Black crappie in the north. White crappie have a higher growth rate in terms of length than black crappie. Most fish that are caught for sport are between 2 and 5 years old. The breeding season varies by location, due to the species' great range. Breeding temperature is 14‒20 °C (58‒68 °F) and spawning occurs in spring and early summer. Spawning occurs in a nest built by the male. Males use their bodies and tails to sweep out an area of sand or mud in shallow water (between one and six feet deep) usually near a shoreline and vegetation to create a
White crappie found in advanced teleosts. The exposed part of the scale has tiny tooth-like projections (cteni). Both species of crappies have a terminal mouth position with many small, conical teeth in two rows along the mouth and are called cardiform because they resemble a tool used for wool carding. Crappies belong to the family Centrarchidae in the infraclass Teleostei, which is one of three infraclasses in the class Actinopterygii. The white crappie rarely exceeds , and typically lives 2–7 years. The species is generally about in length as an adult. The current for all-tackle fishing world record for a white crappie