1. Fish Anatomy
body shape
Laterally compressed

2. Fish Anatomy
body shape
Fusiform

3. Fish Anatomy
gills

4. Fish Anatomy
scales

5. Fish Anatomy
fins

6. Fish Anatomy
fins

7. Fish Anatomy
lateral line

8. Fish Anatomy
swim bladder

9. Fish Anatomy
eyes

10. Fish Anatomy
ears

11. Fish Anatomy
nares (nose)

12. Fish Anatomy
coloration

13. Bluegill Fish ID Small, flattened fish, shaped like the palm of a hand
2 part dorsal fin – spines in front, and soft rays in back
Small mouth
(edge of mouth doesn’t reach the front of the eye)
Dark vertical stripes on sides
Ear flap is black
Breast is yellow/orange
Chin and lower part of gill cover is blue

14. Bluegill Fish ID Spines are sharp like needles!
Small, flattened fish,
shaped like the palm of a hand
2 part dorsal fin – spines in front, and soft rays in back
Small mouth
(edge of mouth doesn’t reach the front of the eye)
Dark vertical stripes on sides
Ear flap is black
Breast is yellow/orange
Chin and lower part of gill cover is blue
Spines are sharp like needles!
They help protect the fish from larger fish.

15. Bluegill Fish ID Bluegill spend most of their time in vegetation.
Small, flattened fish,
shaped like the palm of a hand
2 part dorsal fin – spines in front, and soft rays in back
Small mouth
(edge of mouth doesn’t reach the front of the eye)
Dark vertical stripes on sides
Ear flap is black
Breast is yellow/orange
Chin and lower part of gill cover is blue
Bluegill spend most of their time in vegetation.
The vertical stripes help camouflage them.

16. Fish ID
Bluegill
Small, flattened fish,
shaped like the palm of a hand
2 part dorsal fin – spines in front, and soft rays in back
Small mouth
(edge of mouth doesn’t reach the front of the eye)
Dark vertical stripes on sides
Ear flap is black
Breast is yellow/orange
Chin and lower part of gill cover is blue
Bluegill primarily eat aquatic insects and other invertebrates.

17. Green Sunfish Fish ID Distinguished from bluegill by:
Body is longer than round
Larger mouth
(edge of mouth reaches the front of the eye)
Fins tipped in yellow/orange
Ear flap has yellow/orange edge
Blue streaks on the sides of head

18. Largemouth Bass Fish ID Body is long instead of round Very large mouth
(edge of mouth reaches past the eye)
White on bottom
Dark stripe on sides
Spiny and soft-rayed parts of dorsal fin nearly separate
Can get larger than sunfish – up to 10 lbs. in Nebraska

19. Largemouth Bass Fish ID
Body is long instead of round
Very large mouth
(edge of mouth reaches past the eye)
White on bottom
Dark stripe on sides
Spiny and soft-rayed parts of dorsal fin nearly separate
Can get larger than sunfish – up to 10 lbs. in Nebraska
Dark on top & light on bottom is called countershading.
It camouflages a fish from predators.

20. Channel Catfish Fish ID No scales on body Whiskers (barbels) on mouth
Small fatty adipose fin on back
When small, dark spots on sides of body
Forked tail fin
Can get very large – record is 41.5 lbs. in Nebraska

21. Channel Catfish Fish ID Barbels don’t sting!
They are covered in ‘tastebuds’
and used to locate food.
Spines on the pelvic & dorsal fins are the things to be careful of!
No scales on body
Whiskers (barbels) on mouth
Small fatty adipose fin on back
When small, dark spots on sides of body
Forked tail fin
Can get very large – record is 41.5 lbs. in Nebraska

22. Black Bullhead Fish ID Distinguished from channel catfish by:
No spots on sides of body
Brown or golden orange color
Rounded tail fin
Does not grow to large sizes

23. Rainbow Trout Fish ID Long, streamlined body Very small scales
Small fatty adipose fin on back
Small black spots on body and tail fin, dorsal fin
Pinkish stripe on sides
Can get large – record is 14 lbs. in Nebraska

24. Fish Handling

25. Measuring Fish