Catch Photo Release - Fish Facts

This species is part of the Sunfish Family. A highly sought after game fish introduced throughout the US with often disastrous effects on native species. This species feeds mainly on other fish and is tolerant of warm water, but will become inactive at higher temperatures.

Largemouth will usually start looking for nest sites at around 60 degrees and start dropping eggs at 62 to 65 degrees. This temp can vary slightly by lake. Bass prefer sand or gravel but will utilize softer bottoms under certain conditions. Targeting spawning Bass usually leads to the destruction of any eggs or young the fish may have been guarding. Largemouth Bass can live more than 16 years. A Largemouth Bass's activity level is at it's peak when the water is right around 80 degrees and tends to slow dramatically as the water rises above 85 degrees. Above 95, larger fish will tend to die off unless there is a great deal of dissolved oxygen in the water. Smaller fish are better able to cope with extreme temperatures.

This species is part of the Sunfish Family. Smallmouth usually start to spawn when the water is around 62-64 but have been found spawning at 53 and 75 degrees. The male may sweep several practice nests before utilizing one. This is most often on gravel. Smallmouth prefer deeper water and swifter current than Largemouth and are less tolerant of warmer water. Smallmouth Bass have been caught in water over 100 degrees though.

This species is part of the Sunfish Family. Spotted Bass are often confused with Largemouth Bass and are a highly sought after sport fish.

Carp were introduced in the US by the United States Fish Commission in the late 1880s as a food source. They never became popular as a food or sport fish and have been detrimental to native species. Carp are a great fighting fish when hooked and they can withstand very stagnant water. During the winter months carp mainly feed on the bottom. They prefer softer bottom material so they can root around and find food. During the summer, carp will often feed on the surface.

This species is native to Asia and was widely introduced. Originally it was introduced as an experiment in 1963 into ponds in Alabama and Arkansas as a means to control vegetation because these fish can eat more than their body weight daily. The elimination of vegetation leads to the destruction of fish and waterfowl habitat.

World Record Grass Carp is 69lbs 8oz. - Lake Petersburg, IL *Grass Carp over 100 pounds have been caught.*

This species has some commercial value as a food fish but hasn't become popular as a game fish. Part of the sucker family.

Black Buffalo world record is 63lbs 6oz. - Percy Priest, TN - Mississippi River, IA

This species has some commercial value as a food fish but hasn't become popular as a game fish. Part of the sucker family.

This species has some commercial value as a food fish but hasn't become popular as a game fish. They are ferocious fighters when hooked. Part of the sucker family.

This is the most popular commercially raised fish. It is sought in the wild for sport and commercially as a food fish. Channel catfish are know to fight hard when hooked.

A popular commercial fish and one of the largest North American freshwater species, this fish has seen a decline in population over the years due to over fishing and the limitations placed on it's natural migration by the installation of dams and locks.

The Northern Pike is the most widely distributed freshwater species in the world. This species is sometimes sought commercially for food and is a very popular sport fish. Pike spawn in water between 34 and 40 with the middle of that range being the optimal temperature. One female Pike can have up to three males guarding the nest which is usually in vegetation that the eggs adhere to.

This is the largest species of the Pike family and a very popular sport fish. It will eat any animal that it can swallow including rodents, ducks, amphibians, and other creatures, but primarily feeds on other fish. Musky prefer to spawn in water around 55 degrees but have been found spawning in water as cool as 49 and as warm as 60. They will lay eggs anywhere over a large area. They don't build nests or defend their young.

A very popular sport and commercial fish, this is the largest North American species of the Perch family. Walleye begin their spawning migration when the water is between 38 and 44 degrees with spawning taking place when the water is 42 to 50. Walleye are not territorial when they lay eggs and don't care for their young.

This species of the perch family is commercially harvested in Canada and is a popular sport fish where it exists in North America. This species has large eyes which helps it find it's food.

This species lives in schools in deeper water during the day and is known to move into shallower water at dusk to feed. It is also often harvested commercially in the US and Canada. Yellow perch spawn when the water is between 45 and 52 degrees and don't build nests or guard their young. They have also been known to go into water that contains little or no oxygen for short periods of time to feed on bloodworms.

This species is the only freshwater member of the Sciaenide family and has the widest distribution of any freshwater species in the US and Canada. It is harvested commercially and is a great sport fish. This fish makes a drumming sound by vibrating the muscles attached to the swim bladder. This fish also has 'earstones' or stone like growths that are found in the inner ear to help the fish keep it's balance. These 'earstones' are sometimes kept by fishermen as good luck charms.

This member of the temperate bass family has been experiencing a decline in population in certain areas due to pollution. It is most commonly found in rivers. Due to it's large size and it's ability to make massive runs when hooked, it is a very popular sport fish. This fish is anadromous meaning it can live in fresh or salt water. It has been widely introduced outside it's natural range.

Land Locked Striped Bass World Record is 67lbs 8oz. - O'Neill Forebay, San Luis, CA, AZ

Hybrid Striped Bass (aka Whiterock Bass) World Record is 27lbs 5oz. - Geers Ferry Lake, AK

This fish feeds mostly by site and is usually found in open water. It is also a common forage fish and is often used as a food source by other larger species.

This member of the temperate bass family will make spawning runs up streams during the spring. It is often found in open water and near the surface but can also be found near the bottom at times. This species is a popular game fish even though it does not grown as large as other game fish species.

Although the Gizzard Shad is a primary forage fish for larger species, it has no commercial value. It is found in fresh and salt water and is a member of the Herring family.

Although the Threadfin Shad is a primary forage fish for larger species, it has no commercial value. It is found in fresh and salt water and is a member of the Herring family.

Because of it's popularity, the Bluegill has been widely introduced throughout the US and Canada. It is the most popular US sport fish and the most common member of the sunfish family. Bluegill spawn in water between 67 and 80 degrees.

This member of the sunfish family is very tolerant of a wide range of conditions and is very common throughout the US.

Green Sunfish World Record is 2lbs 2oz. - Stockton Lake, MO & Cherokee Co, Pit, KS

This fish is also known as a 'shellcracker' because it has molar like teeth that it uses to crush snails.

This member of the sunfish family spends most of it's time in dense vegetation hiding from predators. Because it usually does not grow very large, it is not a popular sport fish.

This member of the sunfish family prefers cleaner water and is less common than the White Crappie. It is very popular as a sport fish and feeds often. These fish spawn in water between 64 and 68 degrees. Crappie have mouths like paper so care must be taken when fighting them.

Steelhead are related to Rainbow Trout but grow much larger. They can see the full spectrum that humans can plus part of the UV and IR Spectrums. Their sense of smell also rivals that of a bloodhound. Steelhead relate to the bottom and do not feed much when they move into rivers and creeks to spawn.

One of the most common freshwater fishing baits. Believe it or not, a night crawler has 5 hearts. No wonder fish love them so much!

Species	Lbs-Oz	Body of Water	Record Holder	Date
Barramundi	83-7	N. Queensland, Australia	David Powell	Sept. 23, 1999
Bass, Guadalupe	3-11	Lake Travis, TX	Allen Christenson Jr.	Sept. 25, 1983
Bass, largemouth	22-4	Montgomery Lake, GA	George W. Perry	June 2, 1932
Bass, redeye	8-12	Apalachicola River, FL	Carl W. Davis	Jan. 28, 1995
Bass, Roanoke	1-5	Nottoway River, VA	Tom Elkins	Nov. 11, 1991
Bass, rock	3-0	York River, Ontario	Peter Gulgin	Aug. 1, 1974
Bass, smallmouth	11-15	Dale Hollow, TN
Bass, spotted	9-9	Pine Flat Lake, CA	Kirk Sakamoto	Oct. 12, 1996
Striped Bass	67-1	Colorado River, AZ
Bass, striped (landlocked)	67-8	O'Neill Forebay, San Luis, CA	Hank Ferguson	May 7, 1992
Bass, Suwannee	3-14	Suwannee River, FL	Ronnie Everett	Mar. 2, 1985
Bass, white	6-13	Lake Orange, VA	Ronald L. Sprouse	July 31, 1989
Bass, whiterock	27-5	Greers Ferry Lake, AR	Jerald C. Shaum	Apr. 24, 1997
Bass, yellow	2-9	Duck River, TN	John T. Chappell	Feb. 27, 1998
Bass, yellow (hybrid)	3-5	Big Cypress Bayou, TX	Patrick Collin Myers	Mar. 27, 1991
Bluegill	4-12	Ketona Lake, AL	T. S. Hudson	Apr. 9, 1950
Bowfin	21-8	Florence, SC	Robert L. Harmon	Jan. 29, 1980
Buffalo, bigmouth	70-5	Bussey Brake, Bastrop, LA	Delbert Sisk	Apr. 21, 1980
Buffalo, black	63-6	Mississippi River, IA Percy Priest, TN	Jim Winters --	Aug. 14, 1999 --
Buffalo, smallmouth	88	Lake Wylie, NC
Bullhead, black	7-7	Mill Pond, NY	Kevin Kelly	Aug. 25, 1993
Bullhead, brown	6-1	Waterford, NY	Bobby Triplett	Apr. 26, 1998
Bullhead, yellow	4-4	Mormon Lake, AZ	Emily Williams	May 11, 1984
Burbot	22-8	Lake Athapapuskow, Manitoba, Canada	Vaughan Kshywiecki	April 2, 1994
Carp, bighead	20-0	Mentro, MO	Rick Hayden	July 26, 1999
Carp, black	40-12	Chiba, Japan	Kenichi Hosoi	Apr. 1, 2000
Carp, common	75-11	St. Cassien, France	Leo van der Gugten	May 21, 1987
Carp, crucian	5-1	Kalterersee, Italy	Jorg Marquand	July 16, 1997
Catfish, blue	124-0	Mississippi River, Alton, IL	Tim Pruitt *This fish was kept alive after capture and will be released at a later date.	May 21, 2005
Catfish, channel	58-0	Santee-Cooper Res., SC	W. B. Whaley	July 7, 1964
Catfish, flathead	123-9	Elk City Reservoir, KS	Ken Paulie	Mar. 14, 1998
Catfish, flatwhiskered	9-4	Rio Paraquai, Brazil	Cavour Pieranti	Sept. 11, 1996
Catfish, gilded	85-8	Amazon River, Brazil	Gilberto Fernandes	Nov. 15, 1986
Catfish, redtail	97-7	Amazon River, Brazil	Gilberto Fernandes	July 16, 1988
Catfish, sharptoothed	79-5	Orange River, South Africa	Hennie Moller	Dec. 5, 1992
Catfish, white	21-8	East Lyme, CT	Thomas Urquahart	Apr. 22, 2001
Char, Arctic	32-9	Tree River, Canada	Jeffery Ward	July 30, 1981
Crappie, black	6-0	Westwego Canal, LA
Crappie, white	5-3	Enid Dam, MS	Fred L. Bright	July 31, 1957
Dolly Varden	19-4	Unnamed River, AK	Gary D. Ordway	Sept. 4, 1998
Dorado	51-5	Corrientes, Argentina	Armando Giudice	Sept. 27, 1984
Drum, freshwater	54-8	Nickajack Lake, TN	Benny E. Hull	Apr. 20, 1972
Gar, alligator	279-0	Rio Grande, TX	Bill Valverde	Dec. 2, 1951
Gar, Florida	15-14	Flagler Beach, FL	Randy Michael Carmean	Oct. 3, 1999
Gar, longnose	50-5	Trinity River, TX	Townsend Miller	July 30, 1954
Gar, shortnose	5-12	Rend Lake, IL	Donna K. Willmart	July 16, 1995
Gar, spotted	9-12	Lake Mexia, TX	Rick Rivard	Apr. 7, 1994
Goldfish	6-10	Lake Hodges, CA	Florentino M. Abena	Apr. 17, 1996
Grayling, Arctic	5-15	Katseyedie River, N.W.T.	Jeanne P. Branson	Aug. 16, 1967
Inconnu	53-0	Pah River, AK	Lawrence E. Hudnall	Aug. 20, 1986
Kokanee	9-6	Okanagan Lake, Brit. Columbia	Norm Kuhn	June 18, 1988
Muskellunge	69-11	Chippewa Flowage, WI
Muskellunge, tiger	51-3	Lac Vieux-Desert, WI-MI	John A. Knobla	July 16, 1919
Peacock, butterfly	10-8	Bolivar State, Brazil	Antonio Campa G.	Jan. 6, 2000
Peacock, speckled	27-0	Rio Negro, Brazil	Gerald (Doc) Lawson	Dec. 4, 1994
Perch, Nile	230-0	Lake Nasser, Egypt	William Toth	Dec. 20, 2000
Perch, white	4-12	Messalonskee Lake, ME	Mrs. Earl Small	June 4, 1949
Perch, yellow	4-3	Bordentown, NJ	Dr. C. C. Abbot	May, 1865
Pickerel, chain	9-6	Homerville, GA	Baxley McQuaig Jr.	Feb. 17, 1961
Pickerel, grass	1-0	Dewart Lake, IN	Mike Berg	June 9, 1990
Pickerel, redfin	2-4	St. Pauls, NC	Edward C. Davis	June 27, 1997
Pike, northern	55-1	Lake of Grefeern, Germany	Lothar Louis	Oct. 16, 1986
Redhorse, greater	9-3	Salmon River, Pulaski, NY	Jason Wilson	May 11, 1985
Redhorse, silver	11-7	Plum Creek, WI	Neal D. G. Long	May 29, 1985
Salmon, Atlantic	79-2	Tana River, Norway	Henrik Henriksen	1928
Salmon, chinook	97-4	Kenai River, AK	Les Anderson	May 17, 1985
Salmon, chum	35-0	Edye Pass, Brit. Columbia	Todd Johansson	July 11, 1995
Salmon, coho	33-4	Salmon River, Pulaski, NY	Jerry Lifton	Sept. 27, 1989
Salmon, pink	13-1	St. Mary's River, Ontario	Ray Higaki	Sept. 23, 1992
Salmon, sockeye	15-3	Kenai River, AK	Stan Roach	Aug. 9, 1987
Sauger	8-12	Lake Sakakawea, ND	Mike Fischer	Oct. 6, 1971
Sauger-Walleye Hybrid	15-10	Ft. Peck Reservoir, MT
Shad, American	11-4	Conn. River, S. Hadley, MA	Bob Thibodo	May 19, 1986
Shad, gizzard	4-6	Lake Michigan, IN	Mike Berg	Mar. 2, 1996
Sturgeon, lake	168-0	Georgian Bay, Canada	Edward Paszkowski	May 29, 1982
Sturgeon, white	468-0	Benicia, CA	Joey Pallotta 3rd	July 9, 1983
Sunfish, Green	2-2	Stockton Lake, MO & Cherokee Co, Pit, KS
Sunfish, Hybrid	2-10	Farm Pond, KS
Sunfish, Redear	5-7	Diversion Canal, CS
Tigerfish, giant	97-0	Zaire River, Kinshasa, Zaire	Raymond Houtmans	July 9, 1988
Tilapia	6-5	Lake Arsenal, Costa Rica	Marvin C. Smith	Feb. 10, 1995
Trout, Apache	5-3	White Mountain, AZ	John Baldwin	May 29, 1991
Trout, brook	14-8	Nipigon River, Ontario	Dr. W. J. Cook	July, 1916
Trout, brown	40-4	Little Red River, AR	Rip Collins	May 9, 1992
Trout, bull	32-0	Lake Pond Orielle, ID	N. L. Higgins	Oct. 27, 1949
Trout, cutthroat	41-0	Pyramid Lake, NV	John Skimmerhorn	Dec., 1925
Trout, golden	11-0	Cooks Lake, WY	Charles S. Reed	Aug. 5, 1948
Trout, lake	72-0	Great Bear Lake, N.W.T.	Lloyd E. Bull	Aug. 19, 1995
Trout, rainbow	42-2	Bell Island, AK	David Robert White	June 22, 1970
Trout, tiger	20-13	Lake Michigan, WI	Peter M. Friedland	Aug. 12, 1978
Walleye	25-0	Old Hickory Lake, TN	Mabry Harper	Aug. 2, 1960
Warmouth	2-7	Guess Lake, Holt, FL	Tony D. Dempsey	Oct. 19, 1985
Whitefish, lake	14-6	Meaford, Ontario	Dennis M. Laycock	May 21, 1984
Whitefish, mountain	5-8	Elbow River, Alberta	Randy G. Woo	Aug. 1, 1995
Whitefish, round	6-0	Putahow River, Manitoba	Allan J. Ristori	June 14, 1984
Zander	25-2	Trosa, Sweden	Harry Lee Tennison	June 12, 1986

Largemouth Bass	Smallmouth Bass	Spotted Bass	Carp	Grass Carp	Freshwater Drum
Northern Pike	Musky	Walleye	Sauger	Yellow Perch	Striped Bass
White Bass	Yellow Bass	Hybrid Striped Bass	Bluegill	Black Crappie	White Crappie
Warmouth	Tiger Musky	Threadfin Shad	Gizzard Shad	Green Sunfish	Redear Sunfish
Channel Catfish	Blue Catfish	Flathead Catfish	Smallmouth Buffalo	Black Buffalo	Bigmouth Buffalo
Earthworm	Steelhead				World Records