Crappie This schooling fish is one of the most fun panfish to catch in Colorado lakes. Black crappie in Colorado can grow near 18 inches long, with the record fish by weight (caught in 1990 from a private po...
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This schooling fish is one of the most fun panfish to catch in Colorado lakes. Black crappie in Colorado can grow near 18 inches long, with the record fish by weight (caught in 1990 from a private pond) tipping the scales at 3 pounds 4 ounces and measured 17 inches.
Crappie move in and out of shallow water with changing water temperatures and sunlight, and are accessible to both fly rodders and spin fishers with light tackle. We love fly fishing for this hard-fighting fish both subsurface with buggers, insects, and streamers, and on the surface with poppers. Give it a shot! Colorado Master Angler Award qualifying length for black crappie is 15 inches. Colorado Released Fish Record for Crappie is 18.5"
From the Colorado DOW: Introduced in 1882, crappie are now abundant in eastern Colorado waters. Crappie are a pan-shaped fish with black splotches on a silver background, whose dorsal spines and rays get longer as they approach the tail. Crappie are a schooling fish that often congregate around vertical structures. Anglers have the most success for crappies jigging by structure in the early spring. Typically, crappie weigh 1/2 to 3/4 pounds, but specimens in excess of four pounds have been caught.
