Fish Facts: Bluehead Chub (Nocomis leptocephalus)

The bluehead chub has a stocky body and a very large head covered with tubercles. They have olive to brown sides often with dorsal and caudal fins orangish. The fish pictured above is a male which can be easily identified during the breeding season because their head turns blue. The average adult size is about … Read more

Fish Facts: Oceanic Triggerfish – Canthidermis maculata

Spotted Oceanic Triggerfish Canthidermis maculatus are distinguishable by there typical triggerfish shape, the black body covered by small whitish spots. It is normally found far out at sea hence the name oceanic and only usually associated with any kind of floating debris or weeds. Spotted Oceanic Trigger fish are fairly rare and not much is known about … Read more

Fish Facts: Pacific Bearded Brotula

Pacific Bearded Brotula – Brotula clarkae inhabits rocky reefs and nearby sand bottoms. The Pacific Bearded Brotula is native to Southern Baja and the central Gulf of California South to Peru. Despite the Brotula’s eel like appearance it is not an eel but instead a fish more closely related to cods and hake than eels.

Hardhead Catfish

Commonly called Hardhead Catfish or simply referred to as hardheads the saltwater catfish gets no respect. Considered a trash fish by all but a very very small number of fisherman. Hardheads don’t get near the fame that their freshwater relatives do. Despite this I have heard two people that have eaten them. One because of … Read more

Fish Facts: Juvenile Jack Dempsey (Cichlasoma octofasciatum)

The Jack Dempsey gets its named from a former heavyweight champion, meaning the Jack Dempsey can be quite an aggressive fish. The Jack Dempsey (Cichlasoma octofasciatum) is a member of the cichlid family and is native to Central America. The color of the Jack Dempsey varies greatly with age, mood, and health of the animal … Read more

Fish Facts: Northern Kingfish

The northern kingfish Menticirrhus saxatilis is a member of the drum family and is often found in the trough adjacent to the swash zone of the beach and on sand bottoms in the bays and channels. And range from Chesapeake Bay to New York usually but can be found outside of this range to a … Read more

Fish Facts: Baby Bluefin Tuna

Pictured above is a Baby Bluefin Tuna. This one was caught in the Mediterranian Sea, a prime breeding ground for Bluefin Tuna. He doesn’t look like much yet but if he is lucky enough to survive a few years he has the potential to reach a weight of hundreds of pounds. Color pattern coupled with … Read more

Fish Facts: Channel Catfish

Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) reach a maximum size of nearly 60 pounds. Channel cats look much like other catfish in that they have ‘skin’ instead of scales and whiskers around the mouth. Channel catfish are often mistake for Blue Catfish. It is easy to tell them apart by looking at the anal fin. On a … Read more

Fish Facts: Fallfish

Fallfish are the largest members of the Minnow family in the Northeast. Fallfish reach size typically between 12 to 18 inches long. They occur abundantly in the St. Lawrence River basin to Virginia, east of the Alleghanies. There prefered habitat is clear, swift streams, rock pools and in clear lakes. The male fallfish build a … Read more