MDC

Crappie

After bass, crappie are the second most popular sport fish in Missouri. Why? You can find them in almost any water, they're willing to strike simple lures, such as jigs and minnows, and they make for some mighty fine eating.

Use this section to get started catching, cooking and conserving crappie. Good luck fishing!

How They Got Their Name

The name “Crappie” (pronounced CROP-ee) is derived from the French-Canadian word “crapet-soleil," meaning "sunfish." The genus name for both black and white crappie is Pomoxis, meaning “sharp gill cover."

Across the U.S., crappie have 25 or more regional or “nicknames”—probably more than any other fish. Among the more colorful names are slabs, papermouths, calico bass, specks, sac-a-lait (which roughly translates as "sack of milk"), lamplighter, timber perch and John Demon.

Crappie in Missouri

With the exception of a few northwestern Missouri prairie and south-central Ozark streams, crappie occur throughout Missouri. In most localities, white crappie tend to be more abundant than black crappie, which are less tolerant of turbid water. As a result, you'll find black crappie in clear streams and in the lower reaches of many of the large reservoirs

Where, When and How to Catch Crappie

Crappie can be found in many bodies of water throughout Missouri. They are common in most of our large reservoirs, rivers, and streams, as well as many smaller public impoundments and private ponds.