Sunfish
Crappie
Pomoxis annularis / nigromaculatus — also called Slabs, Specks, Papermouth
The most-eaten panfish in the South. Crappie school heavily around brush and timber and are one of the best species for beginners to target. Two subspecies — black crappie prefer clearer water, white crappie tolerate stained water better.
- Range
- Lower 48 states, especially southern reservoirs and Mississippi River system.
- Size
- Typical 8–12"; trophy 2 lb+; world record 5 lb 7 oz.
- Spawn temp
- 58–66°F
- Best seasons
- Spring spawn, Fall
Best baits for crappie
- 1/16 oz jig + curly tail
- Live minnow under slip float
- Hair jig (winter)
- Beetle Spin
- Small swim jig
Season by season
Spring
Shallow spawn in 2–6 ft on flooded bushes and shoreline cover. Jig under a float — easiest fishing of the year.
Summer
Suspend over deep brush piles in 12–20 ft. Spider-rig or single-pole vertical jigging. Forward-facing sonar changed this game.
Fall
Follow shad back into creek arms. Cast 1/16 oz jigs around any wood you can find.
Winter
Deepest brush in the lake (20–30 ft). Hair jigs and small minnows. Slow everything way down.
Local secret
Spider-rig 8 rods of small jigs in front of the boat at 0.4 mph along channel ledges in summer. Vertical-fish brush piles in 10–20 ft in fall.
Top US waters for crappie
- Reelfoot Lake, TN
- Grenada Lake, MS
- Lake Washington, MS
- Truman Lake, MO
- Lake of the Ozarks, MO
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