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What Is the Crappie Limit in 2023? (State-By-State Guide)

What Is the Crappie Limit in 2023? (State-By-State Guide)

Crappies are one of the most popular game fish in the US and a species that is found in almost every state.

Knowing how many fish you are allowed to take home is very important! Unfortunately, this vital information isn’t always that easy to find online.

In fact, most bag and length limits are buried in old-fashioned fishing guide PDFs or hidden somewhere on a DNR page. That’s why I checked the crappie limit for every state and wrote this comprehensive guide. I hope you’ll find it useful and that it’ll save you some valuable time.

If you want to know the daily bag, possession, and size limit for crappie in your state, or any other, for that matter, this article is for you!

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Alabama

Alabama has a daily crappie limit of 30 fish and a general minimum size limit of 9 inches.

These limits apply to most Alabama public waters, including the Aliceville and Pickwick Reservoirs.

For more detailed information about Alabama fishing laws and a list of waters exempt from the size limit for crappie, please visit Alabama Fishing

Please note that Alabama Fishing has announced that “bag limits have not been finalized and are subject to change pending final review.”

Arizona

Arizona’s daily bag limit for crappie is unlimited, and there is no minimum length limit for the species in this state.

For more detailed information about Arizona’s fishing regulations and waters with special regulations, please check the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Fishing Regulations Section.

Arkansas

You can catch both black and white crappie in the state of Arkansas.

The state’s daily bag limit for white and black crappie combined is 30, and the possession limit is triple the daily limit.

There is no statewide minimum length limit for crappie in Arkansas, but there can be both still and flowing waters with special regulations!

You can find more detailed information in the sections Regulations for Arkansas Lakes and Regulations for Flowing Waters at Arkansas Fishing. 

Colorado

Both black and white crappie are found in the state of Colorado.

The daily bag limit and possession limit for black and white crappie (in aggregate) is 20. In aggregate means that the bag limit can consist of one crappie species or a mix of both species.

There is no statewide minimum length limit for crappie in Colorado.

Please note that there can be certain waters where special fishing regulations apply.

Visit the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Colorado Fishing Brochure for more detailed information. 

Connecticut

Connecticut has no daily bag limit and no minimum length limit for panfish (including crappie, yellow perch, rock bass, and all types of sunfish).

These regulations apply to all areas of the state.

The panfish season in Connecticut is open year-round, except in areas that are closed to fishing during certain periods of the year.

For more information about Connecticut’s fishing regulations, please visit Connecticut Fishing

Delaware

In Delaware, the daily bag limit for panfish (including white perch, yellow perch, crappie, bluegill & pumpkinseed) is 50 fish. You are not allowed to bag more than 25 fish of one species.

The state doesn’t have any minimum size limit for panfish, and the panfish season is open year-round.

For more detailed information, please visit Delaware Fishing.

Florida

In Florida, the statewide daily bag limit for crappie (also called speckled perch) is 25. There is no statewide minimum size limit for the species it this state.

Please note that certain waters may have special bag and length limits for crappie!

For more detailed information about these waters and their special regulations, please visit Florida Freshwater Fishing.

Georgia

Georgia has a daily bag limit of 30 black and/or white crappie.

The state does not have any minimum size limit for this species.

Please visit Georgia Fishing for more detailed information and special regulations for certain waters.

Idaho

There is no statewide daily bag, possession, or size limit for crappie in Idaho.

However, as regulations vary between regions of the state, make sure always to check the rules for the area you are fishing in so you don’t miss possible special regulations.

For more detailed information about all the regions’ fishing regulations, please visit Idaho Fishing.

Illinois

Illinois doesn’t have any statewide daily bag or minimum length limits for white, black, or hybrid crappie.

However, there are waters that may have special regulations for crappie.

Please visit the I Fish Illinois Fishing Regulations for more detailed information. 

Indiana

The daily bag limit for crappie is 25 in the state of Indiana. There is no general minimum size limit for crappie.

However, some states and border waters have special harvest and size limits for this species.

Please visit Indiana Fishing for more detailed information about Indiana fishing and special regulations.

Iowa

On public waters, the daily bag limit for crappie is 25. There is no possession limit on public waters and no daily limit on private waters.

The Mississippi River and its connected backwaters have special regulations for crappie. Here, there is a daily bag limit of 25 and a possession limit of 50 for crappie.

The state of Iowa does not have any minimum length limit for crappie.

Please visit Iowa General Resources for more detailed information. 

Kansas

In Kansas, the creel limit for crappie is 50 fish.

There is no minimum length limit for crappie in Kansas.

Please visit the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ Fishing Regulations section for more information about fishing in Kansas.

Kentucky

You can fish for black and white crappie in the state of Kentucky.

The daily bag limit for black and white crappie (single or combined) is 20, and the possession limit is 40.

There is no minimum size limit for crappie in this state.

Check out Kentucky Fishing for more detailed information about the state’s fishing regulations. 

Maryland

The daily bag limit for crappie in Maryland is 15, and the possession limit is 30.

There is no minimum length limit for crappie in this state, and the crappie season is open year-round.

You can visit Maryland Fishing to get more information about the state’s fishing regulations.

RELATED ARTICLE: 3 Top Picks for the Best Crappie Landing Nets

Massachusetts

The state of Massachusetts doesn’t have any daily bag or minimum size limit for crappie.

Please visit the Mas.gov Freshwater Fishing Regulations section for more information about the state’s fishing regulations.

Michigan

The daily bag limit for sunfish species (including black and white crappies, bluegill, green and hybrid sunfish, longear, pumpkinseed, redear, rock bass, and warmouth) is 25 in any combination.

There is no minimum size limit for crappie in Michigan, and the fishing season is open year-round.

For more information, please visit the Michigan Fishing Guide (General fishing regulations: pages 12-14).

Minnesota

You can catch both white, black, and hybrid crappie in Minnesota.

The possession limit for crappie in this state is 10 (combined total). There is no minimum size limit for this species.

The crappie season in Minnesota is year-round.

You can find more information about the state’s fishing regulations in the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Fishing Regulations section

Missouri

Missouri is home to both black and white crappie.

The daily size limit for crappie in this state is 30, and the possession limit is 60. There is no minimum size limit for the species in this state.

For more detailed information, visit the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Crappie Regulations section.

Please note that there are special area regulations for select Missouri waters!

Find out more about the areas with special regulations for crappie here.

Montana

Montana has a Western, Central, and Eastern Fishing district, and limits for crappie vary between these three districts.

Western District: No daily, possession, or minimum size limit for crappie.

Central District: Daily bag limit 15, possession limit: 30. No minimum size limit.

Eastern District: Daily bag limit 15, possession limit: 30. No minimum size limit.

You can visit the Montana Fishing Regulations Guide for more detailed information.

Nebraska

Nebraska is home to various panfish species, including black and white crappie, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, green sunfish, redear sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, rock bass, bluegill, and bluegill/green sunfish hybrid.

The daily bag limit for all panfish types is 15 (in aggregate), and the possession limit is 30 (in aggregate).

Please note that there are several waters with special panfish regulations!

Please visit the Nebraska Game and Parks Fishing Guide for more detailed information about general and special fishing regulations in Nebraska.

Nevada

This state has a unique bag limit for game fish, meaning that the allowed total number of crappie in your bag and possession can vary between different waters and regions.

The state has a Western, Southern, and Eastern fishing region. Please go through the respective region’s regulations thoroughly before your trip!

You can find all the necessary information about Nevada’s fishing regions here.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire is home to only black crappie.

The daily bag limit for crappie (as well as white and yellow perch, sunfish, and horned pout) is 25 (each species), and the possession limit is 50 (total combined).

There is no minimum length limit for crappie in New Hampshire.

Please note that there may be waters with special fishing regulations for crappie!

For more detailed information about general and special fishing regulations, please visit New Hampshire Freshwater Fishing.

New Jersey

You can fish for both black and white crappie in New Jersey.

The daily bag limit for crappie is 10 (combined), and the minimum size limit is 8 inches.

Visit New Jersey Freshwater Fishing for more detailed information.

New Mexico

New Mexico has a daily bag limit of 20 and a possession limit of 40 crappies.

There is no minimum size limit for crappie in this state.

For more information about fishing regulations, check out the New Mexico Game and Fish Warm Water Regulations section.

RELATED ARTICLE: What Is the Maximum Size of Crappie?

New York

You can catch both black and white crappie in the state of New York.

The daily bag limit for crappie is 25, and the minimum size limit for this species is 10 inches.

The crappie fishing season is open year-round.

Please note that special regulations may apply for the state’s nine different fishing regions and various lakes and rivers (examples include the tidal Hudson River, the Finger Lakes, the Great Lakes, and other border waters).

For more detailed information about the statewide and special area and water regulations, visit New York Fishing.

North Carolina

You can fish for both black and white crappie in the state of North Carolina.

There is no daily bag, possession, or minimum size limit for crappie in any of the state’s public fishing waters.

However, there are a few waters with special regulations for crappie. In these waters, the daily bag limit for black and white crappie is 20 (in combination), and the minimum size limit is 8 inches.

For a complete list of the waters with special fishing regulations for crappie, please visit the North Carolina Fishing warm water fishing regulations section.

North Dakota

In the state of North Dakota, the daily bag limit of crappie is 10, and the possession limit is 20.

There is no minimum size limit for the species in this state.

Please note that there are a few exceptions to the statewide limits!

Please check the North Dakota Fishing Regulations Guide for more detailed information about general and special fishing regulations. 

Ohio

There is no statewide daily bag or size limit for crappie in Ohio.

However, please note that there are special crappie fishing regulations for the following waters and border waters in Ohio:

  • Lake Erie and tributaries
  • Ohio River
  • Various inland lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and streams

Please check out the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Fishing Regulations for more information about these site-specific regulations.

Oklahoma

You can fish for both black and white crappie in the state of Oklahoma.

The combined daily bag limit for black and white crappie in this state is 37. There is no minimum size limit for crappie in Oklahoma.

Please note that Oklahoma has a list of public fishing areas with special regulations!

For more detailed information about these public fishing areas, please visit Oklahoma Fishing

Oregon

Oregon is divided into several angling zones. There is no daily bag limit for crappie in any of the state’s zones, and most of them do not have a minimum size limit either.

The crappie season is generally open year-round in lakes and during trout season in rivers and streams.

However, there are exceptions for both size limits, season lengths, and types of fishing methods, lures, and basis that are allowed to use.

Please visit Oregon Fishing for more detailed information about the state’s angling zones and waters with special regulations.

Pennsylvania

For crappie, as well as for sunfish, yellow perch, white perch, catfish, rock bass, suckers, carp, white bass, and bowfin, the daily bag limit is 50 (combined species) in the state of Pennsylvania.

The crappie season is open year-round, and there is no minimum size limit for the species in this state.

Please note that special regulations may apply for crappie in certain waters!

For more detailed information, please visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Fishing Regulations section (check the Summary Book). 

Rhode Island

Rhode Island doesn’t have a daily bag, possession, or minimum length limit for crappie. Furthermore, there is no closed season for the species in this state.

For more detailed information, check Rhode Island Freshwater Fishing

South Carolina

South Carolina has a possession limit (per person per day) of 20 crappie and a minimum size limit of 8 inches.

You can visit South Carolina Fishing for more detailed information about regulations and on measuring fish correctly.

South Dakota

South Dakota has a daily bag limit of 15 and a possession limit of 30 crappies. There is no minimum length limit for the species in this state.

Please note that South Dakota has several areas and waters with special bag and size limits for crappie!

For more information about these areas and their special regulations, please visit the South Dakota Fishing Handbook.

RELATED ARTICLE: What Time of Year Is the Crappie Spawn?

Tennessee

In Tennessee, the daily bag limit for crappie is 15, and the minimum size limit is 10 inches.

In the state’s Region 1, there is a crappie exception with a daily bag limit of 30 and no size limit.

Please note that there may also be certain waters with special regulations!

You can find more information via the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

Texas

You can catch both white, black, and hybrid crappie in the state of Texas.

The daily bag limit for crappie in this state is 25 (in any combination), and the minimum length limit is 10 inches.

Please note that certain waters in Texas may have special regulations!

Please visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Freshwater Bag and Length Limit section for more detailed information.

Utah

The state of Utah has a daily bag limit of 50 crappies. There is no minimum length limit for the species in this state.

Please note that several Utah waters may have special regulations for crappie fishing!

For more detailed information, please visit the Utah Fishing Guidebook

Vermont

In Vermont, the daily bag limit for crappie is 25, and the minimum size limit is 8 inches. The fishing season for crappie is open year-round.

These regulations apply to all waterbodies in the state of Vermont and to open-water and ice fishing.

Check Vermont Fishing for more detailed information about the state’s fishing regulations. 

Virginia

You can catch both white and black crappie in the state of Virginia.

The statewide daily bag limit for crappie is 25 (combined). There is no statewide minimum size limit.

Please note that several Virginia waters have special regulations for crappie fishing!

You can find out more about these waters and their special regulations by visiting Virginia Fishing.

Washington

There is no daily bag, possession, or minimum size limit for crappie in the state of Washington.

For more information about Washington’s fishing regulations, check Washington Fishing

West Virginia

You can catch both black and white crappie in the state of West Virginia.

The daily bag limit for black and white crappie in this state is 30 (combined), and the possession limit is 60 (combined). There is no minimum length limit for the species in this state.

Please note that certain waters may have special area regulations for crappie!

Please check the West Virginia DNR Fishing Regulations Summary for more detailed information about these water and their special regulations.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin has a general daily bag limit for panfish, including bluegill, pumpkinseed, yellow perch,
white and black crappie. That daily bag limit (in total) is 25.

There is no minimum size limit for crappie in this state, and the crappie season is open year-round.

See the Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations for more detailed information.

Wyoming

Wyoming has a statewide general daily bag and possession limit of 50 for the following species: yellow perch, black bullhead, stonecat, crappie, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, green sunfish, green sunfish-bluegill hybrid, freshwater drum (in combination).

Please visit Wyoming Fishing for more information about the state’s fishing regulations.


Disclaimer: strikeandcatch.com assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions of the presented information. The information contained in this article is provided on an “as is” basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness, or timeliness.


Essential Gear Tips

If you’re looking for solid and reliable crappie fishing gear, these tips might be useful for you.

This gear and tackle is of top quality and sells at a very decent price on Amazon:

Fenwick Eagle 7′ Light Crappie Spinning Rod

A solid and popular all-around spinning rod! This Fenwick rod is lightweight, has great sensitivity, and phenomenal action. Fits both beginners and seasoned anglers. A 6’6” or 7′ light rod is your best pick for crappies.

Pflueger President 10 Spinning Reel

An affordable high-performance spinning reel that’s perfect for crappie. Pflueger spells high quality and awesome durability! Makes for a great combo together with the Fenwick spinning rod. A size 10 is a solid choice for crappie!

Power Pro Braid

One of the best braids available today! Zero stretch, great feel, and immense strength make this line the perfect pick for crappie! Use a 6-8lb test in open water and a 10-15lb test when fishing near or in heavy cover.

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featured image courtesy of Brian Harford