# Have you ever seen a crappie like this?



## TheCream

Caught this on my fly rod outing on the Hocking on Saturday morning. I caught a couple of crappies, but this one was colored unlike any crappie I have ever caught.

Looks normal here:










But look at the top view:










That black line down its back was incredibly bold and dark. I don't remember ever seeing a crappie like that and I have caught tons of them in my life. Has anyone else ever seen this?


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## crittergitter

I think it's a parasite. I've seen that black stuff on river bass. 

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## Scum_Frog

There has been a ton of studies on fish with black spots....mainly being largemouth but also on other species.....only conclusive thing that I have read and they have all agreed on is that its just a hyper-pigmentation....pretty much just meaning discoloration and predominately black spots....not a parasite or anything. Some people have done studies also and have noticed the spots occuring after the fish has been caught and where the angler had held the fish. Which I think is neat as long as it does not harm the fish which it seems like its not doing so. I read online a guy if I remember right out in california caught a largemouth and had a human hand print on the side of the bass where the angler had caught it! IDK if theres a photo out there or not! Cool catch though with the crappie!!


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## TheCream

Scum_Frog said:


> There has been a ton of studies on fish with black spots....mainly being largemouth but also on other species.....only conclusive thing that I have read and they have all agreed on is that its just a hyper-pigmentation....pretty much just meaning discoloration and predominately black spots....not a parasite or anything. Some people have done studies also and have noticed the spots occuring after the fish has been caught and where the angler had held the fish. Which I think is neat as long as it does not harm the fish which it seems like its not doing so. I read online a guy if I remember right out in california caught a largemouth and had a human hand print on the side of the bass where the angler had caught it! IDK if theres a photo out there or not! Cool catch though with the crappie!!


So this fish could just have a mean streak?


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## Eriesteamer

It is dr Jerkles expermenting gone wroung LOL


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## Rivergetter

I've seen alot of bass with the black spots. But never a crappie. That's a cool catch


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## Salmonid

actually I have a pond full of them... its a common Black crappie variety called a Black Nose black Crappie, many hatcheries including ATAC ( site sponsor) where I got mine from carry them as well as folks I know who have them in there ponds also have gotten them from Jones Fish hatchery also, 
Im sure I have a bunch of pictures of some but they look just like that. Not uncommon at all from locally stocked ponds but maybe more so from a river where he probably came from a stocked pond. Nice fish and I love they way they look!

Salmonid


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## sbreech

The equivelent of fish freckles.


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## jonnythfisherteen2

I've always noticed that scaled fish turn dark like that upon death.


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## Crappieman420

No I've never seen any thing like that before and I'm a crappie fisherman. In all my years and the thousands of crappie I've caught that is a new one to me. Its pretty cool tho! 

Land Big Fish !!!!


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## Gills63

I've got a couple spots I see crappie like that.

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## chaunc

It's a blacknose crappie. Pretty common in a lot of southern waters like in Tennessee and kentucky. Been catching them for years down that way. Got one this april. See if i can find the pictures i took of it.


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## TheCream

chaunc said:


> It's a blacknose crappie. Pretty common in a lot of southern waters like in Tennessee and kentucky. Been catching them for years down that way. Got one this april. See if i can find the pictures i took of it.


That's awesome! Looks like a fat crappie, too.


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## BassSlayerChris

Fish are just like chameleons and adapt their color to there surroundings. Bass get these dark black spots too from staying in very dark areas such as thick thick weed beds. Atleast thats what I was told. But I agree with the other guy. Must of had a mean streak 


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## Snyd

Looks like a pretty fish!


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## JIMS SVT

All of them down at Jones fish hatchery is that way in there holding tanks.


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## CATMAN447

Oddly enough, I caught one last week on the Hocking also. I posted a thread "striped crappie." Some guys replied back that it is a "black nose crappie." I'd never heard of them, so I checked online and sure enough, black nose crappie. Must be a small population of them in the Hocking.


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## chaunc

They're some mean suckers too. Had one jump clean out of the water last spring. Thought it was a bass at first.


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