For those who fish the streams, rivers, and lakes of North America, the two most common type of fish you’ll find are crappies and white bass. Both are quite popular and have been a staple of fishing for many years. While both fish are similar in many respects, there are some differences as well.
Crappie vs White Bass
Crappie
Sometimes called calico bass, crappie are from the genus Pomoxis and is considered a pan fish. From the genus Pomoxis, there are two basic types of crappie, white and black. The differences between white and black crappie are slight as black crappie tend to have dark spots and are shaped slightly different, but otherwise the two types ore mostly alike.
A typical adult crappie will weigh from three to four pounds. The largest ever caught was five pounds, but that is rare.
Crappie tend to feed on smaller fish which includes their own young. For the most part, they eat insects, crustaceans, and zooplankton. During the day, crappie tend to be less active and can be found near submerged logs or boulders. However, during the periods of dawn and dusk, that is when they move to more open water and feed.
White Bass
The white bass is a freshwater fish from the bass family of Moronidae. It is the state fish of Oklahoma and is also known as the silver or sand bass depending on its color. Like crappie, you can find white bass all across North America from lakes to rivers and streams. The white bass tends to range from silver-white in color to pale green.
A dark back, white belly and sides, and two dorsal fins, the white bass will usually grow to around 10” to 12” in length, though some may reach up to 17”. The largest white bass ever caught weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces, but most will weigh from four to five pounds. White bass are carnivorous, eating a wide variety of calanoid and cyclopoid copepods, leptodora, and daphnia. They are usually caught using live bait, such as minnows and worms.
For the most part, white bass do not feed on other fish, although there are exceptions. You can find them in rivers and reservoirs for most of the year. During mating season in the spring, you can find them in creeks, streams, and the shallow parts of rivers.
The Difference Between Crappie and White Bass
Crappie and white bass are similar in many ways. They tend to be found in the same locations, are close to the same size and shape, and have similar eating habits. They both use their eyes mostly to hunt for food.
However, there are some differences starting with their appearance. Crappie tend to be smaller and have different colors compared to white bass. In addition, white bass have two dorsal fins and two fins on their belly compared to the single dorsal belly fin of crappie. In addition, crappie will eat their young which is something that white bass will not do.
For those who love to fish the rivers, streams, and lakes of North America, you will find both crappie and white bass readily available.
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