Fish Identification Updated April 2014
Migratory Fish
American Eel Catadromous: lives in freshwater and spawns in saltwater, the Sargasso Sea.
American Shad Anadromous: Lives in saltwater and spawns in freshwater.
Atlantic Sturgeon Length: Max 15 feet. Weight: Max 800 pounds. Age: Max 60 yrs.
Sea Lamprey Sea Lamprey on Lake Trout.
Paddlefish
Sunfish Family
Largemouth Bass PA State Record 11 lbs. 3 oz.
Smallmouth Bass PA State Record 8 lbs. 8 ozs.
Rock Bass
White & Black Crappie Bass
Bluegill
Longear Sunfish
Red-spotted Sunfish
Green Sunfish
Catfish
Brown Bullhead PA State Record: 4 lbs. 10 oz.
Channel Catfish Weight: Max 40 to 50 pounds. PA State Record: 35 lbs. 2.5 oz.
Flathead Catfish Length: Max 61 inches Weight: World record 123 lbs. 9 oz. PA State Record: 48 lbs. 6 oz.
Minnows
Blacknose Dace
Fathead Minnow
Creek Chub
Common Carp The largest carp caught by an angler was in Bordeaux, France weighing 94 pounds. PA State Record: 52 lbs.
Suckers
White Sucker
Northern Hog Sucker
Pike Family
Chain Pickerel
Northern Pike
Muskellunge
Tiger Muskellunge
Temperate Bass
Striped Bass
Perch
Yellow Perch
Walleye
Trout
Brook Trout Official State Fish of Pennsylvania. State Record: 7 lbs. Genetically a Char not a trout.
Rainbow Trout Introduced from the Rocky Mountain states in the early 1900’s. PA State Record: 15 lbs. 6.25 oz.
Steelhead Trout Anadromous version of Rainbow Trout. Male Female
Golden Rainbow Trout West Virginia Fish Hatchery in 1954 found one female with the genetic mutation First Stocked in 1967. Pennsylvania record Golden Trout was 13 pounds. Not a Palomino
Tiger Trout – Cross between a Brown Trout & a Brook Trout. Officially discontinued in 2005.
Brown Trout Introduced from Germany in 1886. PA State Record: 19 lbs. 10 oz.
Exotic Fish
Catfish