Black Crappie

Pomoxis nigromaculatus

bass

Count the spines on the back fin. Black crappie have 7 or 8 dorsal spines, while white crappie only have 5 or 6.
Look for irregular, mottled black splotches scattered randomly across the whole body rather than vertical bars.
Check the dorsal and anal fins. Both have rows of dark spots and are similar in size and shape to each other.
The body is deep and strongly flattened side-to-side, with a large mouth that extends back to below the eye.