White Crappie (Pomoxis Annularus)

Fish image created by Ron Pittard. © Copyright 2010 Windsor Nature Discovery, LLC. All rights reserved. Provided under agreement from Windsor Nature Discovery, LLC.

White Crappie caught by Jason Eckes More White Crappie photos.

Scientific Name: Pomoxis Annularus

Fish Family: Centrarchidae

Other Names: crappie, speckled perch, speckled bass, calico bass, sacalaitt, papermouth, bachelor perch; French: crapet calicot

Identification:

Back and upper head dark green with many blue, green, and silvery reflections; sides lighter, with 5-10 vague, vertical bands composed of dark blotches which become indistinct on lower sides of body; ventral region of head and belly whitish. Eyes yellow to green. Irregular dark opercle spot scarcely larger than diam of pupil of eye. Dorsal, caudal, and anal fins heavily vermiculated, contrasting with round to oblong light-colored spots (which are less evident in the anal fin); paired fins unpigrnented to lightly pig- mented. Spots almost absent in large adults (espe- cially the females) from turbid waters.

Distribution:

In Wisconsin, the white crappie occurs in the Mississippi River and Lake Michigan drainage basins, where it is near the northern limit of its distribution. It has not been taken from the Lake Superior water- shed.

State White Crappie Records:

Illinois State Record:
4 lbs 7 ozs caught by Kevin Dennis caught on Farm Pond on April 8, 1973.

Indiana State Record:
4 lbs 11 ozs caught by Willis Halcomb caught on Private lake on January 1, 1994.

Michigan State Record:
3 lbs 6 ozs caught by Terrance Poirier caught on Stoney Creek Metro Park on January 1, 2000.

Minnesota State Record:
3 lbs 15 ozs caught on Coon Lake on July 28, 2002.

Wisconsin State Record:
3 lbs 2 ozs caught on Black River on January 8, 2001.