Calico Bass 



The crappie reaches a length of about a foot and, when 

 found in water that is not too warm or too muddy, is regarded 

 as an excellent pan-fish. As it is usually found, however, in 

 muddy water, its flavour is not devoid of the taste of its en- 

 vironment and the species is by many not regarded with very 

 high favour as a food-fish. 



As a game-fish it is held in high esteem in the South and 

 at least as far north as Washington. Among Louisiana anglers 

 this fish is said to be a great favourite. It will take a minnow 

 bait as promptly as will a black bass, but is not very pugna- 

 cious, and will not make much of a fight; besides, the mouth is 

 very tender and the hook is quite apt to tear out unless the 

 fish is handled with considerable skill. This fact, in the opinion 

 of the expert angler, more highly commends the crappie as it 

 requires greater skill in handling the tackle. 



The range of the crappie has been considerably extended 

 through the operations of the United States Fish Commission. 

 Large numbers are reclaimed every year from the overflow ponds 

 along the Mississippi and transplanted into various waters. 



Colour, silvery-olive, mottled with dark green, the dark mark- 

 ings chiefly on the upper part of the body and having a tendency 

 to form narrow vertical bars; dorsal and caudal fins marked with 

 green; anal fin pale, nearly plain; fins very high, but lower than 

 in the calico bass. 



Calico Bass 



Pomoxis sparoidcs (Lacepede) 



The calico bass is found throughout the Great Lakes region 

 and south to New Jersey and Texas. Among the Great Lakes 

 and throughout the upper Mississippi Valley it is an abundant 

 and well-known species. Like its congener, the crappie, it pre- 

 fers the lakes, ponds, bayous and sluggish lowland streams. The 

 2 species have essentially the same geographic range, the calico 

 bass, however, being the more common species northward while 

 the crappie is the more abundant in the south. 



In the lagoons about Buffalo, N. Y., as well as in the small 

 lakes of Michigan and northern Indiana it is abundant. It is also 

 very abundant in the ponds and bayous in Illinois and large 



335 



