Now is the time to load up on big Speckled Perch (aka “Crappie” as our northern friends call them). As we move into the colder Winter months, the speckled perch bite heats up. It’s a fishery I look forward to every year, from about November through February. These fish are among the best table fare in our freshwater haunts, and an angling tradition passed down from generation to generation.
The native range for Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) in North America extends from Virginia to Florida along the Atlantic coast, and southwest along the Gulf of Mexico from the western panhandle of Florida across to Texas. Black crappie can also be found within the St. Lawrence River, the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River basins. They have also expanded into much of the westernmost states, as well.
Adult crappie are found in freshwater lakes, reservoirs, ponds, sloughs, backwaters pools and streams. They prefer cover, such as vegetation, fallen trees, lily pads and rocks. They often form in large schools, in clear water, among vegetation over mud or sand. In the Spring during spawning season, male crappie begin building nests by clearing sand, mud or gravel from the water bottom in preparation for the egg laying females to arrive. After spawning, male crappie guard the nest for approximately five days, or until the juvenile fish begin to emerge from their eggs and begin to feed.
These fish can be abundant and, when you find a school of them, it’s often hours of fun that the entire family can enjoy. The daily bag limit for most Florida waters is 25 fish per angler and no size limit. There are some exceptions such as Lake Okeechobee, Lake Talquin, and Lake Griffin, where any crappie under 10 inches must be released. In addition, The Tenoroc and Mosaic Fish Management Areas under FWC management have a bag limit of 10.
Use a light wire #4 hook and a small split shot lead with or without a float, based on the water depth. Minnows are the bait of choice. Speck anglers typically use several rods, fishing at different depths until they pinpoint concentrations of fish. Crappie also readily strike artificials; 1/16 to 1/8 oz. feathered or curly-tail jigs in white, yellow, pink and chartreuse are popular.
I started speck fishing at the age of 14, having spent much of my adolescent and teen years on a large, spring-fed lake in Land O’ Lakes, Florida. My neighbor, John Williams, and I would hit the lake at first light in a tiny john boat and head to our favorite spots. We had one advantage – every Winter, we would gather up all the Christmas trees that were put out by the curb, wrap them tightly with cinder blocks, and sink them in various spots. This created a perfect reef for both bait and predator fish. We’d sink the trees from 15 to 25 feet of water and use a land reference to find them (pre-GPS days).
Another way to find specks is to fish shallow around lily pads. This is a preferred method for many speck anglers, using long man-made or cane poles to reach out to the pads, rather than cast. It’s not uncommon to see pontoon or bass boats with 5 to10 poles spread out across the deck. Another method is to slow drift an area until you find the bite. For some it’s not a season, but a way of life. You know who the diehards are when you see boats named: Crappie Coral, Speckled Spotter, Crappie King, Slab City, and so on.
Perhaps the number one reason these fish have such a loyal following is that they are just downright delicious! Their buttery, pure white fillets can be baked, grilled, broiled, etc. But, the number one way to cook up a mess of them, in true southern culture, is to put them to the grease. There’s nothing quite like a plateful of deep-fried speckled perch with a side of baked beans and cheese grits to share with friends and family on a cool Sunday afternoon. Just add some sweet tea, some Allman Brothers Band and front porch rocking chairs, and life is good.