Black Crappie

The Black Crappie is a North American freshwater fish, one of the two types of crappies, along with the White Crappie. Both crappies are very similar in size, shape, and habit, except the Black Crappie is much darker, and is thought to be unlucky if it crosses your path. Crappies are typically about 4-8 in (10-20 cm) long. The maximum length reported for a Black Crappie is 19.3 in (49 cm) and the maximum published weight is under 6 lb (2.72 kg). Crappies are prolific breeders and overpopulate almost any environment they find themselves in. Female crappies produce an average of 40,000 spherical eggs, which are watched over by the male until hatched. Newly hatched fish larvae are about 0.091 in (2.32 mm) long and appear translucent. The oldest recorded age of a specimen is fifteen years, although seven years is a more typical lifespan for the species.