Top 14 Popular Fish Species of North America

Popular Fish Species of North America 

Fish are some of the most interesting creatures on earth! They come in an amazing variety of species and sizes. They live in virtually all waters where their life basics are available to them. Some are predators; they feed on other fish and aquatic creatures. Others are prey species, spending their lives in danger of being gobbled by larger fish that share their waters.
The first step in learning to catch fish is learning about fish: which species are available, where they can be found, and what they eat. The more you know about your target species' life habits, the more likely you are to catch them. Many expert anglers learn even the smallest details about the daily patterns of the fish they're after. This helps them locate the fish and select just the right bait and technique to make them bite. 
Following is a brief look at the freshwater fish species that are most popular with North American anglers. As your fishing skills grow and you become more specialized, you should add to this knowledge until you have a broad understanding of where to find individual species and what to do to catch them under varying conditions.

Black Bass 

Many authorities consider black bass to be the most important fish in North America. Actually, this group (genus Micropterus) includes three popular species: largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and spotted bass. These fish are closely related genetically, but they differ in the waters they prefer, favorite foods, spawning habits, and other life basics. 
The largemouth is the most abundant bass, and it grows larger than smallmouth or spotted bass. Largemouth lives in natural lakes, reservoirs, rivers, streams, and ponds from Mexico to Canada and from the East Coast to the West Coast. These fish normally feed and rest in quiet, relatively shallow water, and they like to hold around such cover as vegetation, rocks, logs, stumps, brush, etc.
As with many species, largemouth bass grows bigger in southern states where warmer weather provides a longer growing season. In Florida, Georgia, Texas, southern California, Mexico and other southern climes, largemouths over 15 pounds are occasionally boated. On the other hand, in northern states and Canadian provinces, largemouths over 7 pounds are rare. The world-record largemouth bass was caught in south Georgia in 1932. It weighed 22 pounds 4 ounces. 
The largemouth bass is predators that eat a wide range of foods. Their primary diet consists of baitfish, crawfish, frogs, and insects, but they will also strike baby ducks, mice, snakes any virtually any other living creature that it can swallow.
Smallmouth bass prefer clearer, cooler waters than largemouth. They like a rocky or sandy environment, and they adapt well to medium- strength currents. Because of these preferences, they thrive in streams, lakes, and reservoirs of the Northeast, Midwest and southern Canadian provinces. Also, the Great Lakes support huge smallmouth populations. Smallmouth bass occur naturally as far south as north Alabama and Georgia, and they have been successfully stocked into lakes and rivers west of the Rockies. The world-record smallmouth was caught in Tennessee in 1969. It weighed 10 pounds 14 ounces.
Smallmouth bass are also feeding opportunists. Their favorite prey are minnows and crawfish, but they will also eat a wide variety of other foods when available. 
Spotted bass (also called "Kentucky bass") are the third common member of the black bass family. For years this fish was confused with both largemouth and smallmouth bass, but it was recognized as a distinct species m 1927.
The spotted bass is something of an intermediate species between the largemouth and smallmouth both in appearance and habits. Its name comes from rows of small, dark spots running from head to tail below a lateral band of dark green, diamond-shaped blotches. Spotted bass occur naturally from Texas to Georgia and north up the Mississippi, Ohio and Missouri River drainages. These fish have also been stocked in several western states. In fact, the current world-record spotted bass (10 pounds 4 ounces) was caught in California in 2001.

Sunfish 

To biologists, "sunfish" is the family name for several species, including bass, crappie, and bluegill. However, to most anglers, "sunfish" is a collective term for bluegill, shellcrackers (redear sunfish), pumpkin seeds, green sunfish, longear sunfish, warmouth and other similar species that southerners call "bream." These are the most numerous and widespread of all panfish. They are willing feeders, which makes them easy to catch. They're also scrappy fighters, and they re delicious to eat. This is why sunfish are extremely popular with beginning anglers. It's a safe bet that a sunfish was the first catch of the vast majority of North American fishermen. 
Sunfish live in warm-water lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and ponds throughout the U.S. and southern Canada. They spend most time in shallow to medium depths, usually around weeds, rocks, brush, boat docks or other cover types. They feed mostly on tiny invertebrates, larval and adult insects, worms, small minnows, and other prey.
Sunfish are capable of reproducing in great numbers. One adult female will produce tens of thousands of eggs in a single season. Because of this, many smaller waters experience sunfish overpopulation. The result is lots of little fish that never grow large enough to be considered "keepers" by fishermen. However, in waters where there are enough bass and other predators to prevent overpopulation, some sunfish species will average a half pound in size, and some individuals can exceed a pound.
The bluegill is the most popular sunfish. The world-record bluegill was caught in Alabama in 1950. It weighed a whopping 4 pounds 12 ounces!

Crappie 

Crappie is widespread and abundant in many waters, and they're prized for their delicious table quality. The average larger in size than sunfish, and they are fairly easy to catch. These are reasons why millions of anglers target these fish each year. 
Actually, there are two crappie species: white and black Differences between these species are minor. One apparent difference is as their names imply. Black crappie has darker, blotchier scale patterns than white crappie, which usually have dark vertical bars. 
Both these species live in natural lakes, reservoirs, larger ponds and quiet, deep pools of medium-to-large streams. Crappie occur naturally from southern Ontario to the Gulf of Mexico in the eastern half of North America. They, too, have been stocked into numerous lakes and rivers in the West. The black crappie is typically found in cooler, clearer lakes, while white crappie inhabit warmer lakes that are dingier in color. 
Traditionally, most crappie fishing occurs in the spring, when these fish migrate into quiet, shallow areas to spawn. When the water temperature climbs into the low-60 0 F range, they begin laying eggs in or next to such cover as reeds, brush, stumps or man-made fish attractors built and sunk by anglers.
After spawning, crappie head back to deeper water, where they collect in schools and hold along sunken creek channels, weedlines, standing timber, sunken brush piles and other areas where the lake bottom contour changes suddenly or where deep submerged cover exists. Expert crappie anglers know that these fish can be caught from such areas all year long, though they must employ some fairly specialized techniques to do so. 

Crappie feed mainly on small baitfish and invertebrates. In some lakes, they average a pound or more in size; crappie over 2 pounds are considered trophies. The world-record white crappie weighed 5 pounds 3 ounces and was caught in Mississippi in 1957. The world-record black crappie weighed 4 pounds 8 ounces and was boated in Virginia in 1981.

Walleye 

The walleye is a member of the perch family. It gets its name from its large, glassy, light-sensitive eyes. While walleye average 1-3 pounds, in some waters they grow to more than 20 pounds. Many walleye experts consider fish over 10 pounds to be trophies. The world-record walleye, weighing an even 25 pounds, was caught in Tennessee in 1960.
Many anglers highly prize walleye for its table quality. Its meat is white, firm and mild-tasting. Because of this eating quality and its abundance in many waters, the walleye is a favorite among anglers wherever it's found. 
Walleye are native to cool, clean lakes, reservoirs and major rivers of the central U. S. and much of Canada. They have also been stocked in both eastern and western waters outside their home range. 
Walleye spend most of their time in deep main-lake /river areas where there is good water circulation, but they also frequently feed on shallow flats and close to shore. They normally move into these areas in low-light periods such as night, dawn, dusk, cloudy days or when vegetation or muddy water shields them from bright sunlight. A walleye's main food is small baitfish, though it will also feed on insects and small crustaceans and amphibians.
Walleye are early spawners. Their spawning run starts when the water temperature climbs above 450 F. Walleye in lakes spawn on shallow flats with hard, clean bottoms. In rivers, walleye spawn below riffles in pools with rock or sand bottoms. In river-fed lakes and reservoirs, and upstream spawning run is the rule. When spawning, one large female walleye can lay several hundred thousand eggs. 

One characteristic of these fish is especially pertinent to beginning anglers: they have sharp teeth! Fishermen who stick a finger into a walleye's mouth will get a painful surprise. Instead, they should be gripped across the back.

Sauger 

Sauger are closely related to walleye, and many people confuse them because of their similar appearance and habits. But there are two easy ways to tell them apart. Sauger have dark, saddlelike blotches on their backs (as opposed to the walleye's smooth golden scale pattern). Also, sauger have dark spots on the main dorsal fin. (A walleye's dorsal fin is spot-free.)
Sauger don't grow as large as walleye; they seldom reach 4 lbs. (The world record sauger — 8 pounds 12 ounces — was caught in North Dakota in 1971.) The sauger is a river fish, though it also lives in river impoundments and some natural lakes. Its range includes the Mississippi Valley west of the Appalachian Mountains and north to James Bay in Canada. Sometimes sauger are found co-existing with walleye, but they're more tolerant of dingy water than walleye. This means sauger can thrive in slow-moving, silty streams where walleye can't survive. 
The sauger's feeding and spawning habits are very similar to those of walleye. This fish is also prized by anglers for its fine table quality. And like walleye, sauger have sharp teeth which should be avoided by anglers.

Yellow Perch

Along with walleye and sauger, yellow perch are members of the perch family. These fish average 6-10 inches long, though many lakes only have stunted "bait stealers" that are smaller than this average. Still, yellow perch are very popular since they are delicious to eat. The world-record yellow perch ( 4 pounds 3 ounces) was caught in New Jersey in 1865.
The yellow perch's natural range extends throughout the Northeast, Midwest, and Canada (except British Columbia). It lives in all the Great Lakes and inhabits many brackish waters along the Atlantic Coast. Yellow perch have also been stocked in many reservoirs outside their natural range. These fish thrive in clean lakes, reservoirs, ponds and large rivers that have sand, rock or gravel bottoms. They also abound in weedy, mud bottomed lakes, though these are the type spots where they tend to run small in size. 
Yellow perch swim in schools and feed on minnows, small crustaceans, snails, leeches and invertebrates. Adults spend most of their lives in deep water, usually moving shallow to feed, mostly during daylight hours in areas exposed to sunlight. 

These fish begin spawning when the water temperature climbs into the mid-400 F range (mid-50s in the southern part of their range). Yellow perch often make spawning runs up feeder streams; they also spawn around shallow weeds and brush.

Muskellunge 

Many anglers view the "muskie" as the supreme freshwater trophy fish. Muskies are top-of-the-food-chain predators. They are never very numerous in any body of water. They grow huge in size. They-re hard to get to bite, but when they do, they fight savagely. Muskie anglers often cast for hours or even days without getting a strike. When they finally do hook one of these fish, however, they experience one of the most difficult and exciting challenges in all of fishing. Muskies are the wild bulls of the water, and it takes great skill and dedication to land them consistently. 
The muskie is a member of the pike family. It is found in natural lakes, reservoirs and streams/rivers in the Northeast, upper Midwest, and southern Canada. This fish requires cool, clean water. 
The muskie is cylinder-shaped, and it has a long, powerful body. Its sides are usually yellow-tined and marked with dark blotches or bars. This fish has a flat, duck-like mouth and very sharp teeth! It feeds mainly on smaller fish, but it will also attack birds, small muskrats and other hapless creatures that enter its domain.
Muskies typically stalk their prey alone in shallow water, around reeds, rocky shoals, quiet eddy pools in streams, and other similar spots. During warm months, they feed more in low-light periods of dawn and susk On cloudy days, however, they may feed anytime. One of the very best times to fish for muskies is during fall when they go on a major pre-winter feeding binge. 
Muskies live many years and frequently grow beyond 35 pounds. The current world record, weighing 67 pounds 4 ounces, was caught in Wisconsin in 1949. 

Since the muskie is such a vicious predator, nature has a way of keeping its numbers down so other fish have a chance to survive. The muskie is a late spawner (water temperature in the mid-500 F range). The fish that survive, however, grow to rule over their home waters. The only predator to big muskies is man.

Northern Pike 

It would be fair to call pike the "poor man's muskie. " Members of the pike family, "northerns" are much more numerous than muskies, and they are easier to catch. By nature, the pike is very aggressive, and they often attack any bright, flashy lure that swims by. 
Pike inhabit natural lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and streams throughout the northeastern and north-central U. S. and most of Canada. They thrive in warm, shallow lakes or river sloughs with an abundance of water weeds.
The pike's body is shaped like a muskie's: long and round with the same flat, pointed mouth and sharp teeth. Its color is dark olive on the sides with light, wavy spots. Its belly is white. Pike can grow over 20 pounds. Because they're so vulnerable to fishing pressure, big ones are usually found only in lakes off the beaten path. The world-record pike (55 pounds 1 ounce) was caught in Germany in 1986. 

Pike spawn in quiet, shallow areas when the water temperature climbs into the 400 F range. After spawning, they linger around weed beds, especially those close to sharp underwater contour changes. They are not school fish by nature, but they will cluster together if their food source is concentrated. Like muskies, they eat almost anything that swims, floats or dives. Most of the pike's diet consists of fish, and they will attack prey up to half their own body size.
When hooked, a pike is a strong battler, rolling on the surface and shaking its head from side to side. It isn't the most desirable table fish because Of its many small bones, but anglers can learn to remove these bones during cleaning. The meat of the pike is white, flaky and tasty.

Pickerel 

These toothy predators are a mini-version Of pike and muskies. Their sides are covered with a yellowish chain pattern on a green background. They're aggressive strikers, and they give a good fight On light tackle. Most pickerel range from 1-3 pounds, but can grow larger than this in southern habitats. 
The world-record chain pickerel, caught in Georga in 1961, weighed 9 pounds 6 ounces. The grass and redfin pickerels rarely reach a foot in length. The redfin is found along the Atlantic coastal plain in small creeks and shallow ponds. The grass pickerel's range is primarily in the Mississippi and Great Lakes drainages. 

Pickerel spawn in shallow weeds as water temperatures reach the high 40' F range. Pickerel are active in cold water, and the best seasons for catching them are late fall, winter, and spring. They feed primarily on small fish, so active lures like spinnerbaits, in-line spinners, spoons, and floating minnow lures work well on them. 

Trout 

Several trout species inhabit North American waters and are very important sportfish. They live in many different types Of waters, from small brooks to huge lakes. Some trout are natives; others are raised in hatcheries and released into suitable waters. Trout are cold-water fish and lively fighters when hooked, they have sweet, delicate meat. Because Of their wide availability, natural eluSiveness, fighting qualities, and good flavor, these fish are highly sought by anglers.
The U. S. and Canada have five major trout species: rainbows, German browns, brook trout, Cutthroats, and lake trout. Six other species found in localized areas are Apache trout, Arctic char, bull trout, Dolly Vardens, Gila trout, and golden trout. 
Rainbows are so-named because of the pink streak down their sides. Native to western states, this fish has been stocked into streams, ponds, and lakes throughout much Of the U. S. and lower Canada. Today the rainbow trout is probably the continent's most important cold-water sportfish. The world- record rainbow trout (42 pounds 2 ounces) was caught in Alaska in 1970. 
The German brown trout is a European native that has been widely stocked in suitable American waters. These fish have dark or orange spots on their sides. Many anglers consider them to be the warmest, most difficult trout to catch, making them extremely popular among sport anglers. Browns tolerate slightly higher water temperatures than other trout, so they can live where some of the other trout can 't. world-record brown trout (40 pounds 4 ounces) was taken in Arkansas in 1992. (When the angler who caught this fish died, he had the taxidermy mount of his world-record brown buried with Brook trout are native to the eastern U. S. and Canada, though they have been transplanted into Other areas. They have light, worm-like markings along their backs. They also have small blue and red dots along their sides. "Brookies" are probably the easiest of all trout to catch, and they are the best to eat. The world-record brook trout (14 pounds 8 ounces) was taken in Ontario in 1916. 

Cutthroat trout are found mainly in the western U. S. and Canada. Their name comes from the red markings behind and under the lower jaw. Their sides are dotted with small black spots. Like brook trout, they are nor too difficult to catch, and they're delicious to eat. The world-record cutthroat, weighing an even 41 pounds, was caught in Nevada in 1925.

Salmon

Pacific salmon were first stocked into the Great Lakes in the late 1960s. Continued stockings have established an abundance of fishing opportunities for anglers in the Upper Midwest. 
Chinook salmon is the largest species, reaching more than 30 pounds in some Of the Great Lakes. (The world-record Chinook weighed 97 pounds 4 ounces and was caught in Alaska in 1985.)
Coho salmon run smaller, but 20-pounders aren't uncommon. (The world-record coho salmon — 33 pounds 4 ounces — was taken in New York in 1989.) Sockeye and pink salmon are smaller and less common. 

These open-water predators feed on schools Of alewives and smelt that roam the cold depths, but will also feed near the surface. Coho salmon mature in 3 years before returning to the stream where they were stocked or hatched. Chinooks grow for an extra year before returning to their stream of origin, where they die after spawning. 
Most salmon fishing requires a large, specially equipped boat for trolling the vast waters where these fish live. But during spawning runs, adult salmon move into tributary streams, and shorebound and wading fishermen can make great catches with spoons or large plugs.

White Bass 

White bass is natives Of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River system, but they have been widely stocked beyond this range. This fish is a prolific breeder (one adult female may lay a half-million eggs), a ravenous feeder and a tough fighter. 
All these attributes make white bass a favorite with anglers, The white bass has silvery-white sides with dark stripes running from the gills back to the tail. Most white bass taken by anglers averages around a pound in size. The world record, weighing 6 pounds 13 ounces, was caught in Virginia in 1989. 
Early each spring, white bass make spawning runs upriver and reservoir tributaries. (They lay and fertilize their eggs in pools below shallow riffles.) During this spawning run, white bass is particularly aggressive, and they can be caught in large numbers.
After they spawn, white bass move back into deep pools in rivers and open water in reservoirs. They gather in large schools, and they feed in a frenzy that sometimes leads them to strike anything that even vaguely resembles their prey. For this reason, white bass is very popular wherever they are found. Fishing for white bass in the "jumps" (when they're surface feeding) is very productive and exciting! 
Small shad are the white bass' main food source, though they'll also eat Other minnows, crawfish, and insects (particularly mayflies). 

In table quality, white bass is delicious when taken from cool, clean waters. However, white bass caught from warm or silty waters tends to have a strong, musty flavor.

Stripers/Hybrids 

"Striper" and "rockfish" are two nicknames for the saltwater striped bass. Native to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, this fish can also live in freshwater, and it's been stocked extensively in rivers and large reservoirs throughout the mid- and western-United States. It does best where water temperature doesn't exceed 75' F, although it can live in warmer water. Most stripers caught in fresh-water. The world-record flathead cat weighed 123 pounds and was caught in Kansas in 1998. 
All three of these species share certain traits. They have slick, scaleless skin. and feature eight barbels (whiskers) around the mouth. The barbels contain highly-developed smelling organs, which the fish use to sniff out and "taste" various foods. Catfish have one of the most highly developed senses of smell of all fish. Sometimes catfish rely more on their sense of smell to find food than their sense of sight.
Blue and channel catfish eat worms, insects, baitfish, crawfish, invertebrates, wild seeds, and a long list Of other foods. Flathead cats, on the Other hand, feed primarily on living foods — baitfish, crawfish, etc. Many catfish feed more at night than during the day. They feed mainly on the bottom, though they will move up and forage near the surface if a good feeding opportunity exists there. 

Catfish spawn in late spring after the water temperature reaches 70 F. Females lay eggs in holes in the bank, under logs, among rocks, or in Other spots that offer some protection from current and concealment from predators.

Bullheads 

Bullheads are members of the catfish family and are often assumed to be small catfish. There is one easy way to tell them apart. Bullheads have rounded tails (Flatheads have rounded tails like bullheads, but are recognized by their long, flat mouth.)
There are three common species of bullheads in North America: black, brown and yellow. Their range covers most of the U. S. and southern Canada. They live in a variety of waters, from small ponds and marshes to large impoundments and rivers. Three other species (snail, spotted, and flat bullhead) are found in the Southeast. Bullheads prefer quiet, warm waters, and they usually hang close to the bottom. They are highly tolerant Of pollution and low oxygen content, which means they can survive in many waters where other species can't live.
Bullheads are usually much smaller than catfish. They rarely grow larger than 2 pounds. The world-record black bullhead weighed 8 pounds IS ounces and was caught in New York in 1951. The world-record brown bullhead weighed 6 pounds 5 ounces and was caught in New York in 2002. The world-record yellow bullhead weighed 4 pounds 4 ounces and was caught in Arizona in 1984. 

Bullheads share many of the same feeding and spawning habits as catfish. They're favorites of many panfish anglers, since they're plentiful and usually bite when other species won't.