SPORT FISH of OHIO Identification DIVISION of WILDLIFE
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SPORT FISH OF OHIO identification DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 1 With more than 40,000 miles of streams, 2.4 million acres of Lake Erie and inland water, and 450 miles of the Ohio River, Ohio supports a diverse and abundant fish fauna represented by more than 160 species. Ohio’s fishes come in a wide range of sizes, shapes and colors...and live in a variety of aquatic habitats from our largest lakes and rivers to the smallest ponds and creeks. Approximately one-third of these species can be found in this guide. This fish identification guide provides color illustrations to help anglers identify their catch, and useful tips to help catch more fish. We hope it will also increase your awareness of the diversity of fishes in Ohio. This book also gives information about the life history of 27 of Ohio’s commonly caught species, as well as information on selected threatened and endangered species. Color illustrations and names are also offered for 20 additional species, many of which are rarely caught by anglers, but are quite common throughout Ohio. Fishing is a favorite pastime of many Ohioans and one of the most enduring family traditions. A first fish or day shared on the water are memories that last a lifetime. It is our sincere hope that the information in this guide will contribute significantly to your fishing experiences and understanding of Ohio’s fishes. Good Fishing! The ODNR Division of Wildlife manages the fisheries of more than 160,000 acres of inland water, 7,000 miles of streams, and 2.25 million acres of Lake Erie. Management activities include improvement of spawning habitat and installation of fish attractors or structure. Management also includes population and harvest studies using electrofishing, netting, and angler surveys. Fishing regulations are another important tool for managing Ohio’s fisheries. Fish biologists recommend regulations when they are needed to maintain a quality fishery. Often overlooked, but vitally important activities which involve fish management include the construction of boat ramps and fishing piers, and public information and education efforts. 2Ohio maintains six fish hatcheries which produce in excess of 30 million fish each year for stocking programs. Walleye, saugeye, muskellunge, trout, and hybrid striped bass are some of the fish produced. Ohio’s hatchery and stocking efforts make a variety of fishing experiences available to Ohio’s anglers. Stocking is often used to bolster fish populations when natural reproduction is low or nonexistent. It is also used to establish fisheries for nonreproducing hybrid fish and to stock newly created or rehabilitated water areas. Research is conducted to develop new fish management practices and strategies. The Division’s research efforts are aided by universities and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Look for this distinctive symbol where you buy fishing tackle or motorboat fuel, and where you fish or launch your boat. This symbol indicates that the manufacturer pays a special excise tax under the federal Sport Fish Restoration Act-and that your Division of Wildlife is working to improve your fishing. 6.Largemouth Bass 36. - 37.OTHER COMMON FISH 42. - 45.POPULAR LIVE BAIT 7.Smallmouth Bass Longnose Gar Fathead Minnow 8.Spotted Bass Warmouth Northern Creek Chub 9.Bluegill Striped Shiner Common Emerald Shiner 10.Redear Sunfish Southern Redbelly Dace Common Shiner 11.Pumpkinseed Golden Redhorse Golden Shiner 12.Green Sunfish Northern Hog Sucker Spottail Shiner 13.White Crappie Black Redhorse Bluntnose Minnow 14.Black Crappie Greenside Darter Ohio Stoneroller Minnow 15.Rock Bass Logperch Darter Common White Sucker 16.Longear Sunfish Johnny Darter Gizzard Shad 17.Walleye Rainbow Darter Bluegill 18.Sauger 38 - 41.FISHING FUNDAMENTALS Hellgrammites 19.Saugeye Leeches 20.Yellow Perch Night Crawlers 3 21.Channel Catfish Red Worms 22.Bullhead Catfish Maggots or Mousies 23.Flathead Catfish Wax Worms 24.White Bass Crayfish 25.Striped Bass 46. - 47.FILLETING YOUR FISH 26.Hybrid Striped Bass 27.White Perch 28.Muskellunge 29.Northern Pike 30.Common Carp 31.Freshwater Drum 32.Brown Trout 33.Rainbow Trout 34.Paddlefish 35.Lake Sturgeon OhioLake Ann Fishing ASHTABULA Lake La Su An LAKE Lake La Vere North Bass Grand River Otta Lake Sue w ver Island a Ri Middle Bass Nettle Harrison Island Lake Lake Pymatuning Delta Reservoir LUCAS South Bass Put-In-Bay Lake #1 & # 2 Island ver Fulton East Branch Ri Kelleys h Pond OTTAWA Reservoir p r Island e WILLIAMS ve s i FULTON GEAUGA o R r e J tage Riv r n . o Punderson i t f P S f y i a usky B Lake T r nd C e Sa LORAIN v u i r r CUYAHOGA R y e e a nd v v Resthaven i ra ee Riv i h G um er R o a Pond #8 R g r M SANDUSKY k a e Mosquito Lake r c k v DEFIANCE e a c R i v l a WOOD Raccoon Creek i l i R ERIE B v R B e a h g Reservoir n c r o r HENRY o n h ah r c ee Rive u ra y n u m H B TRUMBULL au a C r M r t e s PORTAGE r e B v e i Beaver Creek Norwalk Upper iv t W s R r West Branch Reservoir Lake Lamberjack # 3 R a e Reservoir Reservoir e iv n E (Michael J. Kirwan Lake) z Veterans Memorial o i i R l Spencer Lake a i l Reservoir # 6 y HURON g m Wellington Lake Hodgson u k r s A e Lake Lake Lacomte u Reservoir V Findley MEDINA d Mogadore Milton r Reservoir # 5 n SENECA Lake SUMMIT Blanchard Rive a Willard Reservoir S New London PAULDING Reservoir Reservoir Springfield Lake Berlin r Reservoir e iv PUTNAM R Findlay Reservoir Walborn Reservoir MAHONING e z #1 & #2 RICHLAND (Meyers Lake) i CRAWFORD a B Portage l la ASHLAND Nimisila g ck u Lakes HANCOCK WYANDOT Outhwaite F Reservoir 4 A ALLEN o Upper Sandusky Reservoir r Zepernick k Sippo COLUMBIANA r Lake Reservoir er WAYNE e STARK VAN WERT v Lake Bresler v Charles Mill i Lima Lake Ri Guilford r R Reservoir ky e Lake Reservoir us iv s Lake d Clear Fork a Killdeer an R HARDIN S w S Reservoir a t. M y Powers M er Reservoir Shreve r ar v g o ys i hic a R Reservoir c i R n an ve Lake s r e a R iz Sc t Pleasant Hill u i n i a ot Beach City T l v g o e u France River l Lake e Highlandtown A r Lake Grand Lake Lake O CARROLL Lake St. Marys MARION MORROW Atwood Kokosing HOLMES Lake AUGLAIZE Lake JEFFERSON k Knox Lake e Austin Indian Lake e Leesville MERCER r TUSCARAWAS Lake Lake C k SHELBY LOGAN e osin KNOX m ok g e K R u r l S i t C v i A on l Delaware e h al d l t r W R i w i iver Lake u n m g River a Tappan r n Lake Loramie a e t i v UNION l e i a r Lake M R r at DELAWARE C e e d W r v r a Alum Creek e i S r e Clendening ti g ll G M e k R w Lake i v ek Lake io a B COSHOCTON i re te C h r Rive D O'Shaughnessy R r a ls O rb m il y Reservoir r u HARRISON C e g re v W e i n Kiser Lake k ki Salt Fork R r Hoover us Piedmont e M Reservoir v o i t Reservoir Lake CHAMPAIGN o MIAMI k i R e c DARKE e y LICKING S r g Belmont C n G Dillon a r t Lake e m Barnesville a Buck Creek Reservoir n Reservoir u e l t l GUERNSEY M C.J.( Brown Reservoir Reservoir #4 ) A D O i a a m r b Seneca i BELMONT y R r Clark MUSKINGUM ive C Lake i R r v ad Lake e e Buckeye Lake e r M CLARK k FRANKLIN M Madison u r Monroe k e s e Y k Lake v e i Wolf Run Lake Eastwood r i n R C g PREBLE Lake Reservoir u o t FAIRFIELD Rush t u m o n i Creek Lake r e l v MADISON c R MONROE i k a R S e MONTGOMERY e i NOBLE i r v GREENE W m C PERR e a t r i Litt alnu M le W e l Deer C r t r e t ee iv Acton Lake i k MORGAN R L m FAYETTE D Deer Creek Burr Oak gu Caesar Creek u n r Lake Lake c i e k k Reservoir PICKAWAY Lake Logan s iv u C R r M io ee ttle h BUTLER Hoc k Li O S kin CLINTON P a HOCKING g lt R WARREN a C i i r v n eek e WASHINGTON Cowan Lake t r ATHENS ver C r Ri i e r iv e Dow m e ROSS Ross k Lake R a i i Lake am Lake Hope Veto Lake i M r Fox e e M l Paint Creek t tt iv ea i Stonelick R Lake VINTON Lake r L i G Reservoir m HIGHLAND Caldwell ia M Lake Lake Lake HAMILTON ittle CLERMONT L Rupert k Snowden he ee t r f Rocky Fork C o Lake n rk Lake o o Lake Alma o MEIGS F c c t White a s Mineral Springs Hammertown City a R E Lake PIKE Reservoir East Fork Reservoir r O e JACKSON r h (Harsha Lake) v e i iv io ADAMS R Tycoon Lake R R o t o i O i v o h i h e i c r BROWN o Jackson O S B Lake r u GALLIA Adams s h SCIOTO Lake C r e e k Turkey Creek Lake LAWRENCE S Timbre Ridge y m Lake m Vesuvius e s r e Lake C v i r e e R k o i h O Lake Ann ASHTABULA Lake La Su An LAKE Lake La Vere North Bass Grand River Otta Lake Sue w ver Island a Ri Middle Bass Nettle Harrison Island Lake Lake Pymatuning Delta Reservoir LUCAS South Bass Put-In-Bay Lake #1 & # 2 Island ver Fulton East Branch Ri Kelleys h Pond OTTAWA Reservoir p r Island e WILLIAMS ve s i FULTON GEAUGA o R r e J tage Riv r n .