1. Wisconsin Game Fish Identification

2. Fish External Anatomy

3. Bluegill

4. Bluegill 1/2 as deep as long under 1” thick
blue color on lower portion of both the jaw and operculum
Color is NOT a good way to identify
Dark round spot on the rear dorsal fin
5-9 dark vertical bands running down their sides.

5. Pumpkinseed

6. Pumpkinseed Lateral facial markings Scarlet spot on opercle flap
7-8 dark vertical bands
Very similar to bluegill
Very colorful, but color is a poor ID indicator.

7. Red Eared Sunfish

8. Red Eared Sunfish
Produced from a Bluegill and Pumpkinseed crossbreeds.
Looks very similar to Bluegill or Pumpkinseed, but slight differences.

9. Crappie

10. Crappie
Both Black and White (black = 7-8 dorsal spines, white = 6 dorsal spines.)
Mottled Markings
Color is not a good identification indicator
Very thin, perhaps the thinnest of all sunfish
8-10 inches is common

11. Yellow Perch

12. Yellow Perch Golden Yellow Coloration on their sides. (may vary)
6-8 dark vertical bands along their sides
have two dorsal fins, membrane between the two is black
caudal fin is slightly rounded and forked
3.5 times as long as deep
unlike walleyes, they do not have canines

13. Largemouth Bass

14. Largemouth Bass Upper jaw extends beyond the eye
Deep notch in dorsal fin
Caudal fin is forked and rounded
Golden-brown eye
Dark, irregular horizontal stripe along lateral line

15. Smallmouth Bass

16. Smallmouth Bass Upper jaw does not extends beyond the eye
Slight notch in dorsal fin
Caudal fin is not forked and not rounded
Red eye
Dark, vertical stripe along sides

17. White Bass

18. White Bass Brown eye Silver color
many dark, horizontal lines along the sides

19. Rock Bass

20. Rock Bass
Brown eye
Brown coloration, with light vertical stripes along the sides

21. Walleye

22. Walleye Canines along the lower jaw
irregularly-shaped vertical blotches along sides
Upper half of body has mottled vertical stripes
Dark blotch on back of anterior dorsal fin, no spots on dorsal fin
Silvery, opaque marble eyes that glow in the dark
White tip on lower edge of caudal fin

23. Sauger

24. Sauger Very similar to a walleye
spots on the anterior dorsal fin, no black blotch at the back of anterior dorsal
no white tip on low caudal fin

25. Northern Pike

26. Northern Pike
Hard-muscled, tube-shaped fish with elongated body and a flat, duckbill snout
light, bean-shaped markings that run the length of the body in horizontal rows
Tiger-striped fins
Rounded caudal, pelvic and pectoral fins
Scales cover the cheek and upper half of the operculum
5-7 pores on each side of lower jaw

27. Muskellunge

28. Muskellunge
Hard-muscled, tube-shaped fish with elongated body and a flat, duckbill snout
vertical stripes along each side of the fish
Tiger-striped fins
Pointed caudal, pelvic and pectoral fins
No scales on the cheek and upper half of the operculum
6-9 pores on each side of lower jaw

29. Brook Trout

30. Brook Trout Has an elongated and compressed body squared-tail
wormlike markings on back and head
red spots along the side of their bodies with blue halos.
Lower fins have a white leading edge, followed by a black border

31. Brown Trout

32. Brown Trout “X” shaped markings on back and upper half of their body
squared tail
numerous small spots on the head
inside of the mouth is white
10-12 anal rays

33. Rainbow Trout

34. Rainbow Trout Many small spots on the body
Distinctive pink horizontal stripe down each side of the body
squared tail with spots
10-12 anal rays

35. Lake Trout

36. Lake Trout
Silvery color with irregular wormlike markings on back and dorsal fin
Light spots in body and tail
deeply forked tail with spots on edge leading to the body
10-11 rays in their anal fin
inside of mouth is white

37. Chinook Salmon

38. Chinook Salmon Some black spots on upper half of body
grey-black mouth, with teeth set in black gums
squared tail with spots on both halves
15-19 anal rays

39. Coho Salmon

40. Coho Salmon
Small black spots on backs, sides above the lateral line, base of dorsal fin, and upper half of caudal fin.
Inside of mouth is grey or black, with teeth set in white gums
Slightly forked tail
12-15 anal rays

41. Lake Sturgeon

42. Lake Sturgeon Torpedo-shaped body, turned up tail Resembles a shark
Five rows of shell-shaped plates along back
notochord instead of backbone
Mouth is on underside of body with barbels

43. Channel Catfish

44. Channel Catfish Scaleless, tough skin 8 barbels
Three sharp spines, (1 dorsal, 2 pectoral)
Black spots on lower side of body
Deeply forked caudal fin

45. Flathead Catfish

46. Flathead Catfish Scaleless, tough skin 8 barbels
Three sharp spines, (1 dorsal, 2 pectoral)
No spots on lower side of body
squared caudal fin
flattened head
lower lip protrudes past upper lip

47. Yellow Bullhead

48. Yellow Bullhead Black, Brown or Yellow species Scaleless, tough skin
6 barbels
Sharp spines (1 dorsal, 2 pectoral)
Caudal fin is slightly notched and squared

49. Carp

50. Carp
Rough fish
Very scaly
Barbels
Much like a sucker