NAME THAT FISH

1. NAME THAT FISH A F AMERICAN SHAD BLUE CATFISH BROWN BULLHEAD CHAIN PICKEREL STRIPED BASS BOWFIN YELLOW BULLHEAD CHANNEL CATFISH REDFIN PICKEREL FLATHEAD CATFISH WHITE BASS G B C H I D K J E Illustration Source: www.floridafisheries.com

2. Redfin Pickerel D REDFIN PICKEREL (Esoxamericanus): Redfin pickerels have 15 to 36 dark, wavy vertical bars and reddish-orange lower fins. There is a dark, backward slanting bar below the eye. The snout is shorter and broader than that of a chain pickerel. The cheek and gill covers are completely scaled. It is usually found among heavy growths of aquatic plants in sluggish streams, in shallow coves of lakes or in ponds.

3. NAME THAT FISH A F AMERICAN SHAD BLUE CATFISH BROWN BULLHEAD CHAIN PICKEREL STRIPED BASS BOWFIN YELLOW BULLHEAD CHANNEL CATFISH REDFIN PICKEREL FLATHEAD CATFISH WHITE BASS G B C H I D K J E Illustration Source: www.floridafisheries.com

4. Chain Pickerel E CHAIN PICKEREL (Esox niger): Chain pickerels are deep olive-green on the back, shading to a creamy yellow on the belly. Olive green blotches are present within distinct black, chain-like or interwoven markings on the sides. There is a distinct dark, vertical bar below the eye. The cheek and gill covers are completely covered by scales. Chains are normally found in vegetated lakes, swamps, and backwaters of small to large rivers.

5. NAME THAT FISH A F AMERICAN SHAD BLUE CATFISH BROWN BULLHEAD CHAIN PICKEREL STRIPED BASS BOWFIN YELLOW BULLHEAD CHANNEL CATFISH REDFIN PICKEREL FLATHEAD CATFISH WHITE BASS G B C H I D K J E Illustration Source: www.floridafisheries.com

6. Bowfin F BOWFIN (Amia calva): The bowfin is the only living representative of an ancient family of fishes. It has an air bladder which functions as a lung and is often seen near the water’s surface gulping mouthfuls of air. It is easily recognized by its flattened head, long stout body, large mouth full of sharp teeth, long dorsal fin and rounded tail. The body is olive-green above, shading to pale yellow or cream on the belly. Males have a dark spot with a bright orange halo on the upper part of the tail fin. It prefers swamps, deep pools and backwaters of lowland streams.

7. NAME THAT FISH A F AMERICAN SHAD BLUE CATFISH BROWN BULLHEAD CHAIN PICKEREL STRIPED BASS BOWFIN YELLOW BULLHEAD CHANNEL CATFISH REDFIN PICKEREL FLATHEAD CATFISH WHITE BASS G B C H I D K J E Illustration Source: www.floridafisheries.com

8. American Shad G AMERICAN SHAD: This fish is green or greenish blue with a metallic luster on the back and silvery sides. The body is compressed and the upper jaw has a notch in the middle. There may be a few spots on the sides behind shoulder spot. The chest and abdomen have a series of bony scutes. Shad are filter feeders and have very long gill rakers for collecting plankton. Once very abundant, over fishing has greatly reduced its numbers. Extensive restocking efforts are underway.

9. NAME THAT FISH A F AMERICAN SHAD BLUE CATFISH BROWN BULLHEAD CHAIN PICKEREL STRIPED BASS BOWFIN YELLOW BULLHEAD CHANNEL CATFISH REDFIN PICKEREL FLATHEAD CATFISH WHITE BASS G B C H I D K J E Illustration Source: www.floridafisheries.com

10. Blue Catfish H BLUE CATFISH (Ictalurusfurcatus): Adult fish have stout bodies with prominently humped backs in front of the dorsal fin. They resemble channel catfish with deeply forked tails, but are unspotted and have a long, straight-edged anal fin with 30 to 35 rays. The back and upper sides are blue to slate gray, and the lower sides and belly are white. Adults can reach 100 pounds. The species is voracious and its introduction has created concern about its impact on other species.

11. NAME THAT FISH A F AMERICAN SHAD BLUE CATFISH BROWN BULLHEAD CHAIN PICKEREL STRIPED BASS BOWFIN YELLOW BULLHEAD CHANNEL CATFISH REDFIN PICKEREL FLATHEAD CATFISH WHITE BASS G B C H I D K J E Illustration Source: www.floridafisheries.com

12. Flathead Catfish I FLATHEAD CATFISH (Pylodictis olivaris): A flattened head, tiny eyes, square tail and protruding lower jaw distinguish the flathead from other catfish and place it in a genus of its own. Flatheads are yellow-brown and usually mottled above, with a creamy-white or yellow belly. Small flatheads may be confused with yellow or brown bullheads. They reach weights well over 50 pounds and can have a devastating effect on native fisheries. Flatheads are found mainly in large rivers and their major tributaries.

13. NAME THAT FISH A F AMERICAN SHAD BLUE CATFISH BROWN BULLHEAD CHAIN PICKEREL STRIPED BASS BOWFIN YELLOW BULLHEAD CHANNEL CATFISH REDFIN PICKEREL FLATHEAD CATFISH WHITE BASS G B C H I D K J E Illustration Source: www.floridafisheries.com

14. Striped Bass J STRIPED BASS (Morone saxatilis): The striper, or rockfish, is the largest member of the temperate bass family, reaching over 40 pounds. Body coloration is olive-green to blue-gray on the back with silvery to brassy sides and white on the belly. It is easily recognized by the seven or eight prominent black, uninterrupted horizontal stripes along the sides. The striper is longer and sleeker and has a larger head than its close but smaller relative, the white bass. The species is anadromous, migrating from the ocean up river to spawn.

15. NAME THAT FISH A F AMERICAN SHAD BLUE CATFISH BROWN BULLHEAD CHAIN PICKEREL STRIPED BASS BOWFIN YELLOW BULLHEAD CHANNEL CATFISH REDFIN PICKEREL FLATHEAD CATFISH WHITE BASS G B C H I D K J E Illustration Source: www.floridafisheries.com

16. White Bass K WHITE BASS (Moronechrysops): The white bass looks similar to a shortened version of its larger relative, the striped bass. It is silvery-white overall with five to eight horizontal dusky black stripes along the sides. Stripes below the lateral line are faint and often broken in an irregular pattern. It differs from the striped bass most noticeably with its shorter, stockier body with a smaller head, and the dorsal fins are set closer together. The white bass has a deep body, is strongly arched behind head, and has a deep notch between dorsal fins. White bass are found in large lakes and streams connected to major river systems and in rivers with moderate current and rarely exceed 3 pounds.

17. NAME THAT FISH A F A. YELLOW BULLHEAD B. BROWN BULLHEAD C. CHANNEL CATFISH D. REDFIN PICKEREL E. CHAIN PICKEREL F. BOWFIN G. AMERICAN SHAD H. BLUE CATFISH I. FLATHEAD CATFISH J. STRIPED BASS K. WHITE BASS G B C H I D K J E Illustration Source: www.floridafisheries.com