List of freshwater fishes of Washington facts for kids
This article is about the amazing freshwater fish you can find in Washington State! Scientists have listed 67 different kinds of fish, including species, subspecies, and even some hybrids (a mix of two different types). Out of these, 37 are native, meaning they naturally live here, and 30 have been introduced by people.
Some of these fish are called anadromous species. This means they live most of their lives in the ocean but swim into freshwater rivers and lakes to lay their eggs. You might even find a few fish that usually live in the ocean, like the starry flounder and shiner perch, sometimes hanging out in freshwater too!
Only one fish, the Olympic mudminnow, is truly special because it's an endemic species. This means it's found only in Washington and nowhere else in the world! A few other fish, like the Nooksack dace, Salish sucker, and margined sculpin, are also very rare and live in only a few places outside of Washington.
Scientists like Wydoski and Whitney (who wrote a book in 2003) and Behnke (who helped name trout in 2002) have helped us learn about these fish. If you see an asterisk (*) next to a fish's name, it means that fish was introduced to Washington, not originally from here.
Contents
Fish with No Jaws (Lampreys)
Family Petromyzontidae (Lampreys)
These are ancient fish that don't have jaws. They have a round, sucking mouth.
- Pacific lamprey, Entosphenus tridentatus
- Western river lamprey, Lampetra ayresi
- Western brook lamprey, Lampetra richardsoni
Fish with Cartilage Skeletons (Sturgeons)
Family Acipenseridae (Sturgeons)
Sturgeons are very large, ancient fish with skeletons made of cartilage instead of bone.
- Green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris
- White sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus
Herring-like Fish
Family Clupeidae (Herrings and Shads)
This family includes fish often found in schools, like herring and shad.
- American shad*, Dorosoma sapidissima
Minnows and Suckers
Family Catostomidae (Suckers)
Suckers are fish with thick, fleshy lips that they use to suck up food from the bottom of rivers and lakes.
- Longnose sucker, Catostomus catostomus
- Salish sucker, Catostomus sp.
- Bridgelip sucker, Catostomus columbianus
- Largescale sucker, Catostomus macrocheilus
- Mountain sucker, Catostomus platyrhynchus
Family Cobitidae (Loaches)
Loaches are slender, bottom-dwelling fish.
- Weatherfish*, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus
Family Cyprinidae (Minnows and Carps)
This is a very large family of fish, including many common minnows and carps.
- Chiselmouth, Acrocheilus alutaceus
- Goldfish*, Carassius auratus
- Lake chub, Couseius plumbeus
- Grass carp*, Ctenopharyngodon idella
- Common carp*, Cyprinus carpio
- Tui chub, Gila bicolor
- Peamouth, Mylocheilus caurinus
- Golden shiner*, Notemigonus crysoleucas
- Fathead minnow*, Pimephales promelas
- Northern pikeminnow, Ptychocheilus oregonensis
- Longnose dace, Rhinichthys cataractae
- Nooksack dace, Rhinichthys cataractae ssp.
- Leopard dace, Rhinichthys falcatus
- Umatilla dace, Rhinichthys umatilla
- Speckled dace, Rhinichthys osculus
- Redside shiner, Richardsonius balteatus
- Tench*, Tinca tinca
Toothcarps and Livebearers
Family Fundulidae (Topminnows)
These are small fish often found near the surface of the water.
- Banded killifish*, Fundulus diaphanus
Family Poeciliidae (Livebearers)
This family includes fish that give birth to live young, not eggs.
- Mosquitofish*, Gambusia affinis
Pikes and Mudminnows
Family Esocidae (Pikes)
Pikes are long, slender fish known for being good predators.
- Grass pickerel*,Esox americanus vermiculatus
- Northern pike*, Esox lucius
- Tiger muskellunge*, E. lucius x E. masquinongy hybrid
- Olympic mudminnow, Novumbra hubbsi
Perch-like Fish
Family Centrarchidae (Sunfish and Bass)
This family includes many popular sport fish like bass and sunfish.
- Rock bass*, Ambloplites rupestris
- Green sunfish*, Lepomis cyanellus
- Bluegill*, Lepomis macrochirus
- Pumpkinseed*, Lepomis gibbosus
- Warmouth*, Lepomis gulosus
- Smallmouth bass*, Micropterus dolomieui
- Largemouth bass*, Micropterus salmoides
- White crappie*, Pomoxis annularis
- Black crappie*, Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Family Embiotocidae (Surfperches)
These fish are usually found in saltwater, but the shiner perch can sometimes be in freshwater.
- Shiner perch, Cymatogaster aggregata
Family Percidae (Perches)
This family includes popular fish like perch and walleye.
- Yellow perch*, Perca flavescens
- Walleye*, Sander vitreus
Family Moronidae (Temperate Basses)
This family includes striped bass, known for their strong fighting ability.
- Striped bass*, Morone saxatilis
Trout-Perches
Family Percopsidae (Trout-Perches)
These fish have features of both trout and perch.
- Sand roller, Percopsis transmontanus
Cod-like Fish
Family Gadidae (Cods)
This family includes cod and burbot, which is a freshwater cod.
- Burbot, Lota lota
Sticklebacks
Family Gasterosteidae (Sticklebacks)
Sticklebacks are small fish known for their sharp spines.
- Three-spine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus
- Brook stickleback*, Culaea inconstans
Smelts
Family Osmeridae (Smelts)
Smelts are small, silvery fish that often live in both fresh and salt water.
- Longfin smelt, Spirinchus thaleichthys
- Eulachon, Thaleichthys pacificus
Flatfish
Family Pleuronectidae (Righteye Flounders)
These are flat fish that lie on their side. The starry flounder can sometimes be found in freshwater.
- Starry flounder, Planichthys stellatus
Salmon and Trout
Family Salmonidae (Salmon, Trout, and Whitefish)
This is a very important family in Washington, including many famous salmon and trout species.
- Lake whitefish*, Coregonus clupeaformis
- Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
- Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch
- Chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta
- Sockeye salmon/Kokanee, Oncorhynchus nerka
- Pink salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
- Golden trout*, Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita
- Coastal rainbow trout/Steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus
- Columbia River redband trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri
- Coastal cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarki clarki
- Westslope cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi
- Lahontan cutthroat trout*, Oncorhynchus clarki henshawi
- Pygmy whitefish, Prosopium coulteri
- Mountain whitefish, Prosopium williamsoni
- Atlantic salmon*, Salmo salar
- Brown trout*, Salmo trutta
- Bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus
- Brook trout*, Salvelinus fontinalis
- Dolly Varden, Salvelinus malma
- Lake trout*, Salvelinus namaycush
- Arctic grayling*, Thymallus arcticus
Sculpins
Family Cottidae (Sculpins)
Sculpins are bottom-dwelling fish with large heads and spiny fins.
- Coastrange sculpin, Cottus aleuticus
- Prickly sculpin, Cottus asper
- Mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdi
- Paiute sculpin, Cottus beldingi
- Slimy sculpin, Cottus cognatus
- Shorthead sculpin, Cottus confusus
- Riffle sculpin, Cottus gulosus
- Reticulate sculpin, Cottus perplexus
- Margined sculpin, Cottus marginatus
- Torrent sculpin, Cottus rhotheus
- Pacific staghorn sculpin, Leptocottus armatus
Catfish
Family Ictaluridae (North American Catfish)
Catfish are known for their "whiskers" called barbels around their mouths.
- Black bullhead*, Ameiurus melas
- Yellow bullhead*, Ameiurus natalis
- Brown bullhead*, Ameiurus nebulosus
- Channel catfish*, Ictalurus punctatus
- Tadpole madtom*, Noturus gyrinus
- Flathead catfish*, Pylodictis olivaris