Head of a crappie

This is a photo of the head of a fish called a crappie. Crappie are regarded by many freshwater fishermen as the best tasting fish of all. In Southeast Missouri crappie fishing is usually done from a boat.

Because crappie are prolific breeders, they can overpopulate a small farm pond in only a few years. There seems to be a never-ending debate on just how many acres a pond should be before stocking it with crappie. Stocking largemouth bass in the pond will help control the crappie numbers. And heavy fishing of the crappie will surely be necessary, too.

Small, live minnows or plastic jigs are the best baits for catching crappie. Best time of day to catch crappie is early morning or late evening, although they can be caught any time of day.