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Photo of Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)

Photo: Public domain — US Fish and Wildlife Service, Wikimedia Commons

Freshwater

Black Crappie

Pomoxis nigromaculatus

A schooling panfish that clusters around submerged structure; find one and there are usually many more nearby.

Size

No min · avg 6–10 oz

Season

Spring spawn, deeper in summer

Difficulty

Habitat

Brush piles, dock pilings, and deeper structure — schools tightly once located.

Best lures & bait

Small tube jig (1–1.5")
Live minnow under a slip bobber

How to catch them

Vertically jig near submerged brush or dock pilings
Search deeper water in summer once the spring shallow bite ends

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