The two species in Wisconsin are very similar in appearance. The best way of telling is by examining their dorsal fins. The black crappie has seven or eight spines while the white crappie has only five or six. The black is darker with a more speckled look while the white has more distinct bars on its sides. The black is more abundant in Wisconsin. They spawn in May and June in water temperatures in the mid 60's. A large female will produce 100,000 eggs. They are prone to stunting in certain lakes and several year classes appear to be different sizes because of this. Nicknamed "paper mouth" because of the thin layers on the lips anglers must be careful when setting the hooks as they could "rip their lips off". These thin lips are useful in picking up micro-organisms or plankton while also opening large enough to eat minnows. When you catch one, your bound to catch more as they lay in schools. Stay moving fishing with small jigs or minnows in 6-10 feet of water during the spring looking for warm water. Later they will lay each next to logs or structure and in brush.