Minnesota Fish Identification and Characteristics

1
Minnesota Fish Identificationand Characteristics

• Shawn P. Linder
• Grand Rapids High School
• 8/20/02

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Problem Statement

• What are the various characteristics of Minnesota
  Game Fish?

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Learning Objectives

• List and describe the five shapes of fish we look
  at to help us identify, and characterize them.
• Identify the features that help identify a
  particular fish.
• Positively identify the Minnesota game fish
  important for the economy of the state.
• Understand important management information about
  each game fish covered.

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K.Q. 1 What are the various shapes that
classify MN game fish?

• Rover Predators
• Lie-in-wait Predators
• Bottom Rovers
• Deep Bodied
• Eel Like

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Rover Predators

• Streamlined shape, pointed head, narrow caudal
  peduncle, always on the move.
• e.g. Trout, Perch, Walleye

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Lie-in-wait Predators

• Explosive ambush predators. Body streamlined and
  elongate, torpedo like. Large caudal fin.
  Dorsal and anal fins far back. E.g. Northern,
  Musky

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Bottom Rovers

• Rover type body with flattened head, humped back,
  enlarged pectoral fins, E.g. Catfish, and
  Sturgeons.

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Deep Bodied

• Laterally flattened with a body depth at least
  1/3 that of the length. Long dorsal and anal
  fin, pectoral fins high on the body with pelvic
  fins immediately below. Small mouth, large eyes,
  and short snout. Highly maneuverable, spines
  common. E.g. sunfish

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Eel-like fish

• Elongate bodies, blunt or wedge-shaped heads.
  Tapered, rounded tails.

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(No Transcript)
11
K.Q. 2 What are the various fish within these
fish shapes?
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Rover Predators
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Lake Trout
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Lake Trout

• They live primarily in Lake Superior and many of
  the deep, cold lakes of St. Louis, Lake, and Cook
  counties.
• Lake trout only do well in lakes where water
  temperature does not exceed 18 C (65 F).
• In Lake Superior, lake trout reach 45 in or more
  and can weigh (40 lbs).
• Lake trout commonly reach the ages of 12-16, 25
  years max.
• Young lake trout first eat a diet of copepods and
  waterfleas. Then add opossum shrimp. Adult trout
  eat mostly fish including ciscoes, bloaters,
  smelt, and cottids.
• Lake trout spawn in the fall, mostly in October
  though early November, when water temperature
  falls below 10 C (50 F).

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Conservation and Management of Lake Trout

• Lake trout used to be a very important commercial
  fish in the Great Lakes. A combination of
  predation by the sea lamprey, declines in the
  cisco populations (their main food), and
  overfishing caused their populations to go way
  down.

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Rainbow Trout
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Rainbow Trout

• The rainbow trout is an introduced exotic
  species. It is native to the West Coast and some
  of the streams west of the Rocky Mountains.
• Rainbow trout are introduced into many of
  Minnesota's streams and lakes in the northern 1/2
  of state.
• Inland rainbows are considerably smaller fish, 15
  in long and 5.5lbs are lunkers. Most rainbows
  live for 3-4 years.
• Young rainbow trout eat waterfleas and aquatic
  (water) insects, like caddisflies, mayflies, and
  midges. As they grow larger they include small
  fish, but continue to consume larval and adult
  insects.
• Young rainbow trout often are eaten by a variety
  of piscivorous (fish-eating) fishes, such as
  sculpins, smallmouth bass, and larger trout.
• Rainbow trout are usually 3 - 4 years old when
  they spawn. Stream-dwelling rainbows migrate
  upstream to spawn. most spawn in the spring
  mostly in April in Minnesota.
• Water temperatures must go above 5C (41 F) and
  streams must rise (from rain) or they will not
  spawn.

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Rainbow Trout Management and Conservation

• Rainbow trout are probably the most important
  sport trout in Minnesota. They are a part of both
  coldwater lake and stream fisheries. More
  rainbows are stocked each year in Minnesota
  waters than any other trout or salmon.

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Brook Trout
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Brook Trout

• Brook trout are native to headwaters and small
  streams of northeastern and southeastern
  Minnesota.
• Their preferred habitat includes headwater spring
  ponds and small spring-fed streams that have
  cool, clear waters with sand and gravel bottoms.
  
• How big a brook trout gets is dependent on what
  stream it comes from. The common size that
  anglers catch from heavily fished streams or
  lakes is 6 to 10in, but in areas of little
  fishing, they can get as large as 15 in.
• In Minnesota streams, brook trout commonly live
  for 3-4 years.
• The food of the young brook trout is mostly small
  insects. Older fish eat larger invertebrates
  including many types of aquatic insects. They
  also feed on minnows and other small fishes.
• Brook trout have few aquatic predators because
  few predator fish live where they do. Larger
  trout, especially brown trout, eat smaller brook
  trout. They are more likely to be eaten by
  fish-eating birds such as herons, and
  kingfishers. Otters and snapping turtles also
  prey upon them.
• Many brook trout females and some males reach
  sexual maturity in their first year of life. In
  Minnesota, the spawning season for the brook
  trout is normally in the autumn months, roughly
  October and November.

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Brook Trout Management and Conservation

• Brook trout are managed as a cold-water sport
  fish species.

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Brown Trout
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Brown Trout

• Brown trout are not native to North America.
• Today, they occur in many of Minnesota's
  cold-water streams and lakes and also in Lake
  Superior.
• Brown trout grow fairly rapidly until they reach
  maturity. Then they slow down a bit. In
  Minnesota, brown trout 10-15 in long and 3.5-5.5
  lbs are fairly common in streams.
• Because brown trout are somewhat resistant to the
  pressures of fishing, they can easily get to 5-7
  years old.
• The brown trout is a very active feeder and it
  eats a great variety of foods.
• The main predators for this secretive trout are
  bigger trout and humans.
• Most will spawn multiple years and often near the
  same place. Spawning habits and seasons are
  similar to the brook trout, except that brown
  trout take 3-4 years to mature.
• Brown trout spawning season begins in October and
  goes into December. If there are no barriers as
  there are in many North Shore streams, brown
  trout swim up into headwater areas to spawn.

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Brown Trout Management and Conservation

• Brown trout is an exotic species that has become
  self-sustaining in some stream and maintained by
  repeated stocking in others.
• Because of their good taste, size, fighting
  ability, and the challenge in getting them to
  bite, brown trout have become a favorite of many
  anglers.

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Tulibee (Whitefish)
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Whitefish

• Naturally found in most northern Minnesota lakes.
  Once an important species in Lake Superior.
• Reach a weight of 5 pounds, avg of 3-4.
• Spawning happens in the fall only at night, eggs
  are not cared for and hatch the following spring.
  
• Feed on plankton, then aquatic larva and insects.
  

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Whitefish Management and Conservation

• Once considered an important species now
  replaced, by smelt and lake trout in northeast
  Minnesota.

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Walleye
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Walleye

• Walleye occur in all major drainages of
  Minnesota, but they were probably introduced in
  the southwestern part of the state.
• Walleye favor clear, cool and calm waters, but
  can occupy turbid (cloudy. When water
  temperatures go over 22 C (72 F), walleye head
  for deeper, cooler water.
• Grows to 26 in, and catches 15-19 in range are
  common. Walleye in these lakes often weigh 6-9
  lbs, with the rare fish reaching nearly 15 lb.
• The maximum age of walleye is in question, but
  most believe its 20 years, but commonly 3-4 years
  due to fishing pressure.
• Walleye are piscivores (fish-eaters) and will eat
  any species of fish they can catch and swallow.
  Yellow perch and many species of minnows.
• Walleye spawn in April and early-May soon after
  ice-out and water temperatures in the shallows
  reach 4-7 C (40-45 F).

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Walleye Management and Conservation

• The walleye is the official state fish of
  Minnesota as well as the state's most popular
  sport fish. More people go fishing on the opening
  day of walleye season than any other day of the
  year.
• The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
  raises a huge number of walleye every year for
  stocking. Stocking efforts vary greatly across
  the state and often are done cooperatively with
  various Lake Associations (groups of property
  owners around a given lake). Many of these
  cooperative efforts have been very successful.
• Minnesota's premiere walleye lakes include Lake
  of the Woods, Lake Mille Lacs, Leech Lake, Lake
  Winnibigoshish, Otter Tail Lake, Gull Lake, Lake
  Saganaga, and others. Large populations also
  exist in the Rainy, St. Louis, St. Croix, and
  Mississippi rivers.

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Sauger
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Sauger

• Similar to the Walleye but on a smaller scale.
• Found mostly in Lake of Woods, and large rivers.
• Avg weight of 1 ½ pounds.

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Yellow Perch
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Yellow Perch

• Yellow perch occur in all major drainages of
  Minnesota.
• Yellow perch are more abundant in lakes and
  backwaters of large rivers than they are in
  swift-flowing streams.
• Female yellow perch grow faster and reach an
  overall bigger size than males do. Some females
  get to 15 in and weigh over 1 lb.
• Yellow perch typically live for 7-9 years. The
  oldest known age is 13.
• Larval yellow perch commonly eat copepods,
  waterfleas, and other small crustaceans.
  Juveniles eat aquatic insect larvae and larval
  fish. Adult perch eat small fish, crayfish,
  leeches, and snails in their diet.
• The yellow perch is a common prey to many
  piscivorous (fish-eating) fishes, mostly Walleye.
  
• Yellow perch spawn fairly early, soon after
  ice-out in April and early May. Water temperature
  only needs to reach 7 C (45 F) to induce
  spawning.

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Yellow Perch Management and Conservation

• Yellow perch are usually not the sport fish most
  anglers try for, but they are one that most
  anglers catch.
• They are especially common in the ice-anglers
  bucket. Yellow perch flesh is firm and very good
  tasting.
• One of the problems with perch is that they have
  a tendency to overpopulate, especially in lakes
  where too many of the larger sport fish have been
  harvested.

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Rainbow Smelt
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Rainbow Smelt

• Accidentally introduced into Lake Michigan,
  spread throughout great lakes.
• Smelting occurs every spring, where anglers
  have a week to ten days before the run is over.
  This best done at night.
• DNR is trying to prevent the spread on smelt in
  land lakes.

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Lie-in-Wait Predators
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Northern Pike
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Northern Pike

• Northern pike occur in all drainages of
  Minnesota, but are most abundant in central and
  northern Minnesota east of the prairie.
• They inhabit lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers
  and are most common in weedy areas with cool to
  warm, slow-moving water.
• Northerns grow fast first few years of life
  (14-26 in) long after their first two growing
  seasons. Max size of 40 inches and 40 pounds.
• Northerns typically live for 6-9 years, but there
  are records of a few who reached the ripe old age
  of 25. Some captive northerns have lived for 75
  years!
• Most often it lies still in the weeds waiting for
  a fish to swim by. Then it lunges quickly and
  grabs the startled fish in its huge, toothy jaws.
• Silver lampreys and sea lampreys in Lake Superior
  attack large adult pike, but the largest
  predators for them are humans and bigger
  northerns.
• Northerns spawn in April or early May as soon as
  the ice melts. They move up into small streams
  during the night hours or select shallow, flooded
  marshlands or grassy lake margins as their
  spawning sites.

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Northern Pike Management and Conservation

• Northern pike are one of Minnesota's premier
  sport fish. They strike on live bait and many
  kinds of crank-baits. Hook a 2.3 kg (5-lb)
  northern and you're in for a fight! Even small
  northerns provide a tussle if you are fishing
  with light tackle.
• Northerns are a tasty fish, but it is a good idea
  to learn how to remove their "Y" bones as you
  fillet them.

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Muskellunge (Musky)
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Muskellunge

• In Minnesota, the muskellunge is native to lake
  and rivers in the Rainy and upper Mississippi
  river drainages, and the lower Mississippi River
  south to Lake Pepin.
• Muskellunge normally live in lakes and
  slow-moving rivers with clear water and numerous
  underwater weed beds.
• Lunker Muskies grow to 45-50 in long and weigh
  35-50 lbs.
• One musky from Canada was estimated to be 30
  years old.
• As do large northerns, adult muskies supplement
  their fish dinners with the occasional duck or
  muskrat.
• The musky spawning season is in the spring (April
  or May) about 2 weeks or more later than the
  northern pike season.
• As with the northerns, newly hatched muskies
  attach themselves to the vegetation using the
  adhesive organ on their heads. Here they develop
  their mouths and fins over another 1-2 weeks
  before they swim free and begin to feed.

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Musky Management and Conservation

• The so-called "aristocrat of trophy fishes" is
  the largest sport fish in Minnesota. It is called
  the "aristocrat" because of its huge size and
  because it is very difficult to catch a musky.
  Many anglers try, but few succeed. Most musky
  anglers never land their trophy. That is the
  great appeal.
• They are especially well known from Lake of the
  Woods, Rainy Lake, Leech Lake, Cass Lake, Lake
  Winnibigoshish, and some of the smaller lakes
  near Park Rapids and Grand Rapids.
• They have been planted in many lakes and some
  rivers all over the state.

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Long-Nose Gar
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Long-Nose Gar

• The distribution for the longnose gar in
  Minnesota is limited because of its preference
  for warmer water. It lives in the lower
  Mississippi, St. Croix, and Minnesota rivers and
  some of their tributaries.
• The longnose gar lives in large rivers that have
  backwaters with little to no current and in
  weedy, floodplain lakes.
• By gulping air at the surface, gar can live in
  hot, shallow water where most other fish cannot
  (because there isn't enough oxygen in it).
• Large adults easily grow to 3 ft or more. They
  can weigh 6-10 lbs.
• They eat fish of all sizes and all kinds. Often
  gar will lie near the surface of the water barely
  moving and wait for schools of small fish to swim
  by. With a quick sideways snap of the head, a gar
  grabs one or more fish in its long, many-toothed
  jaws. Gar also catch their prey by swimming up
  along side of them.
• Humans do not eat this poor tasting fish. It eggs
  are even said to be poisonous.
• Female longnose gar can be mature at 4 years old,
  males at 3. Their spawning season in Minnesota is
  probably late May into June when water
  temperatures are 19 C (67 F) or more.

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Bottom Rovers
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German Carp
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German Carp

• Native to Asia, accidentally released into public
  waters from a hatchery.
• Its a rough fish and destroys natural fish
  habitats.
• Large amounts of money are used to control these
  fish (gates, and rotenone).
• Carp reach as much as 20 pounds.
• There are no limits on this fish and can be taken
  in many ways.

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White Sucker
51
White Sucker

• The white sucker is one of Minnesota's most
  common fish, and it is the most widely spread
  distributed sucker in Minnesota.
• White suckers are benthic (bottom dwellers) and
  live in all kinds of lakes and streams from
  clean, stream-fed brooks to slow-moving, turbid
  (cloudy) rivers.
• White suckers in Minnesota normally grow to about
  300 mm (20 in) and weigh in at about 0.9- 1.4 kg
  (2-3 lbs).
• White suckers typically live for about 10-12
  years.
• Their diet is highly variable and depends on
  where they've been feeding.
• The spawning season in Minnesota for the white
  sucker begins in April and goes into early May.

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Lake Sturgeon
53
Lake Sturgeon

• They are present in limited numbers in the lower
  Mississippi, St. Croix, Minnesota, Red, and Rainy
  rivers.
• In rivers, lake sturgeons tend to live in the
  deepest parts of the channels or in deep pools.
• Many lake sturgeon reach over 50 kg (over 100
  lbs). The big ones weigh in at over 100 kg (220
  lbs) and can be over 2 m (6.5 ft) long.
• We know of several that were over 80 years old
  when captured.
• Adults suck their food up from the lake or river
  bottom.
• The spawning season for lake sturgeon in
  Minnesota spans the months of April, May, and
  sometimes June. Males do not reach sexual
  maturity until they are 20 years old, and females
  are usually 25 years old before they spawn for
  the first time. Females only spawn every 4 to 6
  years, while the males usually spawn every other
  year.

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Lake Sturgeon Management and Conservation

• Lake sturgeons currently are listed as a species
  of special concern. Overfishing, habitat
  alteration, and pollution turned this species
  from one of our most abundant large fishes into
  one of our rarest.
• Lake sturgeon have been reintroduced to the Red
  River system, and recovery of populations in the
  upper St. Croix and Rainy river systems has been
  reasonably good.
• Poor water quality and migration barriers (locks
  and dams) continue to prevent recovery in the
  lower Mississippi River.
• At the end of the 1800s, caviar (eggs) of this
  species were in high demand.

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Channel Catfish
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Channel Catfish

• Channel catfish live in many of Minnesota's
  medium to large rivers and their interconnecting
  lakes.
• Channel catfish occupy a variety of habitats from
  clear, rocky riffles to deep, muddy pools in
  turbid (cloudy) rivers.
• In Minnesota channel catfish commonly reach 19-23
  in and weigh in at 3 to 5 lbs, but they can get
  as big as 40 lbs.
• This fish normally lives to be about 5-8 years
  old.
• They consume a huge variety of foods, including
  aquatic insect larvae, crayfish, clams, green
  algae, water plants, worms, and many kinds of
  small fishes.
• Channel catfish spawn mostly in May and June in
  Minnesota when the water temperature reaches 24
  C (75 F).

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Black Bullhead
58
Black Bullhead

• Black bullheads are common throughout Minnesota,
  but they are most common in the southern half of
  the state.
• They prefer slow moving, turbid water that have
  soft bottoms made up of mud and sand, sometimes
  with gravel mixed in.
• 6-10 inches, or two pounds.
• This bottom dweller is considered a scavenger
  (eats dead things) and an opportunist (eats
  whatever comes its way).
• Spawning starts in late April and goes through to
  early June, when water temperatures are about
  68-70 F.

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Deep Bodied (Pan Fish)
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Blue Gill
61
Blue Gill

• The bluegill lives throughout Minnesota, but it
  is most abundant in the central area of the
  state.
• This popular pan fish lives in the shallows of
  many lakes and ponds.
• They can easily grow to a range of 3.5- 5.1
  inches in 3 years and up to 8 inches in 7-9
  years.
• The adult bluegill's diet is mostly aquatic
  insect larvae (such as mayflies, caddisflies, and
  dragonflies), but also includes crayfish,
  leeches, snails, and sometimes small fish.
• Mostly larger predatory fish, such as largemouth
  bass, northern pike, yellow perch, and even
  bigger bluegill, target the young and small adult
  bluegills for a food source.
• The spawning season for the bluegill starts in
  late May and goes into early August, (peak
  spawning is in June) at water temperatures of
  19-27 C (67-80 F).

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Blue Gill Management and Conservation

• The bluegill is the most sought-after sunfish in
  Minnesota.
• All total there are probably more bluegills
  caught by anglers in Minnesota than any other
  species of fish.
• We do little to manage this species, except in
  some lakes where adult sizes are small.
• In these lakes we try to reduce the population
  size by increasing the number of fish caught by
  anglers. It usually doesn't work.

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Pumpkin Seed
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Rock Bass
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Rock Bass

• Found throughout Minnesota
• Found in shallow weeding areas and weed lines.
• Reaches 10 inches, 2 pounds
• Eats mostly insects, snails, and small fishes.
• Attractive to young anglers for fast action.
• Rock bass spawn in May and June.

66
Largemouth Bass
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Largemouth Bass

• Largemouth bass occur in all of the major
  drainages of Minnesota, but are most common in
  the central to north-central portions of the
  state.
• True largemouth anglers will tell you there are
  plenty of (5-lb) fish in our lakes, but rarely
  does one end up in the boat.
• A largemouth bass can live up to 15 years, but
  fish over 10 years old are rare.
• Largemouth consume many species of fishes
  (including sunfishes, yellow perch, and minnows),
  crayfish, surface insects, and frogs.
• Largemouth bass spawn mostly in May and June in
  Minnesota when water temperature goes above 15.5
  C (about 60 F).

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Largemouth Bass Management and Conservation

• Largemouth bass is one of the top 3 warm-water
  sportfish in Minnesota.
• This species sometimes is planted in ponds or
  small lakes to get a population going.
• The usual management strategy for most
  populations is to protect bass from angling
  during at least part of the spawning season and
  limit the number of bass that can be taken daily.

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Smallmouth Bass
70
Smallmouth Bass

• The most popular sportfish in the B.W. C.A. is
  actually an exotic species. But its native to MN.
  
• Smallmouth bass prefer clear, strong-flowing
  streams and rivers and medium-sized clear lakes
  with gravel or boulder shores.
• Many anglers catch smallmouth that weigh 2-4 lbs.
  in Minnesota. 7-10 years old
• Eat mostly fish (darters, minnows, yellow perch,
  sunfishes, and others) and crayfish.
• Spawn mostly from the middle of May through the
  end of June when water temperature exceeds 15.5
  C (about 60 F).

71
Smallmouth Bass Management and Conservation

• One of the top three warm-water sportfish in
  Minnesota (largemouth and northern pike are the
  other two).
• This species has been planted in many lakes and
  streams over the years.
• The principal management strategy is to protect
  it during the early spawning season and limit its
  daily catch.

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Black Crappie
73
Black Crappie

• They are most abundant in the central portion of
  the state and least abundant in the deep, rocky
  lakes of the Arrowhead region.
• They prefer clear, calm, warm water with lots of
  vegetation.
• (10-12 in) and about (1-2 lbs). can live for 7-9
  years.
• Black crappies continue to consume insect larvae,
  but minnows, small bluegill, and small yellow
  perch become their major prey.
• Black crappies spawn in May and June in
  Minnesota, when the water temperature goes above
  15 C (59 F).

74
Black Crappie Management and Conservation

• Both black and white crappies are much sought
  after panfish.
• More anglers catch black crappies than white
  because black crappies are more abundant and
  widespread.
• Crappies are notorious for their short feeding
  frenzies, often in the early morning or late
  evening. At these times, anglers can get a bite
  almost as fast as they can rebait their hooks.

75
White Crappie
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Eel-Like Fish
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American Eel
78
American Eel

• American eels are found mostly in the lower
  Mississippi River and its larger tributaries,
  such as the St. Croix and Minnesota rivers.
• Typically 3 feet long, 2-4 pounds.
• We do not know exactly how long American eels
  live, but females spend 10-20 years before they
  become mature and return to the oceans. They die
  after breeding once. One American eel lived in
  captivity for 88 years.
• American eels do most of their feeding at night
  and are exclusively meat eaters.
• Once the female eel has reached maturity (after
  10-20 years in the freshwater streams and lakes),
  she starts back down the main river (Mississippi
  River or St. Lawrence Seaway) towards the ocean
  to spawn.
• This species has no special concern status in
  Minnesota.

79
Sea Lamprey
80
Sea Lamprey

• Evil
• Non-Indigenous
• Fish Parasite of Northerns and Lakers
• Spawn in tributaries on Lake Superior in April
  and May.
• 3-4 inches long, ¼ pound. Live only 2-3 years.

81
Bowfin (Dog Fish)
82
Bowfin (Dog Fish)

• Relative to Burbot, but prefers the warmer water
  lakes.

83
Burbot (Eel Pout)
84
Burbot (Eel Pout)

• The burbot is a cold-water species and can be
  found in most of Minnesota's northern lakes and
  rivers, including Lake Superior.
• Burbot are not present in waters that typically
  exceed 21 C (69 F) during the summer.
• Typically they are less than 28 in and weigh 6- 8
  lbs.
• Since this fish lives a secretive life, it easily
  reaches the ripe old age of 10-15 years.
• They eat mostly other fish.
• The spawning season for this fish is very
  unusual. It spawns during mid-winter into early
  spring, before the ice is off the water. Burbot
  spawn in pairs or sometimes in a ball of many
  fish.

85
Eel Pout Management and Conservation

• Burbot do not have special conservation status in
  Minnesota and are not actively managed. However,
  they are a big winter hit in Walker, Minnesota.
  Each year the city hosts the International
  Eelpout Festival on Leech Lake. More then 2,000
  anglers try to bring the biggest burbot up
  through the ice.
• During the ice-fishing season, when they are very
  active, burbot often are caught by anglers
  fishing for walleyes. Some anglers won't touch a
  burbot. They cut their lines and discard the fish
  not realizing that burbot is a tasty relative of
  the Atlantic cod.