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Washington › Fishing › Freshwater Fish Identification

Freshwater Fish Identification

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass fish with a dark green back, lighter belly, and a wide mouth, commonly found in Washington lakes and rivers.
Largemouth bass, a popular sport fish in Washington, recognized by its wide mouth and green-to-yellow body coloring.

This bass is dark green on the back and sides, with a dark, horizontal band along its sides. The belly is white. The large jaw, when closed, extends behind the eye.

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass fish with a golden-brown body, vertical stripes, and a smaller mouth compared to largemouth bass, common in Washington waters.
Smallmouth bass, known for its golden-brown coloring and vertical stripes, is a favorite sport fish in Washington rivers and lakes.

This bass is dark olive to brown on the back with a white belly. The sides are bronze and have dark vertical bands. The small jaw does not extend behind the eyes.

Rock Bass

Rock bass fish with a deep, laterally compressed body, spiny dorsal fin, and mottled brown-green coloring, commonly found in freshwater lakes and rivers.
Rock bass, a spiny-finned panfish with mottled green coloring, thrives in freshwater lakes and rivers and is popular with anglers for its aggressive bite.

Large mouths and reddish eyes. Has five (or more) spines in its anal fin

Green Sunfish

Green sunfish with a stocky body, large mouth, and greenish-blue coloring with yellow edges on the fins, found in lakes, ponds, and slow rivers.
Green sunfish, a hardy panfish with greenish-blue scales and yellow fin edges, is common in Washington’s warm lakes and ponds and popular with youth anglers.

Large mouths and only 3 spines on the anal fin. There are no teeth near the tip of the tongue. It has a dark spot at the base of the last three soft dorsal rays.

Bluegill

The bluegill is olive green to bluish with a blue and orange lower body. It has vertical bars on each side and solid black gill opercular lobes.

Bluegill sunfish with a deep, round body, bluish-green coloring, and a dark spot on the gill cover, common in lakes, ponds, and slow rivers.
Bluegill sunfish, easily identified by their round body and dark gill spot, are a popular catch in Washington lakes and ponds, especially for beginner anglers.

Black Crappie

Black crappie with a deep, silvery body covered in dark speckles, a popular freshwater panfish found in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs.
Black crappie are a favorite among anglers, recognized for their silvery bodies with dark speckles and found throughout Washington’s lakes and reservoirs.

Large rounded dorsal and anal fins. Deep, but narrow bodies, giving a compressed “pancake” appearance.

Walleye

Walleye fish with a long, slender body and golden-olive coloring, a popular game fish in Washington lakes and rivers.
Walleye are prized game fish in Washington, known for their golden-olive coloring, sharp teeth, and popularity among anglers in lakes and rivers.

Coloration is black to brown on a whitish background. The lower portion of the tail fin is also whitish. It has a dark spot on the first dorsal fin, but no strong cross bars on the sides. The teeth are elongated.

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch fish with golden body and dark vertical stripes, a common freshwater species in Washington lakes and rivers.
Yellow perch are a popular freshwater species in Washington, easily recognized by their golden color and dark vertical stripes, making them a favorite among anglers.

This perch has a greenish to yellow body, a white belly, and vertical dark crossbars on each side. There are no prominent teeth.

Grass Carp

Grass carp fish with a long silver body and large scales, commonly found in Washington waters.
Grass carp are an introduced species in Washington with long, silver bodies and large scales. They are primarily stocked for aquatic plant control and are not native to local waters.

Silvery to olive coloration. Large scales without scales on the head.

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish with a slender body, dark whisker-like barbels, and a deeply forked tail, commonly found in Washington lakes and rivers.
Channel catfish are a popular sport fish in Washington, recognized by their whisker-like barbels and forked tail. They thrive in warm lakes and rivers and are prized for both recreation and table fare.

The body goes from blackish to silvery to white on the sides. There may be some small irregular spots on the sides. Its skin lacks scales. It has cat-like black barbels on the mouth and jaw, a flat head, and forked tail.

Brown Trout

Brown trout with golden-brown body and dark spots, a common freshwater game fish in Washington lakes and rivers.
Brown trout are a prized catch in Washington waters, easily recognized by their golden-brown coloring and dark spots. Anglers pursue them for their challenge and excellent table quality.

This trout's back is brown or olive with large spots. Sides are light brown to yellowish with large dark spots surrounded by halos of blue-gray. The tail has few spots.

Bull Trout

Bull trout with olive-green body and light-colored spots, a native cold-water fish found in Washington rivers and lakes.
Bull trout are a native species in Washington, recognized by their olive-green bodies with pale spots. They thrive in cold, clean rivers and lakes and are protected under federal conservation laws.

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout with a pink stripe and black spots, a popular freshwater game fish found in Washington rivers and lakes.
Rainbow trout are one of Washington’s most popular game fish, recognized by their pink stripe and spotted body. They are stocked in lakes statewide and provide excellent fishing opportunities year-round.

Body color is variable and may be silvery in lakes and reservoirs. Numerous closely grouped spots on dorsal fin and tail. The maxillary (upper jaw bone) does not usually extend beyond the back of the eye.

Eastern Brook Trout

Brook trout with light spots and worm-like markings along the back, a freshwater fish found in Washington’s cold mountain streams and lakes.
Brook trout are easily identified by their light-colored spots, worm-like markings on the back, and reddish fins with white edges. Common in Washington’s cold, clear waters, they are a favorite among anglers in alpine lakes and streams.

Dark green or blue with white belly which may become a vibrant orange as the fish nears spawning. Its upper body and dorsal fin have wormlike markings. Its sides have yellow and pink spots with blue rings. The lower fins are white-tipped and the tail is square.

Westslope Cutthroat Trout

Westslope cutthroat trout with red-orange slash marks under the jaw, small black spots, and a pinkish body stripe, native to Washington streams and lakes.
Westslope cutthroat trout are recognized by the distinctive red-orange slash marks beneath their jaw and scattered black spots across the body and tail. Found in Washington’s cold, clear streams and mountain lakes, they are a prized native species for anglers.

Body color is variable. Numerous closely grouped spots towards the dorsal fin and tail. The maxillary (upper jaw bone) usually extends beyond the back of the eye. Red or orange slash on the underside of the jaw.

Coastal Cutthroat Trout

Cutthroat trout with olive-green back, silver sides covered in small black spots, and orange-red slash marks under the jaw, native to Washington waters.
Cutthroat trout are easily identified by the red or orange slash marks beneath their jaw. With olive backs, silver sides, and black spotting, they thrive in Washington’s rivers, lakes, and coastal streams.

Body color is variable. Numerous closely grouped spots on dorsal fin and tail. The maxillary (upper jaw bone) usually extends beyond the back of the eye. May have a red or orange slash on the underside of the jaw.

Catch-and-release ONLY in all marine waters.

Dolly Varden

Dolly Varden trout with olive-gray back, light spots along sides, and pale belly, a native char species found in Washington rivers and coastal streams.
The Dolly Varden trout, a native char of Washington waters, is recognized by its olive-gray body with pale spots and lighter belly. This cold-water species thrives in rivers, lakes, and coastal streams.

These fish are olive green to brown above and on the sides with no wormlike markings. There are cream or pink spots. The tail is slightly forked. Dolly Varden are typically smaller and are only found in a few headwater streams in Western Washington. Bull trout have a longer jaw and are found in Eastern and Western Washington and may also be encountered in marine waters. Bull trout/Dolly Varden can be distinguished from brook trout by lacking black wormlike spots on their dorsal fins.

Steelhead

Steelhead trout with a sleek silver body and faint spotting, an anadromous form of rainbow trout found in Washington rivers and coastal waters.
The steelhead trout, Washington’s sea-run rainbow trout, is known for its bright silver body and powerful migrations between rivers and the ocean.

Steelhead are ocean-run rainbow trout that run in both summer and winter seasons, returning after one to three years at sea.

River steelhead trout with a pink lateral stripe and silver body, an anadromous rainbow trout species native to Washington rivers.
A river steelhead trout showing its signature pink stripe and silver body, a prized sport fish in Washington known for its strength and long migrations.

Kokanee

Kokanee salmon with a silver body and small black spots, a freshwater form of sockeye salmon common in Washington lakes.
A kokanee salmon, the landlocked form of sockeye salmon, found in Washington lakes and known for its silver scales and importance to anglers.

The non-anadromous (non-migrating) form of sockeye salmon. They have blue backs and silver sides and unlike other salmon and trout, except chum salmon, sockeye and kokanee lack distinct dark spots on their backs and tail fins. In addition, when compared to other trout, they have finer scales, larger eyes, and a deeply forked tail.

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