Wyoming Game Fish ID

Arctic Grayling

Thymallus arcticus

native

salmonoid

large dorsal fin, coarse scales, large mouth, spots on side

Black bullhead

Ameiurus melas

native

catfish

no scales on a dark body, large barbels near mouth, only slightly notched/forked tail,

Burbot

Lota lota

native

cod

long slender body, large double dorsal fin that looks almost continuous down body, single barbel in center of lower jaw

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

native

catfish

no scales and large barbels near mouth, black spots on sides, deeply forked/lobed tail

Bonneville cutthroat trout

Oncorhynchus clarkii utah

native

dark olive to brown coloration on backside with yellowish-cream and grey on side, typically has dark black spots that are more uniformly arranged, less spotting towards tail

Colorado river cutthroat trout

Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus

native

olive green - brown on backside with golden-orange-red on sides, dark black spots that are larger than others, largest spots concentrated toward the tail

Snake river cutthroat trout

Oncorhynchus clarkii behnkei

native

dark olive - brown on backside and yellow/brown - bronze on sides, many small black spots everywhere except belly

Yellowstone cutthroat trout

Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri

native

olive green - brown on backside with yellow/brown - silver on sides, black spots concentrated towards tail with little to none on head

Mountain Whitefish

Prosopium williamsoni

native

salmonoid

larger scales, small pointed mouth and small dorsal fin, has an adipose fin (in between dorsal and tail)

Sauger

Sander canadensis

native

perch family (walleye)

large silver eye, large sharp teeth, front dorsal fin has spines and black spots, wider head than walleye

Shovelnose sturgeon

Scaphirhynchus platorynchus

native

flat shovel shaped snout, pale bony plates, and large barbels next to its mouth

Stonecat

Noturus flavus

native

catfish

fleshy ridge connecting adipose and tail fins

Black crappie

Pomoxis nigromaculatus

nonnative

panfish/sunfish

7-8 dorsal dorsal spines unlike other crappie that have 4-5, darker colored than others

Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

nonnative

sunfish

bluish-black earflap

Brook Trout

Salvelinus fontinalis

nonnative

char

light spots on a dark body, some pink spots with blue halos on back half of body, and a square tail

Brown trout

Salmo trutta

nonnative

no spots on tail, light colored halos around dark spots, sometimes red/orange spots, dark spots on a light background

Freshwater drum

Aplodinotus grunniens

nonnative

Drum family

silver/gray with a downfacing mouth, round tail, and long dorsal fin

Golden trout

Oncorhynchus aguabonita

nonnative

red racing stripe

Green sunfish

Lepomis cyanellus

nonnative

large mouth, heavy/square body, gill cover is blue/black lined by orange/yellow, body dark green/blue

Kokanee

Oncorhynchus nerka

nonnative

salmon

similar to sockeye, before spawning they are silver on sides with green/blue back and little to no spotting, spawning males develop a bright green head and a bright red body, hooked jaw, and a hump, females less colorful with no hook in jaw

Lake trout

Salvelinus namaycush

nonnative

largest char'

gray above with a white belly, and cream colored mottling on back turning into spots along the sides, tail is distinctly forked

Largemouth bass

Micropterus nigricans

nonnative

two dorsal fins with a deep notch in middle, large mouth, and dark lateral streak

Northern pike

Esox lucius

nonative

elongated body/head, broad and flat snout, olive green coloration with yellow/white body, mouth covered in sharp teeth

Ohrid trout

Salmo letnica

nonative

silver colored body with red and black spots including on fin unlike brown trout

Pumpkinseed

Lepomis gibbosus

nonnative

thin body with small mouth, underside yellow/orange, sides mottled with orange/yellow/blue spots, wavy blue lines on face, short black ear flaps

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

nonnative

vary in color, back may be blue/green to olive, red/pink band along each side, white belly and small black spots over sides, back, and tail

Rock bass

Ambloplites rupestris

nonnative

stout and stocky, red eyes, olive/brown coloration with black spots, large mouth, stay small

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

nonnative

green/bronze colored with dark vertical banding rather than horizontal like largemouth, often have a red eye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

nonnative

perch

large luminous eye, torpedo shaped body, forked tail, large sharp teeth, olive/brown colored but can get grayish, distinguishing white spot on lower edge of tail

White crappie

Pomoxis annularis

nonnative

laterally compressed, vertical black bars rather than black spots like black crappie, only 5-6 spines in dorsal fin, spawning males can become dark colored

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

nonnative

green with golden yellow on sides, 6-8 dark vertical bands, belly off-white/yellow, lower fins orange-ish, large notch in dorsal fins