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Black Crappie

Black Crappie, illustration by Maynard Reece, from Iowa Fish and Fishing.

Characteristics

A silvery-speckled, deep-bodied, slab-sided sunfish with a large mouth. The upper jaw reaches past the middle of the eye when the mouth is closed. It usually has a dark back with many green or blackish spots unevenly spaced over the sides. There are no distinct vertical bars as in White Crappie. Its body is somewhat deeper in proportion to its length, and the dorsal, tail, and anal fins are strongly netted with black making it look like a dark-colored fin with many whitish spots. The spiny dorsal and soft dorsal fins are broadly connected without being notched. The anal fin is nearly as long and as large as the dorsal fin and has 6 spines. The dorsal fin has 7 or 8 dorsal spines, and the length of the dorsal fin base is equal to the distance from the eye to the front of the dorsal fin.

Distribution

Black Crappie Distribution

Throughout Iowa, though rare in the Missouri River basin in the western Iowa. It is common in clear rivers, natural lakes, reservoirs and backwater sloughs of the Mississippi River.

Foods

Initial food is zooplankton, which is supplemented with insects toward the end of their first year. Insects remain an important food item throughout life, but Black Crappie eat small fish and minnows from their second year through adulthood.

State Record

3 lbs, 14 oz, 18 in. - Three Mile Lake, Union County, 6/5/2013 - Dale Klein, Omaha, Nebraska.

Expert Tip

Fish in brushy areas, if you are not getting snagged often, you are not fishing where the fish are.

Details

Black Crappie are intolerant of turbid waters and are almost always found in clearer lakes and streams in Iowa. It is common to abundant in the natural lakes and the backwater sloughs of the upper Mississippi River. It is common in certain eastern Iowa rivers, but rare in western streams. Most man-made recreational lakes have Black Crappie, but their abundance depends upon water clarity. Few lakes have only one crappie species.

Black Crappies need clear water, abundant cover such as submerged timber or aquatic vegetation and sandy or mucky bottoms. It has adapted well to impoundments and reservoirs, particularly clear stream-fed arms of reservoirs, with large growths of aquatic vegetation and little turbidity or siltation. 

Spawning requirements for Black Crappie are nearly the same as those of White Crappie, but the nest size is slightly more shallow. The nest is usually built in 3 to 8 feet of water. Black Crappie spawn at water temperatures of 58 to 64 degrees. Female Black Crappie may have up to 150,000 eggs, but 20,000 to 60,000 eggs are more common. Nests of both crappie species usually have similar-sized egg masses.

Black Crappie growth is less than that of White Crappie, but they are heavier at the same length. The young reach 2- to 3-inches long in the first year of life and mature during the second or third year.  Most Black Crappie caught are 8- to 12-inches long, but occasionally very large, up to 4 pounds, fish are caught.

Recent stream sampling information is available from Iowa DNR's biological monitoring and assessment program.

Sources:

Harlan, J.R., E.B. Speaker, and J. Mayhew. 1987. Iowa fish and fishing. Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa. 323pp.

Loan-Wilsey, A. K., C. L. Pierce, K. L. Kane, P. D. Brown and R. L. McNeely. 2005. The Iowa Aquatic Gap Analysis Project Final Report. Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Iowa State University, Ames

Illustration by Maynard Reece, from Iowa Fish and Fishing.


Return

Present in these Iowa water bodies:

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Lake/Stream County Location Acres/Length
Pool 19, Mississippi River Lee Amenities listed are at City of Ft. Madison boat ramp. Amenities vary by location in Pool 19 33500.00
Pool 13, Mississippi River Clinton Between Bellevue and Clinton, Iowa. Pool 13 Starts at River Mile 556.7 28117.00
Pool 11, Mississippi River Dubuque River Mile 583 at Dubuque, IA upstream to River Mile 615 at Guttenberg, IA. 19875.00
Red Rock Reservoir Marion 4 miles north of Knoxville 15250.00
Pool 18, Mississippi River Louisa Amenities listed are for the Toolsboro Ramp. The ramp at Toolsboro is paved but the road to the ramp is gravel. There is some shore fishing along the parking area and at the outlet of Lake Odessa. Amenities vary by location in pool 18 13300.00
Pool 16, Mississippi River Scott The amenities list are for Buffalo Shores campground in Buffalo, Iowa. Amenities at other locations in Pool 16 vary by location. 13000.00
Pool 12, Mississippi River Jackson Between Dubuque and Bellevue, Iowa 12349.00
Rathbun Reservoir Appanoose 8 miles northwest of Centerville 11000.00
Pool 14, Mississippi River Scott Located between Clinton and Davenport, starts at River Mile 522.5 10291.00
Pool 17, Mississippi River Muscatine Amenities list for Muscatine City Ramp. This ramp is located in downtown Muscatine. Amenities vary by location in Pool 17. 7580.00
Spirit Lake Dickinson One mile North of Spirit Lake 5684.00
Coralville Reservoir Johnson 4 miles north of Iowa City 5340.00
Saylorville Reservoir Polk North edge of Des Moines 4970.00
West Okoboji Lake Dickinson northwest edge of Arnolds Park 3847.00
Clear Lake Cerro Gordo south edge of Clear Lake 3684.00
Pool 15, Mississippi River Scott Between Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island Illinois. Starts at River Mile 482.9 3626.90
Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake) Buena Vista south edge of Storm Lake 3097.00
Lake Odessa Louisa 5 miles east of Wapello 3000.00
Tuttle Lake Emmet 1 mile east, 2 miles north of Dolliver 2268.00
East Okoboji Lake Dickinson east edge of Okoboji 1835.00
Big Timber Complex Louisa Two miles south of Muscatine, IA off of X-61/Stewart Rd. 1252.00
Lost Island Lake Palo Alto 3 miles north of Ruthven 1162.00
Silver Lake (Dickinson) Dickinson west edge of Lake Park 1065.00
Five Island Lake Palo Alto north edge of Emmetsburg 973.00
Lake Macbride Johnson 4 miles West of Solon 940.00
Black Hawk Lake Sac east edge of Lake View 922.00
Three Mile Lake Union 3 miles northwest of Afton 880.00
West Swan Lake S.W.M.A. Emmet 3m SE Gruver 830.00
DeSoto Bend at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge Harrison 5 miles west of Missouri Valley at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge 811.00
Iowa Lake (Emmet Co.) Emmet 6 miles north of Armstrong 802.00
Big Lake (Lansing) Allamakee 3 m N Lansing 800.00
Lake Manawa Pottawattamie Southwest edge of Council Bluffs 784.70
Little River Watershed Lake Decatur 1 mile west of Leon 733.00
Brushy Creek Lake Webster 5 miles east of Lehigh 690.00
Lake Icaria Adams 4 miles north of Corning 648.00
Twelve Mile Creek Lake Union 4 miles east of Creston 635.00
Little Spirit Lake Dickinson 4 miles north of Orleans 604.00
Browns Lake Woodbury 2 miles west of Salix 580.00
Lake Sugema Van Buren 3 miles southwest of Keosauqua 579.00
Green Island Lake Jackson 1m E green Island 526.00
High Lake Emmet 6 miles east of Wallingford 467.00
North Twin Lake Calhoun 4 miles north of Rockwell City 453.00
Lake Delhi Delaware 3m W Delhi 448.00
Pleasant Creek Lake Linn 4 miles North of Palo 400.00
Lost Grove Lake Scott Six miles east of Eldridge 400.00
Badger Lake Monona 380.00
Snyder Bend Lake Woodbury 1 1/2 miles west of Salix 375.00
Swan Lake Dickinson 2m N Superior 371.00
Ingham Lake Emmet 6 miles east of Wallingford 357.00
Middle Sabula Lake Jackson W edge of City of Sabula 350.00
Green Valley Lake Union 2 1/2 miles northwest of Creston 338.00
West Lake (Osceola) Clarke 2 miles west of Osceola 320.00
Carter Lake Pottawattamie North edge of Carter Lake. 315.00
Lake Darling Washington 4 miles west of Brighton 303.00
Lake Wapello Davis 7 miles west of Drakesville on the west side of V17 289.00
Independence Impoundment Buchanan Independence 280.00
Badger Creek Lake Madison 5 miles southeast of Van Meter 276.00
Brinker Lake Black Hawk N edge Waterloo, located within George Wyth State Park. 270.00
Crystal Lake Hancock north edge of Crystal Lake 264.00
Lake Belva Deer Keokuk 5 miles northeast of Sigourney 264.00
Martens Lake Bremer 1 mi E of Tripoli 255.00
Lower Gar Lake Dickinson ½ mile south of Arnolds Park 251.00
Little Wall Lake Hamilton 1 1/2 miles south of Jewell 249.00
Lake Cornelia Wright 3 1/2 miles north, 2 miles east of Clarion 243.00
Bussey Lake Clayton 2 m N Guttenberg 240.00
Summit Lake Union West edge of Creston 230.00
Center Lake Dickinson 2 miles west, 1/2 miles south of Spirit Lake 220.00
Prairie Rose Lake Shelby 8 miles southeast of Harlan 196.10
Quarry Springs Jasper At the 117 South exit off of Interstate 80, Colfax 193.00
Lake Geode Henry 4 miles southwest of Danville 185.70
Hawthorn Lake Mahaska 1 mile south of Barnes City on the east side of V13 182.00
Big Hollow Lake Des Moines 3 miles west of Sperry 178.00
Lake Anita Cass 1/2 mile south of Anita 159.00
Don Williams Lake Boone 5 miles north of Ogden 151.00
Medicine Creek Wetland Wayne 3 miles southeast of Clio on the north side of Aurora and the west side of 100th in the Medicine Creek Wildlife Area 145.00
Morris Lake Lucas 2 miles east of Chariton on the south side of 482nd Street 141.00
Lake Miami Monroe 5 miles southeast of Lovilia on the west side of 635th Avenue 137.00
Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake Story North side of Ames, west of Grand Avenue/Highway 69. 137.00
Viking Lake Montgomery 4 miles east of Stanton 136.00
Volga Lake Fayette Located 3 miles north of Fayette. 135.00
South Sabula Lake Jackson 130.00
Deep Lakes Muscatine Southern edge of Muscatine on Pettibone Avenue, East of Fruitland. 130.00
Methodist Lake Clayton 120.00
Swan Lake Carroll 3 miles southeast of Carroll 120.00
Waverly Impoundment Bremer 120.00
Minnewashta Lake Dickinson 1/2 mile south of Arnolds Park 118.00
Lake Ahquabi Warren 5 miles southwest of Indianola 118.00
Iowa Lake (Iowa Co.) Iowa 5 miles North of Millersburg 107.00
Iowa River (Marshalltown to Coralville Lake) Iowa This stretch is located in Marshall, Tama, the SW corner of Benton, Iowa, and Johnson County. A popular access is at the Hwy 21 Access, which is part of the Iowa River Corridor Wildlife Area, just south of Belle Plaine. 104.00
Union Grove Lake Tama 4 miles South of Gladbrook 100.00
Diamond Lake Poweshiek 1 mile West of Montezuma 98.00
Lake of Three Fires Taylor 3 miles northeast of Bedford 97.00
Bob White Lake Wayne 2 miles west of Allerton on the north side of J46 96.00
Grays Lake Polk Fleur Drive, Des Moines 96.00
Sand Lake Marshall On the Northeast edge of Marshalltown 95.00
RAPP Park Lakes Page north edge of Shenandoah 95.00
Terry Trueblood Lake Johnson 1.5 miles south of Hwy 6 on Gilbert Street in Iowa City. 90.00
Beeds Lake Franklin 2 miles west, 1 mile north of Hampton 90.00
Cedar Lake Madison 2 miles northeast of Winterset 90.00
Sweet Marsh Reservoir Bremer 85.00
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