In todays article we will be taking a look at one of the most common game fish out there; the black crappie. The black and white crappies are members of the sunfish family. The two species of crappie are very similar and the easiest way to tell them apart is to count the spines on the dorsal fin. Black crappies have 7-8 spines where white crappie only have 5-6 spines. Adult fish are around 10" in length and can weigh 2-3lbs. They live in fresh water and prefer little to no current and a lot of cover. They also prefer clear water. Generally these little guys feed on small crustaceans and larvae while the larger adult fish will eat smaller fish as well. They are more active in the darker hours but I've caught them at all hours.
I've caught black crappie with all manor of baits, but I have a few preferences. If you're using live bait, I prefer to use shiners. I get just as many bites with shiners as I do night crawlers or trout worms, but with the worms I generally get a lot of bait theft from smaller fish that aren't worth keeping. For lures, I like spinners and rubber worms and fish. I've found good success with these swim baits that have a lot of movement to them.
One adult black crappie will yield two fillets large enough to make one decent sandwich. The meat is white and flaky and cooks very quickly so it is easy to overcook and dry out. A rich stock can be made from the remnants of the fish after gutting it.
Although this fish is generally overlooked from a culinary standpoint, I have found it is one of the easiest fish to catch, clean, and cook. I don't think it receives the credit is deserves and that is why I chose it as the first game profile article. Be on the lookout for future articles for recipes using black crappie fillets.
Here is a link to a quick video put out by New Hampshire Fish and Game on filleting black crappie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0q4IFaPM08
This article was sponsored by the Hartnett Family. I would like to thank you all for your continued support.
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