Black Crappie
Type: Panfish
Appearance: A deep body with nearly symmetrical dorsal and anal fins and a speckled pattern on the body and fins identify the black crappie.
State record: 3.83 lbs.
BigCatch: To qualify your catch needs to exceed the listed weight OR length (not necessarily both).
Habitat: Unlike most other panfish, crappie spend much of their time offshore feeding on small fish in lakes or in large slow-moving clear water rivers.
Behavior: They nest in colonies from February to April. Nests are fanned by males over gravel or muddy bottoms in depths of t3-8 feet, with big fish deeper. Primary food items are crustaceans, aquatic insects and small fishes.
Tips: Specks are a cool-weather favorite and excellent table fare. Crappies are common throughout Florida. Drift Missouri minnows or grass shrimp below a float, with a #4 hook and small split shot. Depth is key, as crappie school at the same level. When crappie move inshore to spawn, a bright 1/16-oz. to 1/8-oz. jig or Hal-flies will produce.