Fish Identification
Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
A popular freshwater game fish known for its aggressive strikes and jumps.
Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
Hard-fighting bass species found in clear, rocky rivers and lakes; favored for sport fishing.
White Bass (Morone chrysops)
White bass are schooling fish known for their silvery color and black horizontal stripes.
Rock Bass (Ambloplites rupestris)
Rock bass resemble smallmouth bass but are smaller with red eyes and a chunkier body.
Peacock Bass (Cichla ocellaris)
A vividly colored and aggressive freshwater predator, native to South America but introduced to southern U.S. waters. Recognized by its ocellus (eye spot) on the tail and vivid yellow-green body with vertical bars.
Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
The largest Pacific salmon species, known for long spawning migrations and excellent flavor.
Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)
Silver-sided salmon valued for their aggressive strikes and high-energy fights in freshwater streams.
Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
Vibrant red salmon that spawn in lake systems; prized for their flavor and migration endurance.
Kokanee Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
Landlocked form of sockeye salmon found in cold, deep lakes; popular for its meat and fight.
Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
Small but numerous salmon that spawn in coastal streams; males develop a distinct hump.
Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)
Robust salmon with bold spawning features; migrate long distances to spawn in rivers.
Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)
Stocked salmon native to the Northeast; prized for their elegant movement and powerful runs.
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Vivid trout species prized by anglers and often stocked in streams and lakes.
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)
European-origin trout widely introduced across the U.S.; prefers cooler waters with moderate flow.
Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
Colorful native trout species found in cold, clean streams and spring-fed lakes; often state fish.
Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii)
Native western trout species known for red slash marks under the jaw; thrives in cold headwaters.
Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush)
Cold-water predator that prefers deep lakes; prized for its size and challenging fight.
Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Widespread American catfish found in rivers and reservoirs; known for whiskers.
Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)
Flathead catfish are large, solitary predators with a distinctive flat head and mottled brown coloring.
Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)
Massive catfish species found in big rivers; blue-gray with forked tails and known for record size catches.
Black Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus melas)
Small, hardy catfish known for black barbels and adaptability to murky, low-oxygen waters.
Brown Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus nebulosus)
Mottled brown bullhead with pale chin barbels; thrives in weedy, muddy waters and tolerates low oxygen.
Yellow Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus natalis)
Yellow-green bullhead with pale chin barbels; thrives in backwaters, ponds, and shallow creeks.
Flat Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus platycephalus)
Rare southeastern species with flat head and dark body; prefers slow, sandy-bottomed streams.
Snail Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus brunneus)
Small native catfish of southeastern streams; prefers clean, flowing water with rocky substrates.
Spotted Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus serracanthus)
Small, speckled bullhead species native to southeastern rivers; found in sand-bottomed swamps and creeks.
White Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus catus)
Fork-tailed southeastern catfish found in rivers and estuaries; identified by broad head and white barbels.
Walleye (Sander vitreus)
A popular game fish with excellent table fare; known for its nocturnal feeding and reflective eyes.
Sauger (Sander canadensis)
Sauger are closely related to walleye but adapted for turbid, flowing waters.
Northern Pike (Esox lucius)
Large predatory fish with sharp teeth, often found in cool weedy lakes and rivers across northern U.S. states.
Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy)
Top-tier freshwater predator prized for its size, rarity, and challenge among trophy anglers.
Tiger Musky (Esox masquinongy × Esox lucius)
A hybrid sport fish known for size and strength; highly sought by anglers in managed waters.
Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens)
Yellow perch are small, schooling fish recognizable by their golden-yellow bodies and dark vertical stripes.
Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
Panfish species known for its speckled appearance and popularity among anglers; prefers clear, vegetated waters.
White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis)
Common in warm, slow-moving waters; often found in reservoirs and known for excellent table fare.
Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
A common panfish in ponds and lakes, often the first fish caught by young anglers.
Pumpkinseed Sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus)
Brightly colored panfish found in clear, vegetated ponds and lakes.
Orangespotted Sunfish (Lepomis humilis)
Small sunfish species adapted to turbid streams and ponds of the central U.S.
Longear Sunfish (Lepomis megalotis)
Vibrantly colored sunfish with long ear flaps, found in warm, clear rivers and creeks.
Redear Sunfish (Lepomis microlophus)
Known as shellcrackers, these fish feed on snails and thrive in warm, weedy waters.
Warmouth (Lepomis gulosus)
A bass-like sunfish common in weedy southern waters, known for aggressive feeding.
Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus)
Small, aggressive sunfish with a large mouth, often found in urban and shallow waters.
Flier Sunfish (Centrarchus macropterus)
Shy, swamp-dwelling sunfish with rows of black spots; native to the southeastern U.S.
Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula)
Ancient, armor-plated predator known for its massive size and long snout; inhabits southern rivers and brackish waters.
Wiper (Morone saxatilis × Morone chrysops)
Hybrid sport fish known for fast runs and surface feeding frenzies; stocked in lakes and reservoirs.
Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Hardy, bottom-feeding fish introduced from Europe and Asia; adaptable to various environments and often considered invasive.
Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)
Vegetation-eating fish introduced for weed control, now common in warm southern waters.
