Species Profiles

Albacore Tuna

Thunnus alalunga

The Pacific coast's premier offshore tuna, albacore pull hard, travel in aggressive schools, and reward anglers who make the run to blue water with some of the finest table fare in the ocean.

Alewife

Alosa pseudoharengus

Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) is a small anadromous herring that fuels Atlantic coast food chains during spring spawning runs and serves as the essential forage base underpinning the entire Great Lakes salmon and trout fishery.

Alligator Gar

Atractosteus spatula

The largest freshwater fish in North America outside of sturgeons, alligator gar are a conservation comeback story and an increasingly sought-after trophy in Gulf Coast rivers.

Arctic Char

Salvelinus alpinus

The world's most northerly freshwater fish turns incandescent orange-red at spawn, drawing fly anglers to some of the most remote rivers on Earth.

Arctic Grayling

Thymallus arcticus

A jewel of northern rivers, the Arctic Grayling carries a massive sail-like dorsal fin that makes it one of the most visually striking freshwater fish an angler can chase on a dry fly.

Atlantic Menhaden

Brevoortia tyrannus

Atlantic Menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) is the most important forage fish on the U.S. Atlantic coast, fueling the food chain from striped bass to bluefin tuna and serving as the go-to live bait and chunk bait for Northeast anglers.

Atlantic Needlefish

Strongylura marina

The Atlantic Needlefish is a long-beaked, surface-skimming fish that catches Florida and East Coast anglers off guard, known for its needle-sharp jaws, acrobatic leaps, and startling green bones.

Atlantic Sailfish

Istiophorus albicans

The fastest fish in the Atlantic, the sailfish is built for spectacle: aerial jumps, blazing runs, and a cobalt-blue sail that unfurls like a battle flag across warm offshore waters from the Mid-Atlantic coast to Brazil.

Atlantic Salmon

Salmo salar

The original sport fish royalty, Atlantic salmon charge wild rivers with heart-stopping aerial leaps that have lured fly anglers across oceans for centuries.

Atlantic Sturgeon

Acipenser oxyrinchus

A federally protected prehistoric giant that anglers may encounter incidentally in major East Coast rivers and coastal waters.

Black Crappie

Pomoxis nigromaculatus

Black crappie are one of the most popular panfish across eastern North America, prized for their sweet white fillets, their willingness to stack in accessible cover, and a fishery that runs from Great Lakes bays to Gulf Coast reservoirs.

Black Drum

Pogonias cromis

One of the largest inshore fish on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, black drum are a hard-pulling bottom feeder found in surf, inlets, and estuaries from Virginia to Texas.

Blackfin Tuna

Thunnus atlanticus

The smallest Atlantic tuna punches well above its weight, screaming drag and testing light tackle from the Carolinas and Gulf Coast to the Caribbean.

Blue Marlin

Makaira nigricans

The apex of offshore big-game fishing, blue marlin are powerful, acrobatic billfish capable of searing runs that test every piece of gear and every angler aboard. Found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide, they are one of the most sought-after sport fish on the planet.

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

Bluefish are one of the ocean's most ferocious predators, chasing bait in slashing schools and delivering a blistering fight that keeps surf anglers hooked all fall.

Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

The most-caught freshwater fish in North America, bluegill live in ponds, lakes, and rivers across virtually every state east of the Rockies and reward beginners and experts alike with a spirited fight on light tackle.

Bonefish

Albula vulpes

The ghost of tropical flats, bonefish explode from shallow water on screaming runs that will test your reel and your nerves.

Brook Trout

Salvelinus fontinalis

The most brilliantly colored freshwater fish in North America, brookies reward cold-water anglers with explosive strikes and stunning beauty.

Brown Trout

Salmo trutta

A selective, wary European import that rewards patient, technical anglers with some of freshwater fishing's most satisfying catches.

Burbot

Lota lota

The only freshwater member of the cod family, burbot bite hardest after dark under the ice when most anglers are asleep.

California Halibut

Paralichthys californicus

A hard-charging, bait-crushing flatfish of sandy bays and surf zones that fights well above its weight for any angler willing to work the bottom.

California Yellowtail

Seriola dorsalis

The most coveted inshore gamefish on the West Coast, built for speed and guaranteed to test every knot you tied.

Channel Catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

The most widely distributed catfish in North America, pursued across the continent for its firm white fillets and accessible patience-style fishing with scent-based baits.

Chinook Salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

The largest Pacific salmon, a bucket-list trophy that tests gear, skill, and endurance in cold rivers and open ocean alike.

Cisco

Coregonus artedi

A fast-moving, deep-water schooling fish of cold northern lakes, prized by ice anglers for its explosive jig strikes and exceptional flavor when smoked.

Cobia

Rachycentron canadum

A powerful, fast-growing predator that follows rays and sharks through nearshore Atlantic and Gulf waters, fighting like a fish twice its size.

Coho Salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

Hard-charging anadromous Pacific salmon famous for acrobatic fights, fall river runs, and excellent table fare.

Common Snook

Centropomus undecimalis

Florida's premier inshore predator, the common snook is a hard-fighting structure fish prized for its cunning, speed, and exceptional table quality.

Dolly Varden

Salvelinus malma

A brilliantly spotted char of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest that shadows salmon redds, rewards egg-pattern anglers, and grows to trophy size in remote Arctic rivers.

Fathead Minnow

Pimephales promelas

The fathead minnow is the most widely sold baitfish in North America, a hardy freshwater species prized by anglers targeting crappie, walleye, bass, and virtually every freshwater predator.

Florida Gar

Lepisosteus platyrhincus

A spotted, short-snouted gar found only in Florida and southeastern Georgia, common in canals, ponds, and slow rivers throughout the Florida peninsula.

Florida Pompano

Trachinotus carolinus

Florida Pompano is a prized saltwater jack targeted for its superb table quality and exciting surf fishing, especially along Florida's Atlantic coast.

Flounder

Paralichthys albigutta

Flounder are master ambush predators of coastal inshore waters, prized for explosive strikes, cooperative bottom-fishing, and exceptional table quality up and down both coasts.

Gag Grouper

Mycteroperca microlepis

A powerful ambush predator of Gulf and Atlantic reefs and offshore ledges, prized for hard strikes, tackle-testing runs into structure, and exceptional table quality.

Gizzard Shad

Dorosoma cepedianum

The gizzard shad is one of North America's most abundant freshwater forage fish, a large, deep-bodied member of the herring family that fuels trophy catfish, striped bass, largemouth bass, and walleye fisheries across the continent -- and serves as the premier cut bait for big catfish anglers.

Golden Shiner

Notemigonus crysoleucas

The golden shiner is a native North American baitfish prized by bass and pike anglers across the continent for its flashy gold flanks and lively swimming action; large specimens are among the most effective live baits for trophy largemouth and northern pike from Florida to Canada.

Goliath Grouper

Epinephelus itajara

The largest grouper in the Atlantic, capable of reaching 800 pounds, Goliath Grouper are the ultimate encounter fish for structure anglers along the southeastern US coast, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean.

Great Barracuda

Sphyraena barracuda

A silver torpedo of a predator built for explosive speed, the great barracuda hits topwater lures like a freight train and fights with screaming runs across tropical and subtropical waters worldwide.

Greater Amberjack

Seriola dumerili

A massive, hard-charging reef predator found across the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, renowned for brutal, drag-screaming runs that test both tackle and the angler's endurance.

Hardhead Catfish

Ariopsis felis

The hardhead catfish is one of the most common bycatch species along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic inshore coasts, recognized by its bony head plate, six barbels, and three venomous spines that every angler should know how to avoid.

Inshore Lizardfish

Synodus foetens

The inshore lizardfish (Synodus foetens) is a common bottom-dwelling bycatch species found throughout Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal waters, known for its prehistoric appearance and needle-sharp teeth.

Jack Crevalle

Caranx hippos

Jack crevalle are hard-hitting schooling predators found throughout warm Atlantic and Gulf Coast waters, prized for their savage, relentless fights on light tackle.

Kelp Bass

Paralabrax clathratus

The calico bass of Southern California's kelp forests: how to identify a kelp bass, where it holds, when it feeds, and the swimbaits and tactics that pull them out of cover.

King Mackerel

Scomberomorus cavalla

A blistering-fast pelagic predator built for speed, with razor teeth and the power to smoke line off a reel in seconds.

Ladyfish

Elops saurus

A slender silver inshore fish and close tarpon relative that fights like a flying acrobat, making it a top target for light-tackle and fly anglers across the Gulf Coast and Atlantic seaboard.

Lake Sturgeon

Acipenser fulvescens

A living fossil of the Great Lakes and Mississippi drainages: how to identify a lake sturgeon, where the strongholds are, when they move, and how to fish for them responsibly where seasons are open.

Lake Trout

Salvelinus namaycush

The heavyweight of cold, clear northern lakes, lake trout offer a destination-worthy challenge from the ice-covered Canadian Shield to the depths of the Great Lakes.

Lake Whitefish

Coregonus clupeaformis

A deep-water salmonid prized for silky white fillets and winter ice-fishing runs across Canada's frozen north.

Largemouth Bass

Micropterus salmoides

The most pursued freshwater game fish in North America. Largemouth bass hit hard, jump, and live in water most anglers can reach without a boat: farm ponds, city reservoirs, slow river bends.

Lingcod

Ophiodon elongatus

A toothy, ambush-hunting predator of Pacific reefs that hits hard, fights dirty, and rewards anglers with some of the finest white fillets on the West Coast.

Longnose Gar

Lepisosteus osseus

The most widespread gar in North America, longnose gar surprise anglers coast to coast with their prehistoric look, armored scales, and hard-to-hook bony mouths.

Mahi-Mahi

Coryphaena hippurus

A blinding-fast, neon-colored offshore pelagic that erupts from the surface, cartwheels across the sky, and puts tackle to the test like few fish can.

Mangrove Snapper

Lutjanus griseus

A sharp-eyed, leader-shy inshore snapper that haunts docks, bridges, and mangrove edges from the Carolinas through the Gulf Coast and into the Caribbean.

Muskellunge

Esox masquinongy

The largest member of the pike family, a torpedo-shaped apex predator that rewards persistence with explosive, heart-stopping strikes.

Mutton Snapper

Lutjanus analis

A hard-fighting reef and flats predator prized across South Florida for its wary nature, stunning olive-and-red coloring, and outstanding table quality.

Northern Anchovy

Engraulis mordax

The Northern Anchovy is the foundational baitfish of the Pacific coast, running from British Columbia to Baja California and serving as live bait for California halibut, yellowtail, albacore, and Pacific bluefin tuna.

Northern Pike

Esox lucius

A torpedo-shaped ambush predator built for explosive strikes, the northern pike is North America's most aggressive freshwater predator.

Oyster Toadfish

Opsanus tau

The Oyster Toadfish (Opsanus tau) is a bottom-dwelling Atlantic coast species with venomous spines and a startling appearance that anglers frequently haul up while fishing inshore structure and oyster bars from Maine to the Caribbean.

Pacific Halibut

Hippoglossus stenolepis

The largest flatfish on earth, a bottom-dwelling giant that tests heavy tackle and rewards patient anglers with some of the best-eating fish in the ocean.

Peacock Bass

Cichla ocellaris

A brilliantly colored South American cichlid terrorizing South Florida canals with explosive strikes and relentless aggression that no other freshwater fish in the state can match.

Permit

Trachinotus falcatus

A hyper-wary flats predator that tests anglers with its razor-sharp senses and maddening reluctance to eat.

Pinfish

Lagodon rhomboides

Pinfish are one of the most commonly caught bycatch species along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts - a small, spiny, silver-and-stripe panfish every saltwater angler eventually pulls up.

Pink Salmon

Oncorhynchus gorbuscha

The humpy of Puget Sound and Southeast Alaska: how to identify a pink salmon, where the runs stack up, when the odd-year peaks hit, and the light gear and pink lures that catch them.

Porgy

Calamus bajonado

The reef porgy of the Florida Keys and South Florida: how to identify a jolthead porgy, where it holds on the reef and hard bottom, when it bites, and the simple bottom rigs that turn it into some of the best eating on the boat.

Rainbow Trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

A hard-fighting, brilliantly colored cold-water game fish stocked widely across North America and prized by fly anglers, spin fishers, and beginners alike.

Red Snapper

Lutjanus campechanus

A prized Gulf and South Atlantic bottom fish known for hard structure fights, exceptional table fare, and one of the most closely managed recreational seasons in saltwater fishing.

Redear Sunfish

Lepomis microlophus

The shellcracker is a hard-fighting panfish prized for its sweet table fare and spring spawning runs that pack shallow flats across the southeastern and central US.

Redfish

Sciaenops ocellatus

The premier inshore saltwater target across the Gulf Coast and South Atlantic. Redfish tail on shallow flats, run hard in the surf, and are accessible to anglers from kayaks, wading flats, and bay boats alike.

Roosterfish

Nematistius pectoralis

The roosterfish delivers a world-class topwater fight from the sand, crowned by seven towering dorsal spines no other fish can match.

Scaled Sardine

Harengula jaguana

The scaled sardine is a small, silver schooling fish that serves as a primary live bait for nearshore and offshore fishing along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic seaboard, drawing snook, tarpon, kingfish, cobia, mahi-mahi, and sailfish.

Sheepshead

Archosargus probatocephalus

A structure-hugging porgy found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, famous for its human-like teeth, bold convict stripes, and maddening talent for stealing bait clean off your hook.

Shortnose Gar

Lepisosteus platostomus

The smallest and most turbidity-tolerant of North America's gar, shortnose gar live in the muddy rivers and backwaters of the Mississippi and Missouri drainages where other gar rarely venture.

Smallmouth Bass

Micropterus dolomieu

The pound-for-pound hardest-fighting freshwater fish in North America, built for cold, clear rivers and rocky lakes.

Sockeye Salmon

Oncorhynchus nerka

The sockeye is the flame-red prize of Pacific salmon rivers, combining jaw-dropping spawning colors with some of the richest table fare in saltwater or fresh.

Southern Kingfish

Menticirrhus americanus

The southern kingfish — called whiting or sea mullet by most surf anglers — is one of the most widespread and accessible saltwater species on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, ranging from New York to the Gulf states.

Southern Puffer

Sphoeroides nephelus

The Southern Puffer is a small, spiky inshore fish found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from New York to the Yucatan that inflates like a balloon when threatened and carries one of the most potent neurotoxins known -- tetrodotoxin -- making it a fascinating catch-and-release bycatch species.

Spanish Mackerel

Scomberomorus maculatus

A fast, hard-fighting nearshore schooling fish prized for blistering runs, topwater strikes, and some of the best table fare on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

Spotted Bass

Micropterus punctulatus

A scrappy, current-loving black bass of southern and midwestern rivers and reservoirs — looks like a largemouth, fights like a smallmouth, and schools in deep water where neither cousin will follow.

Spotted Bay Bass

Paralabrax maculatofasciatus

Southern California's favorite bay fish: how to identify a spotted bay bass, where it holds in the back bays, when it bites, and the soft plastics and tactics that fool them on light tackle.

Spotted Gar

Lepisosteus oculatus

A boldly spotted, medium-sized gar common in the weedy backwaters and slow rivers of the Gulf Coast and Midwest, often confused with longnose gar but identifiable by its prominent round spots.

Spotted Seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

The spotted seatrout is one of the most popular inshore targets along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, prized for its aggressive surface strikes, seagrass-flat habitat, and excellent table quality.

Steelhead

Oncorhynchus mykiss

The ocean-going form of rainbow trout, steelhead return to Pacific and Great Lakes rivers as silver, muscular fighters that test every angler's skill and patience.

Striped Bass

Morone saxatilis

A powerful anadromous predator renowned for surf runs, hard strikes, and the most storied fishery on the Atlantic Coast.

Striped Mullet

Mugil cephalus

Striped Mullet (Mugil cephalus) is one of the most ecologically important forage fish in coastal and brackish waters across the southeastern US and Gulf Coast — prized by anglers as live bait for tarpon, snook, cobia, and redfish, and respected at the dinner table too.

Tarpon

Megalops atlanticus

The Silver King of the Atlantic and Gulf: a prehistoric giant that ranges from the Carolinas to Brazil, jumps spectacularly, and tests every angler who hooks one.

Thread Herring

Opisthonema oglinum

The Atlantic thread herring is one of the most important live baitfish along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, recognized by the long filament trailing from its dorsal fin and favored by offshore captains targeting sailfish, kingfish, and other pelagics from the Carolinas through the Gulf of Mexico.

Threadfin Shad

Dorosoma petenense

Threadfin Shad (Dorosoma petenense) is the dominant forage fish in Southern US reservoirs, and understanding its behavior is the single most reliable key to locating and catching bass, crappie, striped bass, white bass, and catfish in warm-water lakes and rivers.

Tilapia

Oreochromis spp.

The warm-water cichlid that's become a naturalized fixture in Southern and Southwestern canals and ponds: how to identify tilapia, where they hold, why they're tricky on hook and line, and how to catch (and eat) them.

Tripletail

Lobotes surinamensis

A deceptive, debris-mimicking inshore trophy found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts that rewards patient sight fishers with hard fights and exceptional table fare.

Vermilion Rockfish

Sebastes miniatus

A brilliantly scarlet reef predator haunting California's rocky ledges and kelp beds, prized as one of the Pacific's finest eating fish.

Wahoo

Acanthocybium solandri

A sleek, lightning-fast offshore predator prized for blistering runs and exceptional table fare, found in tropical and subtropical seas worldwide.

Walleye

Sander vitreus

A low-light predator with glowing marble eyes, walleye are the most prized table fish in the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest.

White Seabass

Atractoscion nobilis

California's most coveted inshore trophy, white seabass patrol kelp forests and rocky reefs and push well past 50 pounds.

White Sturgeon

Acipenser transmontanus

North America's largest freshwater fish: how to identify a white sturgeon, where they hold in the Columbia, Sacramento, and Fraser systems, when to target them, and the heavy bottom tackle the job demands.

Yellow Perch

Perca flavescens

The Great Lakes' most beloved panfish delivers fast action in schools, outstanding table fare, and some of the best ice fishing in North America.

Yellowfin Tuna

Thunnus albacares

A powerhouse offshore pelagic built for speed, the yellowfin tuna demands heavy tackle and rewards persistence with some of the best eating in the ocean.

Yellowtail Snapper

Ocyurus chrysurus

A reef-dwelling snapper known for its vivid yellow stripe and tail, reliable chum-slick action, and some of the finest table fare in the Florida Keys.