Freshwater Fish Wildlife and Recreation Management Mr Lemmons

Freshwater Fish Wildlife and Recreation Management Mr. Lemmons

IDENTIFYING FISH • • • Shape and number of spines Number of type of scales Teeth Eye diameter Internal anatomy Location of specific body parts.

Why do fish change color? STRESS!! 1. 2. 3. 4. Being hooked Being removed from water Environmental changes Spawning

Dorsal Fin Caudal Fin Operculum Pectoral Fin Pelvic Fin Anal Fin

Bluegill

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. • Aka: Bream, Brim, Perch, Sunfish, Sunperch • Average size 4 - 6 oz • State Record 2. 02 Lampasas River

Red Eared Sunfish

Red Eared Sunfish • Produced from a Bluegill and Pumpkinseed crossbreeds.

Crappie

Crappie • Both Black and White (black = 7 -8 dorsal spines, white = 6 dorsal spines. ) • Very thin, perhaps the thinnest of all sunfish • 8 -10 inches is common WHITE CRAPPIE: • Nest Builders • Average 3/4 to 1 1/2 lbs.

WHITE CRAPPIE CONT. • State Record 4. 56 lbs. Navarro Mills Lake • Vertical Bars on the side BLACK CRAPPIE • North and East Texas • Irregular Dark side blotches • Average size 3/4 - 1 1/4 lbs. • State Record 3. 92 lbs- Lake Fork

Yellow Perch

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

Largemouth Bass

• • Largemouth Bass Upper jaw extends beyond the eye Deep notch in dorsal fin Caudal fin is forked and rounded Brown and gold eyes Dark, irregular horizontal stripe along lateral line Dorsal Fin almost divided 12 -13 Rays in Soft Dorsal Fin (rear section) aka: Black bass, green trout, bigmouth bass, lineside bass • 2 -6 lbs average • State Record 18. 18 lbs. - Lake Fork

White Bass

White Bass Originated in Caddo Lake State wide Double dorsal fin aka: Sand bass, barfish, streaker, silver bass 1 to 1 1/2 pounds average State record 5. 56 pounds - Colorado river

Striped Bass Introduced Largest member of the bass family 2 sharp points on gill cover 7 - 8 horizontal stripes State record 53 pounds - Brazos river

Yellow Bass Often confused with white bass Lower 2 stripes broken Average size 1/2 pound State record 1. 44 pounds – Cedar Creek Lake

Smallmouth Bass

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 Large clear water lakes State record 7. 93 pounds - Lake Meredith

Rock Bass

Rock Bass • Brown eye • Brown coloration, with light vertical stripes along the sides • Heavy bodied • aka: warmouth, goggle eye • Average size 8 oz • State Record 1. 3 lbs- Town Lake

Other Bass • Guadalupe Bass • Flowing waters • aka: Guadalupe spotted bass • State record 4. 69 - San Marcos River

Other Bass • • Spotted Bass Native to East Texas Confused with Largemouth Kentucky spotted bass, spotted black bass • State record 5. 62 pounds – Lake Alan Henry Hybrid Striped Bass White Bass X Striped Bass State Record 19. 66 pounds - Lake Ray Hubbard

Channel Catfish

• • • Channel Catfish Scaleless, tough skin 8 barbels Three sharp spines, (1 dorsal, 2 pectoral) Black spots on lower side of body Popular with Trotliners aka: Willow cat, forked-tail cat • Deeply forked caudal fin • Excellent table quality • Average 2 -3 lbs. • State Record 36. 5 lbs - Pedernales River

Flathead Catfish

Flathead Catfish • • • Scaleless, tough skin 8 barbels Three sharp spines, (1 dorsal, 2 pectoral) No spots on lower side of body squared caudal fin aka: Yellow cat, opelousas, mud cat, shovelhead cat • flattened head • lower lip protrudes past upper lip

Yellow Bullhead

Yellow Bullhead • • • Scaleless, tough skin 8 barbels Sharp spines (1 dorsal, 2 pectoral) Black, Brown or Yellow species Polliwog, chucklehead cat • Caudal fin is slightly notched and squared • Texas nongame fish

Carp Grass and Common

Common Carp

Common Carp • • Rough fish Very scaly Barbels Considered a nuisance to American Anglers, prized in Europe • Much like a sucker fish • aka: German or European Carp • Nongame Fish

Grass Carp

Grass Carp • • Harmful to Native resources 100% Herbivorous Used for vegetation control Texas Nongame Triploid (sterile) are legal for use in Texas only Must have permit to obtain. Aka: White amur

Freshwater Drum Gaspergou, sheepshead Only freshwater member of drum family Forces air into smaller air bladders State record 34. 7 pounds - Texoma

Gar Alligator Gar Longnose Gar Spotted Gar Shortnose Gar

Alligator Gar Others - Spotted, Longnose, Shortnose Air breather - can survive in stagnant water Long, cylindrical body Hard, interlocking scales State record 279 pounds - Rio Grande River

Fish need areas of protection Streams and Rivers: Riffles, pockets, pools Overhangs Current breakers Dams, waterfalls

Fish need areas of protection LAKES: Depth Changes Weedy Shallows Gravel Bars Channels Road Beds Trees & Obstructions