Black Crappie
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
25 black and white crappie combined; 10-inch minimum.
Identify your catch
Irregular dark speckling and usually seven or eight dorsal spines distinguish black crappie from white crappie.
Habitat on Sam Rayburn
TPWD documents shallow vegetation during the spawn and deeper brush and creek channels at other times.
Fishing approach
TPWD recommends jigs and minnows. Fish shallow cover in spring and deeper brush and channels at other times.
Fishing guidance describes documented approaches, not a promise of fish activity today.
Not listed in DSHS Advisory 51. That does not establish that the fish is 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
TPWD Sam Rayburn lake guide and historical water-body records. Records establish occurrence, not current abundance.
Lake harvest rules ↗Eating guidance ↗Lake habitat & fishing guide ↗Species identification ↗