What about freshwater fish ID?

[norcaldiver]

Hi all, I see the Proj AWARE and AWARE Fish ID courses, but those seem to cover marine/saltwater fish.

I was wondering how you landlocked divers handle this. Do you just adapt the basics and substitue largemouth bass for sea bass (mal-tempered, of course) or is there an actual freshwater fish ID course that I haven't found yet.

There are some really nice quarrys and fairly clear lakes around and I'd like to organize a freshwater dip for a local club as a change of scenery.

Any input would be great.

 

[MikeFerrara]

It seems there are few divers who are well versed in fresh water fish ID. I am not aware of a course. I see divers who can ID all sorts of salt water fish and tell you of their habits but then I see then sitting in the bed of a Large mouth bass or bluegil and have no clue. I have some stuff at the shop but I'm not sure where my wife found it. You might try the local DNR office. Sometimes the fishing regulation books will give some info at least on the ID of game fish in the area.

 

[Ontario Diver]

Simple

Brown Fish

Green Fish

Brown and Green Fish.

and deeper there are Black fish.

Seriously, the best resource I've found was the booklet that the provincial government puts out that tell you what lakes have what fish that won't poison you when you eat them.

 

[raxafarian]

I've seen posters of "gamefish of Pennsylvania" for example. Check the websites of your fish and game commission (or the sites of neighboring areas).

Of course every state/area calls their version of the fish and game commission by another name...

try also: dept of environmental protection
fisheries
game commission
boat commision

etc. etc.

 

[SubMariner]

So far I have only found one "comprehensive" fish guide for freshwater: the Peterson Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes by Lawrence Page/Brooks Burr. It does all the fish of North America, North of Mexico.

You can also usually find some pamphlets or booklets that supplement it by contacting local Fish & Wildlife agencies.

Golden Books puts out a little mini guide that I also find useful.

Ok, so they're not as pretty as their saltwater cousins, but freshwater critter watching CAN be fun too.. honest!

DSDO,

~SubMariner~
Who teaches Fish ID in Fresh AND Salt water.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Who said they aren't as pretty? ocean fish are funny looking.

 

[MikeFerrara]

SubMariner once bubbled...
So far I have only found one "comprehensive" fish guide for freshwater: the Peterson Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes by Lawrence Page/Brooks Burr. .[/i]

Can you get me the isbn?

 

[redacted]

I use "American Nature Guides, Freshwater Fish" by Henry G. Robison. It covers 300 fish occuring in North America.

ISBN 0 8317 6968 0

 

[Rush]

Having spent my formative years living near Lake Livingston here in Texas, I learned freshwater fish ID by looking at the guides and posters found in many of the local bait and tackle shops. That was how I figured out what some of those critters were.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

I'll second Petersons. We used it in my college ichthyology class.

ISBN 0-395-53933-1

TwoBit