University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center Other Publications in Wildlife Management for January 1993 Field Manual for the Identification of Selected North American Freshwater Fish by Fillets and Scales David W. Oates Nebraska Games and Parks Commission Lisa M. Krings Nebraska Games and Parks Commission Karen L. Ditz Nebraska Games and Parks Commission Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdmother Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons Oates, David W.; Krings, Lisa M.; and Ditz, Karen L., "Field Manual for the Identification of Selected North American Freshwater Fish by Fillets and Scales" (1993). Other Publications in Wildlife Management. 13. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdmother/13 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Other Publications in Wildlife Management by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Field Manual for the Identzfiication of Selected Nofib American Freshwater Fish by Fillets and Scales A PRACTICAL SOLUTION Anglers all want bigger fish and more of them. Yet, fishing with today's sophisticated techniques and the space age tackle often leaves behind larger populations of young, small fish. Voluntary catch-and-releaseis the practical solution to the problem. Catch- and-release allows fish to be "recycled," thus increasing the catch rate. It also allows these fish to grow older and larger. As the logo indicates, the future of fishing is in all our hands. Field Manual for the Identzjiication of Sekcted North American Freshwater Fish by Fgllets and Scales David W Oates Lisa M. Krings Karen L Ditr Nebraska Technical Series No. braska Game and Parks Commzsszon Lincoln, Nebraska, 1993 Funded by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration, Project F-89-R 1 A great amount of effort was spent on performing a Thanks to Ruth Wusk, Randy Winter, Patrick Mclntosh, literature search for this project. Our librarian, Barbara Dr. Ed Crossman, Gerald Mestl, Steve Schainost, Liz Huff Voeltz, was extremely helpful in making this search pos- and Don Cunningham for their help in reviewing the text; to sible. A list of references is presented at the end of the Jim Weitzel, Tina Rohrs, Arvid Olson and Mark Lewallen for manual. their photography; to Amy Baker, Brian Schmidt, Mark Broh- Many people from agencies similar to ours made col- man, Dave Nelson, Doug McCully, Gerald Burdick, Mark lection of samples possible. A personal thank you to the Lewallen and Matt Oates for their help with measurements following states and provinces: Alaska, Colorado, Florida, of fillets and scales; to Kit Hams for computer work and Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Randy Bright for artwork. Typing by Margo Ems, Ruth Wusk Texas, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., Wisconsin and Jan Bouc was greatly appreciated. A special thank you Center for Lake Superior Environmental Studies, Wyoming, to Anker Odum and Peter Buerschaperof the Royal Ontario Ontario and Saskatchewan. Appreciation to Dr. Robert Museum, to Dr.s Scott and Crossman for the use of Howell, Nancy Engelbart and Karen Knap from the Univer- materials from Freshwater Fishes of Canada, 1973 and to sity of Nebraska Dental School and to Dr. Dale Benhamfrom Eddy and Underhill's How To Know The Freshwater Fishes, Nebraska Wesleyan University. 1980. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................ Bowfin .................................................................. INTRODUCTION...................................................... Herring Family ...................................................... GLOSSARY .............................................................. Alewife ................................................................. FILLET IDENTIFICATION ........................................ American Shad .................................................... Points To Remember About Fillets ....................... Gizzard Shad ....................................................... SCALES ................................................................... Salmon Family ..................................................... Characteristic Features Of A Fish Scale .............. Pictures of Trout & Salmon .................................. Points To Remember About Scales ..................... Pink Salmon ......................................................... TERMS USED IN FISH TABLES ............................. Chum Salmon ...................................................... Sturgeon Family ................................................... Coho Salmon ....................................................... Lake Sturgeon...................................................... Kokanee or Sockeye Salmon............................... Shovelnose Sturgeon........................................... Chinook Salmon ................................................... Paddlef ish Family ................................................. Cutthroat Trout ..................................................... Paddlef ish ............................................................ Rainbow or Kamloops Trout ................................. Gar Family ........................................................... Atlantic Salmon .................................................... Longnose Gar ...................................................... Brown Trout .......................................................... Shortnose Gar ...................................................... Arctic Char ........................................................... Spotted Gar .......................................................... Brook Trout .......................................................... Alligator Gar ......................................................... Lake Trout ............................................................ Bowfin Family ....................................................... Cisco Lake Herring .............................................. 3 Lake Whitefish ..................................................... Sucker Family ...................................................... Broad Whitefish .................................................... Blue Sucker .......................................................... Round Whitefish ................................................... White Sucker ........................................................ Mountain Whitefish .............................................. Bigmouth Buffalo.................................................. lnconnu ................................................................ Smallmouth Buffalo .............................................. Arctic Grayling ...................................................... Silver Redhorse ................................................... Rainbow Smelt ..................................................... Golden Redhorse ................................................. Mooneye Family ................................................... Spotted Sucker .................................................... Goldeye ................................................................ Shorthead Redhorse ............................................ Mooneye .............................................................. Catfish Family ...................................................... Pike Family .......................................................... White Catfish........................................................ Grass Pickerel...................................................... Black Bullhead ..................................................... Northern Pike ....................................................... Yellow Bullhead .................................................... Muskellunge......................................................... Brown Bullhead .................................................... Chain Pickerel ...................................................... Channel Catfish ................................................... Minnow Family ..................................................... Blue Catfish.......................................................... Common Carp ...................................................... Flathead Catfish................................................... Goldfish ................................................................ Cod Family ........................................................... Grass Carp ........................................................... Burbot .................................................................. Quillback .............................................................. Temperate Bass Family ....................................... River Carpsucker ................................................. White Perch ......................................................... Highfin Carpsucker .............................................. White Bass ........................................................... Striped Bass ......................................................... REFERENCES ......................................................... 140 Yellow Bass .......................................................... APPENDIX i - ldentification Of Fish Fillets Sunfish Family ....................................................