CRAPPIE, WHITE
The White Crappie is a freshwater fish found in North America, one of the two crappie species. Taken together, crappie(white and black combined) is one of the most popular panfish. The crappie group is the third most preferred group overall, ranking behind only Bass and Catfish. They live in freshwater and are one of the most popular game fish among anglers.
White Crappies are very similar in appearance to Black Crappies. They have 5–10 vertical bars along their body, rather than the randomly scattered spots like the Black Crappie. It has a silvery color with green or brown shades along its back, with dark lateral bars along its side and a white belly. The dorsal fin of the White Crappie starts further back on the body than that of the Black Crappie. White Crappies are also slightly more elongated than Black Crappie.The species is a deep-bodied fish with a flattened body. It has spinous rays and ctenoid scales. Both species of crappie have a terminal mouth with many small conical teeth. The teeth occur in two rows along the mouth and are called cardiform, because they resemble a tool used for wool carding.
The simple, old-fashioned pole is used by most White Crappie fishermen, and it's quite effective. You can use an inexpensive cane pole or a fiber or graphite pole. Lightweight poles are usually best when you're fishing for White Crappie.If you're fishing for crappie with a jig you should use a loop knot. This type of fishing knot will allow the jig to move more freely when casted. In addition, it provides White Crappie with a subtle movement that is very enticing when done vertically to the fish. One of the best setups for crappie is to use a #6 hook, a small split shot, a live minnow and a slip bobber. The slip bobber will allow you adjust for any depth while not sacrificing casting ability. Hook the minnow either through both lips or just behind the top dorsal fin. White Crappie can usually be found between three and six feet(0,9-1,82m) of water.
White Crappie are known to have a soft lip. This means that they can tear easily and shake your hook if the line isn't kept tight enough. Luckily White Crappie will put up a decent fight, so keeping your line tight shouldn't be a difficult task. White Crappie will give you more action if you are slow and steady with your jig and/or minnow. Try to avoid retrieving your cast too quickly. If you're not getting any action and you know crappie are in the area then try slowing down.
International
The native range of White Crappie included the area west of the Appalachian Mountains north to southern Ontario and south to the Gulf of Mexico. The range extended west to Minnesota and South Dakota in the north, and to northeastern Mexico in the south. Today the range extends east to the Atlantic coast, and west to include California and portions of Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, Colorado, Utah, and North Dakota.