Black Crappie
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
25 black and white crappie combined daily, including hybrids/subspecies; 10-inch minimum.
Identify your catch
Irregular dark speckling and usually seven or eight dorsal spines distinguish black crappie from white crappie.
Habitat on Lake Athens
Moderately clear water with native vegetation, timber and docks.
Fishing approach
TPWD highlights spring bass fishing, February–May crappie and white bass, and sunfish around native vegetation as water warms.
Fishing guidance describes documented approaches, not a promise of fish activity today.
No lake-specific advisory found in the checked DSHS active list. This does not establish that fish are safe to eat.
Harvest permission and eating restrictions are separate.
General species guide
Uses lakes, ponds and slow water, often near submerged cover.
General Black Crappie profile →Sources & lake evidence
Occurrence documented in the TPWD lake guide, fisheries survey or historical records. Historical evidence does not establish present abundance. Current harvest rules were checked separately from older survey regulations.
Lake harvest rules ↗Eating guidance ↗Lake habitat & fishing guide ↗Fisheries survey · species evidence ↗Species identification ↗