Freshwater fish are extremely popular subjects when it comes to wildlife art. Freshwater fish are commonly depicted in photographs, paintings, carvings, sculptures and other art. They are also popular on t shirts, coffee mugs, stickers and other collectible items.
Probably the most common subjects by American artists are members of the sunfish family. This group (Centrarchidae) includes a variety of sunfish, among them are bluegill, longear, redear, redbreast, green and pumpkinseed sunfish. The family also includes largemouth and smallmouth bass, shell crackers, black crappie, white crappie, rockbass, warmouth and other species.
Largemouth bass are one of the most familiar freshwater fish in North America. They are heavy bodied fish, instantly recognized by their mottled green sides, enormous mouth and plump bellies. They live in shallow water habitats, among reeds, water lilies and other vegetation.
Smallmouth are shaped similar to largemouth but tend to be smaller and favor slightly different habitats. The smallmouth bass derives its name from the fact that the rear end of the lower jaw does not extend past the eye, while that of a largemouth does. The usual smallmouth seen by anglers is 8 to 15 inches long, and weighs less than three pounds.
Bluegill, also called bream are the most widely distributed sunfish. These colorful fish are well adapted to living in ponds, lakes, streams and even brackish water. Bluegill usually have a a black flexible tip on the gill cover. The gill cover is bright blue, giving the bluegill its name. The back and sides are dark green or brownish which is contrasted by a yellow, red or orange breast. Males in the breeding season have a dark red to mahogany colored breast. The sides of the fish usually display a series of vertical bars. Bluegill typically reach lengths of 7-9 inches.
Pumpkinseed are another common sunfish. Like bluegill, they are very deep-bodied. They are known for being one of the most colorful freshwater fish of North America, with males during the breeding season being the most colorful of all. Pumpkinseed have an orange or reddish breast and belly and its back and sides are brown to olive green, speckled with orange, yellow, blue, and green spots. The speckling of the flanks is interspersed with 7-8 dark vertical bands and narrow wavy stripes.
Crappie are also members of the sunfish family. Two species, black crappie and white crappie are found in North America. The two fish are similar, with bodies having patterns of speckled black, silver, green and white. Crappie are typically pan sized, although they sometimes exceed 12 inches. Both species of crappie are well adapted to living in ponds, lakes, streams and non-tidal reaches of rivers.
Walleye are freshwater fish known for their striking eyes which reflect light at night. Walleye are native to Canada and the northern United States and have been stocked in cooler reservoirs throughout much of the USA. The fish has a pattern of dark olive-brown and yellow-gold, with speckling on its sides and a dark area along the rear of a spiny dorsal fin. The lower lobe of the tail is tipped with white.
Yellow perch are a popular freshwater fish often seen in works of art. The yellow perch is a member of the perch family, which have a dorsal fin that is divided into separate spiny and soft-rayed portions. They are easily recognized by their orange fins and a body marked with vertical bars of alternating brown and yellow.
The chain pickerel is one of 3 popular members of the pike family. The species is named for its pattern of chain-like markings along its flanks. Other distinctive markings include black bars beneath each eye. Like other pike species, chain pickerel prefer quiet areas of aquatic vegetation or other cover where they lie in wait to ambush unsuspecting prey.
Northern pike have a pattern of light colored spots on a darker body. Pike lurk in the vegetation in the clear, shallow, warm waters near shore, although they may move to somewhat deeper areas during periods of high water temperatures. Their preferred food size is much larger than most other freshwater fish species.
The muskellunge is the largest member of the pike family. Muskies have a long cylindrical body and intimidating appearance. As with other pike, the jaws are shaped like a duck's bill, but the mouth is armed with fang-like teeth. The muskellunge is an efficient predator, lurking in plants, around submerged logs or other cover, waiting to strike unsuspecting prey. The average muskellunge is 28-48 inches in length, weighing 5-25 pounds, although trophy fish have been reported to reach 100 pounds and exceed 5 feet in length.
Channel catfish are the most abundant of the North American catfish species. They usually weigh 2-4 lbs, occasionally reaching weights of 40 pounds or more. Channel catfish are easily distinguished from other species, except blue catfish, by their deeply forked tail fin. They are olive-brown to slate-blue on the back and sides, with silvery-white on the belly.
Blue catfish are the largest American catfish. They grow faster and live longer than channel catfish. Blue catfish grow to over 55 inches long and can weigh over than 100 pounds, living 20-25 years. Adult blue catfish have stout bodies with prominently humped back in front of the dorsal fin. They have deeply forked tails similar to channel catfish, but lack spots and have a large straight edged anal fin. The back and upper sides are blue to slate gray, and the lower sides and belly are white.
White catfish are another American species. White catfish are bluish-gray with white undersides, broad head, large mouth, stout build and moderately forked tail. Their white chin barbells distinguish it from other species of catfish. White catfish occasionally reach lengths up to 24 inches and weigh 6 pounds but a typical fish is around 12-14 inches.
Several species of bullhead catfish live throughout North America, with 3 species being well known. They are similar in appearance, but easy to distinguish from non-bullhead species due to their squared tail and stocky build. Black bullhead have dark chin barbels and lack mottled markings on their sides. Brown bullhead have mottled sides and light margins on their fins. The common yellow bullhead are distinguished from other species of bullhead by their yellow or off-white chin barbels. |
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