Species Guides
US Fish Species Guides
Long-form guides for 15+ of the most-targeted US species, plus a full catalog of 156 freshwater, anadromous and saltwater species an angler might encounter in US waters.
Freshwater
Freshwater Fish
America's most popular freshwater species, from largemouth bass and walleye to trout, catfish, and crappie.
Largemouth Bass
Season: May–October
Bait: Soft plastics (Zoom Trick Worm, Senko)
Smallmouth Bass
Season: April–October
Bait: Ned rigs (Z-Man TRD), tube jigs
Walleye
Season: March–June, September–November
Bait: Live leeches, nightcrawlers
Crappie
Season: March–May
Bait: Small jigs (1/16–1/32 oz) in chartreuse or white, live minnows under a bobber
Bluegill
Season: May–September
Bait: Live worms, crickets
Channel Catfish
Season: May–September
Bait: Chicken liver, nightcrawlers
Rainbow Trout
Season: March–June, September–November
Bait: Dry flies (Elk Hair Caddis, Adams)
Musky
Season: September–November
Bait: Large bucktails (Mepps Musky Killer, Double Cowgirl)
Steelhead
Season: October–April
Bait: Cured salmon eggs, beads
Saltwater
Saltwater Fish
Shore and offshore species from striped bass and redfish to flounder, snook, and tarpon.
Redfish
Season: September–November
Bait: Gold spoons (Johnson Silver Minnow), soft plastics (Z-Man MinnowZ
Striped Bass
Season: April–June, September–November
Bait: Live bunker (menhaden), eels
Snook
Season: May–September
Bait: Live pilchards (scaled sardines), live shrimp
Mahi Mahi
Season: April–September
Bait: Live ballyhoo, pilchards
Tarpon
Season: April–July
Bait: Live crabs, live mullet
King Mackerel
Season: March–October
Bait: Live menhaden (pogies), cigar minnows
Complete catalog
Every fishable US species
156 species an angler might catch in US waters. Curated guides above are linked; the rest are reference entries.
Saltwater — Offshore & Pelagic· 18
- Albacore tunaThunnus alalunga
- Blackfin tunaThunnus atlanticus
- Blacktip sharkCarcharhinus limbatus
- Blue marlinMakaira nigricans
- Bluefin tunaThunnus thynnus
- Bonnethead sharkSphyrna tiburo
- Cero mackerelScomberomorus regalis
- DolphinfishCoryphaena hippurus
- King mackerelScomberomorus cavalla
- Leopard sharkTriakis semifasciata
- SailfishIstiophorus platypterus
- Skipjack tunaKatsuwonus pelamis
- Spanish mackerelScomberomorus maculatus
- SwordfishXiphias gladius
- TarponMegalops atlanticus
- WahooAcanthocybium solandri
- White marlinKajikia albida
- Yellowfin tunaThunnus albacares
Catfish & Carp· 25
- Alligator garAtractosteus spatula
- Bighead carpHypophthalmichthys nobilis
- Black bullheadAmeiurus melas
- Black carpMylopharyngodon piceus
- Black drumPogonias cromis
- Blue catfishIctalurus furcatus
- Brown bullheadAmeiurus nebulosus
- Channel catfishIctalurus punctatus
- Common carpCyprinus carpio
- Flathead catfishPylodictis olivaris
- Freshwater drumAplodinotus grunniens
- Grass carpCtenopharyngodon idella
- Lake sturgeonAcipenser fulvescens
- Longnose garLepisosteus osseus
- PaddlefishPolyodon spathula
- Red drumSciaenops ocellatus
- Sand seatroutCynoscion arenarius
- Shortnose garLepisosteus platostomus
- Silver carpHypophthalmichthys molitrix
- Spotted garLepisosteus oculatus
- Spotted seatroutCynoscion nebulosus
- WeakfishCynoscion regalis
- White catfishAmeiurus catus
- White sturgeonAcipenser transmontanus
- Yellow bullheadAmeiurus natalis
Saltwater — Inshore· 25
- Almaco jackSeriola rivoliana
- BluefishPomatomus saltatrix
- BonefishAlbula vulpes
- California corbinaMenticirrhus undulatus
- California sheepheadSemicossyphus pulcher
- Common snookCentropomus undecimalis
- Crevalle/blue runnerCaranx crysos
- Florida pompanoTrachinotus carolinus
- Greater amberjackSeriola dumerili
- HogfishLachnolaimus maximus
- Jack crevalleCaranx hippos
- Pacific / oio bonefishAlbula glossodonta
- Papio / bluefin trevallyCaranx melampygus
- PermitTrachinotus falcatus
- Red porgyPagrus pagrus
- ScupStenotomus chrysops
- SheepsheadArchosargus probatocephalus
- Spotfin croakerRoncador stearnsii
- Striped bassMorone saxatilis
- TautogTautoga onitis
- Ulua / giant trevallyCaranx ignobilis
- White bassMorone chrysops
- White seabassAtractoscion nobilis
- Yellow bassMorone mississippiensis
- Yellowfin croakerUmbrina roncador
Other & Exotic· 15
- American eelAnguilla rostrata
- American shadAlosa sapidissima
- BowfinAmia calva
- BurbotLota lota
- Butterfly peacock bassCichla ocellaris
- California halibutParalichthys californicus
- Fluke / summer flounderParalichthys dentatus
- Hickory shadAlosa mediocris
- Hybrid striped bassMorone chrysops x saxatilis
- Mayan cichlidMayaheros urophthalmus
- Northern snakeheadChanna argus
- Pacific halibutHippoglossus stenolepis
- Skipjack herringAlosa chrysochloris
- Southern flounderParalichthys lethostigma
- TripletailLobotes surinamensis
Trout, Salmon & Char· 19
- Arctic charSalvelinus alpinus
- Arctic graylingThymallus arcticus
- Atlantic salmonSalmo salar
- Brook troutSalvelinus fontinalis
- Brown troutSalmo trutta
- Bull troutSalvelinus confluentus
- Chinook salmonOncorhynchus tshawytscha
- Chum salmonOncorhynchus keta
- Coho salmonOncorhynchus kisutch
- Cutthroat troutOncorhynchus clarkii
- Dolly VardenSalvelinus malma
- Kokanee salmonOncorhynchus nerka
- Lake troutSalvelinus namaycush
- Lake whitefishCoregonus clupeaformis
- Mountain whitefishProsopium williamsoni
- Pacific ocean mixed salmonOncorhynchus spp.
- Pink salmonOncorhynchus gorbuscha
- Rainbow troutOncorhynchus mykiss
- Sockeye salmonOncorhynchus nerka
Black Bass & Sunfish· 21
- Atlantic croakerMicropogonias undulatus
- Barred sand bassParalabrax nebulifer
- Black crappiePomoxis nigromaculatus
- BluegillLepomis macrochirus
- Green sunfishLepomis cyanellus
- Guadalupe bassMicropterus treculii
- Kelp bassParalabrax clathratus
- Largemouth bassMicropterus nigricans
- OscarAstronotus ocellatus
- PumpkinseedLepomis gibbosus
- Redbreast sunfishLepomis auritus
- Redear sunfishLepomis microlophus
- Rock bassAmbloplites rupestris
- Shoal bassMicropterus cataractae
- Smallmouth bassMicropterus dolomieu
- SpotLeiostomus xanthurus
- Spotted bassMicropterus punctulatus
- Spotted sand bassParalabrax maculatofasciatus
- WarmouthLepomis gulosus
- White crappiePomoxis annularis
- Yellow perchPerca flavescens
Saltwater — Reef & Bottom· 27
- Black grouperMycteroperca bonaci
- Black rockfishSebastes melanops
- Black sea bassCentropristis striata
- CabezonScorpaenichthys marmoratus
- Canary rockfishSebastes pinniger
- CobiaRachycentron canadum
- Copper rockfishSebastes caurinus
- Cubera snapperLutjanus cyanopterus
- Gag grouperMycteroperca microlepis
- Lane snapperLutjanus synagris
- LingcodOphiodon elongatus
- Mangrove snapperLutjanus griseus
- Mutton snapperLutjanus analis
- Onaga / longtail red snapperEtelis coruscans
- Opakapaka / pink snapperPristipomoides filamentosus
- Pacific codGadus macrocephalus
- Red grouperEpinephelus morio
- Red snapperLutjanus campechanus
- SablefishAnoplopoma fimbria
- Scamp grouperMycteroperca phenax
- Uku / gray snapperAprion virescens
- Vermilion rockfishSebastes miniatus
- Vermilion snapperRhomboplites aurorubens
- Walleye pollockGadus chalcogrammus
- Warsaw grouperHyporthodus nigritus
- Yellowtail rockfishSebastes flavidus
- Yellowtail snapperOcyurus chrysurus
Pike, Walleye & Muskie· 6
- MuskellungeEsox masquinongy
- Northern pikeEsox lucius
- SaugerSander canadensis
- SaugeyeSander vitreus x canadensis
- Tiger muskieEsox masquinongy x lucius
- WalleyeSander vitreus
Reference entries from the public-domain GilledIt fishable-species catalog. Always check current state and federal fishing licenses, season dates, slot limits and protected-species rules before retaining fish.
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