Crappie

Crappie are a favorite for most anglers because they are easy to catch and they
taste great. There are 2 types of crappies: black and white. Black and white
crappie share most of the same waters, however, black crappie are most
abundant in northern lakes that are cool with a gravel or sand bottom. White
crappie are most common in reservoirs, lakes, and rivers. They tolerate darker
water than black crappie and they thrive in southern lakes with soft or hard
bottoms. Both species live in rivers and streams, however, black crappie prefer
calmer water and they also tolerate a higher salt content, which is why they are
common in estuaries. Crappies feed heavily in the morning, evening and
throughout the night. Most crappie fishermen target these fish during their
spawn because they are easy to find and catch. During the summer, crappie will move out to deeper
water and they will be much harder to find and catch.

Most crappies are caught in the 6 to 9 inch range, however, much bigger crappie are caught every year.
In some southern lakes such as Kentucky Lake, crappie in the 10 to 12 inch range are common with
many 14 to 15 inch fish caught and some as big as 18 inches