Crappie origins

[captpierre]

As a kid, never heard of crappies. Sunfish, rockbass and perch were the available panfish in southern Ontario.

 

When did crappies land on the scene? A search of the internet got me nowhere.

 

Anybody know?

[tonka-toy]

As a kid, never heard of crappies. Sunfish, rockbass and perch were the available panfish in southern Ontario.

 

When did crappies land on the scene? A search of the internet got me nowhere.

 

Anybody know?

I used to fish pigeon alot in the 90's. I first started hearing about friends targeting them around 92 93. Soon after they were so abundant we would stop at a weedline at dusk and catch as many as we wanted.Good eats and was a nice end to many musky outings.

[Garfisher]

I think they were always around in the lower great lakes, but as the water warmed, the crappies expanded their range, and with the help of canals and lock systems (as well as stocking by both the legitimate and bait bucket varieties), have been able to move around almost at free will. Thats why there's now Crappie in the Kawarthas (and Pike are doing the same in the same water system, although naturally because they hurt muskie it's a problem)

[OhioFisherman]

To the best of my knowledge they have always been in the great lakes, a native species. My dad fished for them in the 1930`s as a depression era kid and always had an outsized interest in catching them, they are great eating.

 

His first trip to the Georgian bay area was in 1961, and a family trip, my first in 1964, we caught them there then. It could be like some areas here, they will flood an area to spawn in the spring, but then become very rare to the same area mid summer? They do seem to prefer cooler water than bluegill do, and do seem to eat minnows more.

 

Mid April to early May seems to be prime time here on the bays off of lake Erie for them, once the water warms they can become a rarity to catch in the same waters, just like Northern Pike. LOL, I think the pike all head back to Canadian waters around the end of April.

 

Some inland waters here they are a year round catch, they have no where else to go.

[Tdel]

I am pretty sure they showed up in Midland Bay in the 60's, but it could have been very early 70's.

We called them Calico Bass when they first showed up.

Couldn't keep them off your hook. Good eating fish.

At the time I was more interested in catching bass than Calico Bass/Crappie.

 

Tom.

 

Edit: The Crappie loved white Beetle Spin Jigs and live minnows.

Edited March 9, 2012 by Overcast

[Terry]

lake simcoe got their crappie in the 80s

seems someone dumped a bunch of crappie in cooks bay and they grew like weeds

they hit their peek and died way off but still lots there

 

there were always sunfish, only kids from shore fished for them, the perch were always there

[Frank]

I am pretty sure they showed up in Midland Bay in the 60's, but it could have been very early 70's.

We called them Calico Bass when they first showed up.

Couldn't keep them off your hook. Good eating fish.

At the time I was more interested in catching bass than Calico Bass/Crappie.

 

Tom.

 

Edit: The Crappie loved white Beetle Spin Jigs and live minnows.

 

Calico Bass! I still call them Calico Bass and I only know two other people that do too.

Most people have no idea what I am talking about when I refer to them as "Calico Bass"

I first caught them in HUGE numbers in the late 80's in the Welland River from March till the middle of May, they are great eating but I don't keep much fish anymore so 99% of them go back.

[dave524]

Calico Bass! I still call them Calico Bass and I only know two other people that do too.

Most people have no idea what I am talking about when I refer to them as "Calico Bass"

I first caught them in HUGE numbers in the late 80's in the Welland River from March till the middle of May, they are great eating but I don't keep much fish anymore so 99% of them go back.

 

Grew up within bike range of the Welland River, caught one there in the early 60's near the mouth of Forks Creek, it was a White Crappie, only one I ever got there during lots of worm soaking trips as a teen. Next time I encountered them was at Long Point Bay when I lived there in 73/74. Caught a bunch b4 trout opener in the channels when they were spawning I presume, these were Black Crappies and up 14 inches, great eatin too Curiously, there was also big Bluegills in the channels at the same time, but you could selective chose to fish for either. I would use a 6 wt flyrod and to get Bluegills I would use a floating sponge rubber spider with rubber legs and for the crappie I would use a white maribou stream.

Come the summer neither were around in any numbers from shore.

[Tdel]

Calico Bass! I still call them Calico Bass and I only know two other people that do too.

Most people have no idea what I am talking about when I refer to them as "Calico Bass"

I first caught them in HUGE numbers in the late 80's in the Welland River from March till the middle of May, they are great eating but I don't keep much fish anymore so 99% of them go back.

 

So now you know three!!! Calico Bass.

 

Tom.

[Ron]

The first Crappie I caught on Rice Lake was in 1990, the same year my oldest daughter was born. I didn't know what it was at the time and was afraid to tough it! I first thought it was a tropical fish someone had dumped into the lake.

[smallmouth89]

So now you know three!!! Calico Bass.

 

Tom.

 

Well add me to the list. I'm 65 now but as a 12 year old kid who grew up in Toronto in a carless family, I used to hop on the streetcar and ride from my East end home to Grenadier Pond in High Park. So I guess that makes it 1958 when I would catch bullheads, small bass, sunfish and "calico bass". That pond is connected to Lake Ontario so I assume crappies have always been in the great lakes.

 

God Bless,

Don

[smallmouth89]

Well add me to the list. I'm 65 now but as a 12 year old kid who grew up in Toronto in a carless family, I used to hop on the streetcar and ride from my East end home to Grenadier Pond in High Park. So I guess that makes it 1958 when I would catch bullheads, small bass, sunfish and "calico bass". That pond is connected to Lake Ontario so I assume crappies have always been in the great lakes.

 

God Bless,

Don

 

Here.s a nice Calico I got on my flyrod.

 

 

 

God Bless,

Don

[jim]

Well add me to the list. I'm 65 now but as a 12 year old kid who grew up in Toronto in a carless family, I used to hop on the streetcar and ride from my East end home to Grenadier Pond in High Park. So I guess that makes it 1958 when I would catch bullheads, small bass, sunfish and "calico bass". That pond is connected to Lake Ontario so I assume crappies have always been in the great lakes.

 

God Bless,

Don

 

I used to do the same thing. Do you remember the little pond to the west of Genadier, that had huge gold carp?

[bigugli]

I remember catching "calicos" as a kid on 6 Mile, long time gone.

[Beans]

Well add me to the list. I'm 65 now but as a 12 year old kid who grew up in Toronto in a carless family, I used to hop on the streetcar and ride from my East end home to Grenadier Pond in High Park. So I guess that makes it 1958 when I would catch bullheads, small bass, sunfish and "calico bass". That pond is connected to Lake Ontario so I assume crappies have always been in the great lakes.

 

God Bless,

Don

 

Me too...from Queen St and Leslie...back around 1948...someone told us they were "calico bass" and that name stuck until I read about crappies in a magazine...

 

"I used to do the same thing. Do you remember the little pond to the west of Genadier, that had huge gold carp?

"

 

We used to call that "catfish pond" and used to net minnows using an old curtain to fish with in Grenadier Pond to try and catch one of those bass that the Star dumped in every year with comics names...

 

Damn...that was a long time ago...LOL

 

 

 

[captpierre]

Thanks Everybody. Looks like they moved into inland waters from the Great Lakes in the 50-60's.

 

I see that southern Ont is the northern end of their range. Likely have always been in the states.

 

Reminds me what could happen with the Asian carp.

 

I hear crappies pressure walleye populations. Eating walleye spawn or young.

 

Is this true?

[Roy]

I hear crappies pressure walleye populations. Eating walleye spawn or young.

Is this true?

 

Almost every species feed on the eggs and young of other species, including their own.

[Rod Caster]

Thanks Everybody. Looks like they moved into inland waters from the Great Lakes in the 50-60's.

 

I see that southern Ont is the northern end of their range. Likely have always been in the states.

 

Reminds me what could happen with the Asian carp.

 

I hear crappies pressure walleye populations. Eating walleye spawn or young.

 

Is this true?

 

Didn't limeyangler report catching Crappies in northwestern ontario. Apparently there are some near North Bay, but I really know nothing about that.

[Bob]

I've never seen one, only pictures. When I started fishing Elliot Lake there were no pike or perch, now there are lots.

[Big Cliff]

Does Darwins law apply? Should we be the ones to decide? Personally, I love to eat crappie so I fish for them but MNR tells us we can only take (?) depending on where you are. Are they the people that should decide? It seems to me that if it is an invasive species and going to destroy the current environment that there should be no limit on them. Same thing with pike in the Kawarthas. Why is there a limit on them? I'm just waiting for them to post a limit on Gobies and Asian Carp. Should be any day now!

[aplumma]

I have fished for them all my life but we call them (sac-a-lait) as a kid down in Louisiana but in Virginia they call them Crappie.

 

Art

[OhioFisherman]

http://www.execulink.com/~environm/Fishing/crappie.html

 

" Black crappie prefer warmer water than many fish, and you'll find their range extending into southern Canada, especially around the great lakes basin, but not into central or northern Canada. Of course, the bulk of the crappie's range is in the US, where the more southerly sun exposure warms the water to a higher degree than in the north. But all those reading this should take note, and be aware that in the water around Georgian Bay, and into the Lake Simcoe area of Ontario (Canada), crappies have been rated as OVER POPULATED in many watersheds, and thus; for those so inclined, these waters can afford excellent fishing opportunity for 'slab' crappie. "

 

http://www.fishwagon.com/Fish_Wagon/Black_Crappie.html

 

" Range

 

Black crappie are native to the eastern half of North America, from southern Manitoba and Ontario in Canada south to Florida, and as far west as Nebraska. Black crappie have been widely introduced to waters throughout North America and their range now includes nearly the entire continent, though they are found in greatest number the upper and lower Midwest, as well as the southeastern United States. "

Edited March 11, 2012 by OhioFisherman