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ARKANSAS SPORTFISH
Black Crappie
GO95SCORE
Paper-mouthed, school-schooled, skillet-bound.
HABITAT
LakesReservoirsOxbows
Standing timber, brush piles, dock pilings.
DIET
Minnows, small shad, aquatic insects.
BEST BAITS
Minnows under a float · Jigs on light line · Tiny spinners
SEASONAL PATTERN
BEST🌱SPRING
☀️SUMMER
🍂FALL
❄️WINTER
Summer: Suspend over deep brush piles.
ANGLER INTEL · RIGHT NOWHIGH CONFIDENCE
TIMING
Any time today — steady bite
TOP LURE · LURE
Minnows under a float
reaction strikes on bed — aggressive
TACKLE
Ultralight or 10–12' crappie pole, 4–6 lb line
TECHNIQUE · Vertical-jig standing brush, 2–6 ft, minnow under a cork
ANGLER STATS
SPAWN 56–68°F TEMP MATCHFUN FACT
Black crappie love clearer water than their white cousins. Side-by-side in the same lake, they'll hold deeper and tighter to cover.
STATUS
Secure
Native · Centrarchidae
YOUR CARD · ACTIONSNOT YET COLLECTED
🪪 ID marks
- Random black speckles
- 7–8 dorsal spines
- Deep body
💡 Tips
- Count down to depth
- Move until you find the school
- Vertical on brush
🌙 Lunar profile
MED-HIGH Lunar ImpactBest phases: Full Moon, New Moon
☀️ Daytime
Clearer water preference — target submerged grass edges and brush in 6–12 ft. Full Moon concentrates spawning in spring.
🌙 Nighttime
Night biting under lights near Full Moon. Favors slightly deeper structure than White Crappie after dark.
🔗 Source: AGFC Crappie management; species-specific solunar studies
Regulations
Always verify current rules at agfc.com before keeping fish.
Statewide
Statewide Crappie Regulations — Arkansas
Daily limit: 30Min size: 10"
Requires: Fishing License
Statewide — all public waters in Arkansas
AGFC source ↗