A Guide to Your Favorite Fish Species

For some nothing compares to the thrill of the catch! Ever wonder where you can catch the next ‘big one’?

For the angler, nothing quite compares to the rush from catching a fish. For many, it is a bonding experience between friends and family where you can enjoy the beauty of nature and place the fast paced world on hold. If you have ever wondered what you can catch in your area, this is a quick guide to the most common fish in the United States and where you will find them.

Bass, Bass, and More Bass

If you thought there was only one type of bass, you were sorely mistaken. Here in the U.S. alone, you can find nine different types of bass. However, they are broken down into two main types:

• Black Bass – This freshwater fish has six species. They can be identified by their long yellowish-greenish bodies. (Listed below from largest to smallest)
  • Large Mouth Bass – The large mouth bass can be found in lakes, ponds and rivers throughout the U.S. and Canada. They are famous fighters and very tasty. Typical weight – 1-4 pounds.
  • Small Mouth Bass - Found in the U.S., Canada, Europe and South America, the small mouth bass can be found in large lakes and streams. Typically they weigh ½ – 4 pounds.
  • Spotted Bass (a.k.a Kentucky Bass) – You will find these little guys in deep clear reservoirs across the Southern United States. They are even smaller than the small mouth bass.
  • Guadalupe – Surprise, surprise. The Guadalupe bass can be found in streams in south-central Texas.
  • Redeye - The redeye can be found in streams in the Southeast.
  • Suwannee - Another big surprise, the Suwannee can be found in rivers in Northern Florida.
• True Bass – True bass can mostly be found in the ocean.
  • Temperate Bass - Between the silver color, two fins on the back, and the bold stripes, temperate bass are easily identified. In the U.S., there are four species: White Bass, Yellow Bass, Striped Bass, and White Perch. (The White and Yellow Bass live in freshwater.)
  • Sea Bass - With over 360 species of Sea Bass, we cannot name them all here. However, the largest Sea Bass is known as the Jewfish. At a massive eight feet long and upwards of 700 pounds, the Jewfish can grow larger than humans.

Looking for Salmon?

Salmon are among the most interesting fish around. They are born in freshwater, live in saltwater, and then can swim as far as 2,000 miles to return to the freshwater to spawn. With millions caught each year, identifying them should be easy.

• Chinook Salmon (a.k.a. King Salmon) – These 30 pound plus fish can be found anywhere from San Francisco bay to north of the Bering Strait in Alaska.
• Chum Salmon (a.k.a. Dog, Keta, or Calico Salmon) – While many link chum to shark bait, it really is a common Salmon. You can find chum in rivers from Sacramento to the Mackenzie River in Canada.
• Coho Salmon (a.k.a. Silver Salmon) ­- Found in clear-running springs, you might spot this Salmon in Alaska or British Columbia.
• Pink Salmon – Besides finding it in a can in the grocery aisle, you can find this fish in Northern California and throughout the Northern Pacific. Its average weight is 3½ pounds.
• Sockeye Salmon (a.k.a Red Salmon) – You can find this fish in California and up towards the Canadian Arctic. They feed on plankton.
• Atlantic Salmon – This fish is found in the Atlantic Ocean, in rivers going to the Atlantic, and in the North Pacific.

The Pike: Nature’s Fighters

The pike is a freshwater fish known for its appetite and fighting qualities. They are long, skinny, and have a duckbill shaped snout.

• Northern Pike – Northern Pike can be found in small lakes in Canada and in the upper Mississippi Valley. They grow to four feet in length and can weigh more than 40 pounds.
• Muskellunge - The largest of the pike, it can be bigger than six feet and weigh more than 100 pounds. They can live about 25 years and live in the lakes and rivers of southern Canada. They also can be found in the upper Mississippi, Great Lakes, and St. Lawrence and Ohio Rivers.
• Pickerel - Small but ferocious, the Pickerel are freshwater fish.

Trout: Relative of Salmon

The most famous of trout is the Rainbow trout. Most species live in freshwater and streams. They have strong teeth and streamlined bodes.

Catfish: Tasty Bottomfeeders

The two pairs of whiskers on catfish are known as barbells. Unlike other fish, the catfish has no scales. With over 2,000 species living in various waters, identifying each type is difficult. The Channel Catfish is the most commonly fished variety in the U.S.

While the Channel Catfish can get up to 70 pounds, they are not the biggest. The European Catfish can grow 10 feet long and can weigh more than 400 pounds. The smallest, the Glass Catfish, is only 4 inches long.

Bluegill: Travel in Schools

Anglers finding a Bluegill are in luck. They travel in schools and the best time to catch them is at sunrise and sunset. They have a gold underbelly while the rest of the body remains a bluish-green color. They are found in freshwater across the U.S.