1. Wisconsin Game Fish Identification

2. Dorsal Fin Caudal Fin Anal Fin Pelvic Fin Pectoral Fin Operculum

3. Bluegill

4. 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. Bluegill

5. Pumpkinseed

6. Lateral facial markings Scarlet spot on opercle flap 7-8 dark vertical bands Very similar to bluegill Very colorful, but color is a poor ID indicator. Pumpkinseed

7. Red Eared Sunfish

8. Produced from a Bluegill and Pumpkinseed crossbreeds. Looks very similar to Bluegill or Pumpkinseed, but slight differences. Red Eared Sunfish

9. Crappie

10. Both Black and White (black = 7-8 dorsal spines, white = 6 dorsal spines.) Mottled Markings Color is not a good identification indicator Very thin, perhaps the thinnest of all sunfish 8-10 inches is common Crappie

11. Yellow Perch

12. 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 3.5 times as long as deep unlike walleyes, they do not have canines Yellow Perch

13. Largemouth Bass

14. Upper jaw extends beyond the eye Deep notch in dorsal fin Caudal fin is forked and rounded Golden-brown eye Dark, irregular horizontal stripe along lateral line Largemouth Bass

15. Smallmouth Bass

16. 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

17. White Bass

18. Brown eye Silver color many dark, horizontal lines along the sides White Bass

19. Rock Bass

20. Brown eye Brown coloration, with light vertical stripes along the sides Rock Bass

21. Walleye

22. Canines along the lower jaw irregularly-shaped vertical blotches along sides Upper half of body has mottled vertical stripes Dark blotch on back of anterior dorsal fin, no spots on dorsal fin Silvery, opaque marble eyes that glow in the dark White tip on lower edge of caudal fin Walleye

23. Sauger

24. Very similar to a walleye spots on the anterior dorsal fin, no black blotch at the back of anterior dorsal no white tip on low caudal fin Sauger

25. Northern Pike

26. Hard-muscled, tube-shaped fish with elongated body and a flat, duckbill snout light, bean-shaped markings that run the length of the body in horizontal rows Tiger-striped fins Rounded caudal, pelvic and pectoral fins Scales cover the cheek and upper half of the operculum 5-7 pores on each side of lower jaw Northern Pike

27. Muskellunge

28. Hard-muscled, tube-shaped fish with elongated body and a flat, duckbill snout vertical stripes along each side of the fish Tiger-striped fins Pointed caudal, pelvic and pectoral fins No scales on the cheek and upper half of the operculum 6-9 pores on each side of lower jaw Muskellunge

29. Brook Trout

30. Has an elongated and compressed body squared-tail wormlike markings on back and head red spots along the side of their bodies with blue halos. Lower fins have a white leading edge, followed by a black border Brook Trout

31. Brown Trout

32. “X” shaped markings on back and upper half of their body squared tail numerous small spots on the head inside of the mouth is white 10-12 anal rays Brown Trout

33. Rainbow Trout

34. Many small spots on the body Distinctive pink horizontal stripe down each side of the body squared tail with spots 10-12 anal rays Rainbow Trout

35. Lake Trout

36. Silvery color with irregular wormlike markings on back and dorsal fin Light spots in body and tail deeply forked tail with spots on edge leading to the body 10-11 rays in their anal fin inside of mouth is white Lake Trout

37. Chinook Salmon

38. Some black spots on upper half of body grey-black mouth, with teeth set in black gums squared tail with spots on both halves 15-19 anal rays Chinook Salmon

39. Coho Salmon

40. Small black spots on backs, sides above the lateral line, base of dorsal fin, and upper half of caudal fin. Inside of mouth is grey or black, with teeth set in white gums Slightly forked tail 12-15 anal rays Coho Salmon

41. Lake Sturgeon

42. Torpedo-shaped body, turned up tail Resembles a shark Five rows of shell-shaped plates along back notochord instead of backbone Mouth is on underside of body with barbels Lake Sturgeon

43. Channel Catfish

44. Scaleless, tough skin 8 barbels Three sharp spines, (1 dorsal, 2 pectoral) Black spots on lower side of body Deeply forked caudal fin Channel Catfish

45. Flathead Catfish

46. Scaleless, tough skin 8 barbels Three sharp spines, (1 dorsal, 2 pectoral) No spots on lower side of body squared caudal fin flattened head lower lip protrudes past upper lip Flathead Catfish

47. Yellow Bullhead

48. Black, Brown or Yellow species Scaleless, tough skin 6 barbels Sharp spines (1 dorsal, 2 pectoral) Caudal fin is slightly notched and squared Yellow Bullhead

49. Carp

50. Rough fish Very scaly Barbels Much like a sucker Carp