Fish species - Upstate New York

Fish Fish are aquatic vertebrates (meaning they have a backbone), are cold-blooded, usually have scales and gills, and are equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. Their fins help them move, steer, stop, and in some species, communicate. It's important to know the external parts of fish in order to properly identify them. The diagram to the right illustrates the general external features of a fish, but other species may vary with body and fin position and shape. The adipose fin, a small flap of fat may not be present in other species. Identification requires careful inspection of body, snout, tail and fin shape, as well as patterning and color. Accurately identifying a fish species is important to properly follow state fishing regulations. Anglers tend to mismatch names for common species and may take fish out of class or season.

Types of inland fish found in New York:

Body shape (not to scale)		Brief Description
		Salmon Family includes: Salmon, Trout and Steelhead (whitefish are covered in a different section). What to look for: Streamlined shape; soft-rayed fins; adipose fin present; dorsal fin located mid-way along the back; tail is softly forked or squared; large mouth (except whitefish). Click here for a list of salmon species found in NY.



		Whitefish Whitefish are technically members of the Salmonid family. They include Whitefish and Lake herring. What to look for: Streamlined shape; soft-rayed fins; adipose fin present; dorsal fin located mid-way along the back; tail is forked; small mouth and teeth. Click here for a list of Whitefish species found in NY.

		Herring Family includes: Herring, Alewife, Shad What to look for: Silvery scales; single (soft) dorsal fin, lack a lateral line; protruding lower jaw; V-shaped tail; pointed row of spines along the ventral surface that form a serrated keel. Click here for a list of Herring species found in NY.

		Lampreys Family includes: Lampreys What to look for: Snake-like body; jawless with a toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth; lack scales; no paired-fins; soft-rayed fins start from the mid-section of the back and run to the tail. Click here for a list of Lamprey species found in NY.

		Freshwater Eel Family includes: Freshwater eels What to look for: Snake-like body; small pointed head; lack pelvic fins; the dorsal, tail and anal fins are conjoined and surround the nearly half the body; protruding lower jaw. Click here for a list of Eel species found in NY.

		Mudminnow Family includes: Only the Rainbow Smelt is found in NY What to look for: Small, stout body (somewhat compressed posteriorly), 3-5 inches in length; soft, rounded fins; single-lobed tail; small mouth; blunt snout; Black bar at the tail base. Click here for a list of Mudminnow species found in NY.

		Pike Family includes: Pike, Pickerel and Muskellunge What to look for: Long, streamlined shape; soft-rayed fins, adipose fin not present, dorsal fin located opposite the anal fin; tail is softly forked; large mouth. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Sturgeon Family includes: Sturgeons What to look for: Long, streamlined shape; lack scales; rows of boney plates on their sides; dorsal fin located back near the tail-above the anal fin; barbel sensory organs below the flattened snout. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Gar Family includes: Gars What to look for: Long, streamlined shape; long jaws with long, sharp teeth; dorsal fin located back near the tail-above the anal fin; pelvic fins located mid-way down the body. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Bowfin Family includes: Bowfins What to look for: Boney-plated skull; olive-colored body; long dorsal fin that extends from the mid-back to the tail; single lobe tail; black "eye-spot" located near the tail. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Catfish Family includes: Catfish, Bullhead, Madtom, Stonecat What to look for: Silvery scales; single (soft) dorsal fin, lack a lateral line; protruding lower jaw; V-shaped tail; pointed row of spines along the ventral surface that form a serrated keel. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Suckers Family includes: Suckers, Redhorse, Quillback What to look for: Small heads with jaws located underneath the head. Thick fleshy lips surround the mouth, forming a sucker-like mouth. Come in a variety of colors and fin shapes. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Minnows Family includes: Minnows, Shiners, Carp, Chubs, Fallfish, Stoneroller, Dace, Goldfish What to look for: Various shapes, colors and sizes; Small adult body size (with the exception of Carp); silvery scales; lack adipose fins; V-shaped tail fin. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Smelt Family includes: Only the Rainbow Smelt is found in NY What to look for: Small, slender body; 6-8 inches in length; silvery scales; complete lateral line, large mouth, adipose fin, cucumber-like odor; forked tail. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Pirate Perch Family includes: Pirate Perch What to look for: Stout body; 3-5 inches in length; dark olive-colored with a yellowish belly; 3 dorsal and 2 anal-fin spines; black bar at the tail base; tail slightly notched; anal opening is located close to the head, anterior to the pelvic fins. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Trout Perch Family includes: Trout Perch What to look for: Salmonid-like body-shape (although smaller); almost transparent in color; adipose fin present (like trout); dorsal and anal fins have weak spines (like perch); full lateral line; rows of black spots. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Cod Family includes: only the Burbot (aka: Lawyer) is found in NY What to look for: Long body; barbel sensory organs above each nostril and one on the chin; small dorsal fin about mid-way along the back and a longer dorsal fin running from there to the tail; single-lobed tail; anal fin almost as long as the long dorsal fin; long head; large mouth. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Killifish Family includes: Killifish, Mummichog What to look for: Small (2-4 inches) and slender; vertical banding; single-lobed tail; somewhat flattened top of head; mouth somewhat pointed upwards, level with the eye; small pelvic fin; dorsal fin and anal fins across from each other. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Silverside Family includes: Silversides What to look for: Long, streamlined shape; large eyes, nearly transparent with slight greenish/yellow color and silvery stripe on the sides; jaws point upward for surface feeding, two dorsal fins with one smaller than the other and located half-way down the back; long anal fin. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Stickleback Family includes: Sticklebacks What to look for: Small fish with large eyes and a row of spine-like dorsal fins (3-5 of them) along its back leading to a larger dorsal fin across from the anal fin; scales are absent; single-lobed tail; anal spine may be present. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Temperate Bass (True Bass) Family includes: Striped Bass, White Bass, White Perch What to look for: Laterally thin and deep-bodied; silvery in color; large, rough scales; two dorsal fins-the first with roughly 9 spines and second with one spine and multiple soft rays; three anal spines with soft rays; dark horizontal stripes on their sides; large mouth; mildly forked tail; 7-12 inches in length; sharp spine near the back of the gill covers. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Sunfish (panfish) Family includes: Sunfish, Rock Bass, Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, Crappie What to look for: Laterally thin and deep-bodied; various shapes and colors, often beautifully colored and patterned; long dorsal fin with spiny half (14 spines) towards the front and soft rays towards the tail; Anal fin also has spiny front (3 spines) and soft-rayed back; tail is slightly forked in most species; large eyes; no sharp spine near the back of the gill covers; pectoral fins located just below the gill cover; pelvic fins are located just below the pectoral fins; rough scales Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Perch Family includes: Perch, Darters, Pike, Sauger, Walleye What to look for: Streamlined shape; segmented dorsal fin with the front one spiny and the back one soft; lack adipose fin; anal fins located across from back pectoral fin segment; anal fin has a few spines in the font; rough scales; Darters tend to be colorful; Walleyes, Saugers and pike tend to be dull in color; tail may be mildly forked or single-lobed; large eyes. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Drum (sheepshead) Family includes: Drum What to look for: Humpback shape; blunt snout, dorsal fin in spiny and soft-rayed segments; single-lobed tail; pelvic fins just below pectoral fins; anal fin has two spines; roughly 15 inches long; light olive-brown to silver color; molar-like teeth. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

		Sculpin Family includes: Sculpins What to look for: small fish (4-5 inches in length); with muddy, camouflaged colors and patterns; broad head; large mouth with fleshy lips; flattened top-down; eyes pointed upward; large, fan-like pectoral fins; small, spiny pelvic fins; dorsal fin has spiny and soft-rayed segments; lacks scales; single-lobed tail. Nothing in this section yet. Check back later.

▪[Some] fish images originally prepared by Ellen Edmonson and Hugh Chrisp as part of the 1927-1940 New York Biological Survey. Permission for use granted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.