Brook Trout
Salvelinus fontinalus
Coldwater species
Average length: 6-12"
Vermont's only native stream-dwelling trout. Actually a char, they have
worm-like marking against a greenish back, and their flanks are covered with
light yellowish spots, with small bright red spots surrounded by blue halos
along the literal mid-section. They have squarish tails, hence the
nickname "Squaretails".
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Brown Trout
Salmo trutta
Coldwater species
Average length: 8-18"
A true trout that were first brought to Vermont from their native Europe
in 1892. They have a light brown overall color, especially in streams, with
dark spots intermixed with reddish-orange spots along their flanks, with each
spot surrounded by a light halo.
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Lake Trout
Salvelinus namaycush
Coldwater species
Average length: 15-20"
A native to many of Vermont's deep, cold lakes and like brook trout, are
actually a char. They have a forked tail, white leading edges on their lower
fins, and irregular light spots against a back-ground color that ranges from
light olive green to gray.
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Landlocked Salmon
Salmo Salar
Coldwater species
Average length: 12-20"
Identical to sea-going Atlantic salmon. They have a forked tail, silvery
flanks, and black spots on the upper half of their body. Unlike lake-dwelling
brown trout, which they can closely resemble, salmon have no spots on their
adipose and tail fins.
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Rainbow Smelt
Osmerus mordax
Coldwater species
Average length: 7-8"
A small, slender schooling fish found in Vermont's deeper and colder
lakes. They have a strongly forked tail and iridescent silver flanks. They
are a favorite forage fish of trout and salmon, and are popular with ice
fishermen.
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Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Coldwater species
Average length: 7-8"
A true native to the American West that were introduced in Vermont in the 1800s.
Their tail and flanks are heavily spotted with small, well-defined black spots,
and their flank usually has a pink or reddish stripe, for which they are named.
Migratory lake-run rainbow trout are silverfish in color and are called steelhead.
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Brown Bullhead
Ameirus nebulosus
Warmwater Species
Average length: 10-14"
The "horned pout" are the most common member of the catfish family in Vermont.
They have smooth, olive-brown to dark-brown flanks with a sharp, stout spine
on the leading edge of their dorsal and pectoral fins. They have a broad, flat
mouth surrounded by six whisker-like barbels.
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Chain Pickerel
Esox Niger
Warmwater Species
Average length: 15-20"
A member of the same family that includes northern pike. Unlike pike, pickerel
have fully scaled gill covers, and their tail, dorsal and anal fins have no conspicuous
spots or blotches. Their flanks are a light, golden green, with dark, chain-like
markings.
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Largemouth Bass
Micropterus salmoides
Warmwater Species
Average length: 8-15"
The largest member of the sunfish family in Vermont. They have a large,
round mouth when open, and when their mouth is closed their upper jaw extends
well past their eye. Their flanks are light green to golden-green, with a
pronounced horizontal bar.
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Northern Pike
Esox lucius
Warmwater Species
Average length: 15-20"
A long, slender fish that has a large mouth, and dorsal and anal fins
placed far to the rear. They have greenish gray flanks with several rows of
irregular, yellowish-white bean shaped spots. Pike have scales only on the
upper half of their gill covers and their tail, dorsal and anal fins have
dark spots or blotches.
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Pumpkinseed
Lepomis gibbosus
Warmwater Species
Average length: 7-9"
A small, brightly colored sunfish that is representative of a group of
fish called "panfish," which in Vermont includes bluegill, redbreast sunfish,
rock bass and black crappie. Panfish rarely exceed 10 inches, but they are
excellent eating, abundant and fun to catch for anglers of all ages.
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Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieui
Warmwater Species
Average length: 8-15"
Closely related to largemouth bass, except they prefer cooler, clearer
waters and when their mouth is closed their upper jaw extends only to just
below their eye. Their flanks are golden green to brownish bronze, with 8 to
15 dark, thin vertical bars.
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Yellow Perch
Perca flavescens
Warmwater Species
Average length: 4-10"
One of Vermont's favorite food fishes and common to waters throughout
the state. A schooling fish, yellow perch have golden-yellow flanks with 6
to 8 dark vertical bars. In the late winter and early spring, spawning males
develop bright orange lower fins.
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Walleye
Stizostedion vitreum
Warmwater Species
Average length: 13-21"
The largest member of the perch family that includes yellow perch and
sauger. They have a large, silvery eye, a milky belly and flanks that range
from olive brown to golden-yellow. Walleye can be differentiated from sauger,
which they closely resemble, by their first dorsal fin, which is dusky
colored and spotless.
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