Fish
Identification
Use several traits together—body profile, mouth position, fin shape, markings and habitat. Color alone changes with water, season, age and stress.
Largemouth bass
Look for: jaw beyond eye; deep mouth; broken dark lateral band.
Smallmouth bass
Look for: jaw near eye; bronze body; vertical bars.
Striped bass
Look for: streamlined silver body with horizontal stripes and separated dorsal fins.
Black crappie
Look for: irregular black mottling; usually seven or eight dorsal spines.
White crappie
Look for: dark vertical bars; usually five or six dorsal spines.
Bluegill
Look for: deep body, small mouth, dark ear flap and dorsal spot.
Redear sunfish
Look for: red or orange ear-flap margin and slightly larger mouth.
Yellow perch
Look for: yellow-gold sides, dark vertical bars and orange lower fins.
Channel catfish
Look for: forked tail, young-fish spots and curved anal-fin edge.
Blue catfish
Look for: forked tail, slate-blue body and long straight-edged anal fin.
Rainbow trout
Look for: pink lateral wash and black spots across body and tail.
Brook trout
Look for: pale wormlike marks, red blue-haloed spots and white fin edges.
Summer flounder
Look for: both eyes on the left side, flat body and ocellated spots.
Red drum
Look for: copper-bronze body and black spot near the tail base.
Handle, Unhook & Release
The safest sequence protects slime coat, spine alignment and gills. Tap the plate for a full-size view.
Match Shape Before Color
Choose a lure profile that resembles what the fish can actually eat, then adjust depth and speed.