Pomoxis negromaculatus
The Black Crappie is a
large sunfish, although not as big as the Largemouth Bass.
It grows up to 16 inches long and can weigh five pounds, but
they are usually much smaller. Black Crappie have a
rounded body. The back of this fish is greenish and the
sides are silvery with black markings. The belly is silvery
without the markings. Black Crappie live in
warm ponds, lakes, streams, and resevoirs. They are
schooling
fish, so they like to stay in groups.
Crappie.com
Black Crappie
spawn
(breed) in May and June. Male fish sweep out a nest in sand
or gravel in water three to eight feet deep. After the female lays up
to 60,000 eggs in the nest, she swims away and the male
guards the eggs. He will stay with the baby fish until they
are able to start feeding. Black Crappie grow two to
three inches their first year.
Copyright, Fishing Lake Simcoe