Many anglers might have caught crappie before that they couldn’t quite identify and didn’t even know they had caught magnolia crappie. But what exactly is magnolia crappie, and how do you go about catching them? If you don’t already know, you are about to find out!
What Are Magnolia Crappie
Magnolia crappie is actually a crossbreed between two of the most common species of crappie, the white crappie, and the black crappie. Because of this, they look fairly similar and have the same basic habits and feeding patterns. These crappies were created in order to produce crappie that is unable to reproduce. With a special system designed to give these fish three chromosomes at the cellular level instead of the standard two, these hatchery fish can be made sterile before they hatch.
The purpose of this was to be able to stock smaller bodies of water that either white or black crappie would overrun. Since magnolia crappies are unable to reproduce, they can be introduced to small bodies of water without fear of them damaging the ecosystem and still provide anglers a great fishing experience. They are getting more and more popular as a sport fishing species and continue to be placed in more and more places.
Where to Find Magnolia Crappie
While wild magnolia crappie can and do exist, they are extremely rare. Catching a wild-born one is like finding a needle in a haystack. Instead, your best bet of finding magnolia crappie is to fish in a location where they are regularly stocked by the state’s fish and game agency. A quick search will give you some bodies of water where these fish are stocked and you can go and catch them.
How to Catch Magnolia Crappie
Now that we know what they are and some ideas to find them, how do you actually catch them? Luckily, it is just as easy as catching your standard crappie. Magnolia crappie responds extremely well to spoons, jigs, crankbaits, or even the simple bobber and bait. These crappies are just as hungry and aggressive as either white or black crappie, so whatever you use for your standard crappie fishing will work just fine on the Magnolia crappie!
Final Thoughts
Magnolia crappie is truly a unique and interesting fish that are starting to become more and more popular. Because of their ability to be sterilized before hatching, they can be placed in areas that other crappie cannot. If you have ever wanted to experience a new type of crappie fishing and catch magnolia crappie, you owe it to yourself to find the nearest location of Magnolia’s and try your luck out!
Interested in checking out more information about catching crappie? Look no further than our articles on:
Crappie Fishing – the best baits, lures, tips and tricks
How To Catch Crappie Limits: 3 Tactics From The Pros
For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.
