Missouri Bull Shoals Lake Association

White Crappie

A silvery, deep and slab-sided sunfish with a large mouth, the white crappie is the more abundant and widespread of the two crappies in Missouri. It feeds principally on small fishes, aquatic insects and microcrustaceans. Small gizzard shad are the staple food for adult crappie in reservoirs. Adults may reach a length of 15 inches and a weight of two pounds.

Black Crappie

Very similar in appearance to the white crappie except for ihe darker markings, and dorsal fin with seven or eight spines rather than five or six. Black crappie are less tolerant of muddy water than white crappie and prefer areas of abundant aquatic plants. Growth is about the same as for white crappie, except that at any given size, black crappie are heavier.