NY's Sportfishing Guide



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NY's Sportfishing Guide

Fish Identification Guide


For a printable version of this Fish ID Guide, Click Here (PDF)

Bluefish

Bluefish
Bluefish are excellent gamefish that form large schools and have strong biting action. Watch out for their bite! Catch them from late spring until early fall, in the surf ... Read more
Porgy (Scup)

Porgy (Scup)
Porgy contain a lot of bones, and they
are good to eat as a fillet or whole. New
Englanders call it ‘scup’ (a derivative from
its Native American name). They like hard bottoms and submerged structures. Many party boats target them from summer through early fall.

Atlantic Mackerel

Atlantic Mackerel

Atlantic Mackerel travel in schools.
Young fish feed on plankton before
switching to progressively larger prey.
Many anglers catch them on a mackerel
tree from May-Sept.

Weakfish

Weakfish
Weakfish are good fighters when hooked
on light tackle. The name refers to the
tendency for the mouth parts to tear when the fish is hooked. Catch them late in the evenings from spring to the start of summer.... Read more

Black Sea Bass

Black Sea Bass

Black Sea Bass live in the Mid-Atlantic all year and adults like rocky bottoms. Anglers fish with squid and other natural baits, and the best fishing is in late spring to early summer.

Striped Bass

Striped Bass
Striped Bass are excellent gamefish for
many anglers. They prefer to stay close to shore when they are not moving between land masses. They form schools and can be caught in late spring, summer, and fall.... Read more

Summer Flounder

Summer Flounder
Summer Flounder are the most popular
flatfish that are caught by recreational
anglers in the Mid-Atlantic. Many anglers
prefer to fish from party/charter boats,
or rent boats for drift fishing. Catch them
in summer.... Read more

Blackfish (Tautog)

Blackfish (Tautog)

Blackfish have a leathery skin that is
slippery. They like rocky bottoms where
they feed on mussels, crabs, and barnacles. Catch these fish in fall after they have moved inshore, until late spring.... Read more

Winter Flounder

Winter Flounder
Winter Flounder are excellent fish for
new anglers to catch. They prefer shallow
bays and estuaries with sand or silt. You can catch their fall and spring runs from a party or charter boat.... Read more
 

Freshwater

Yellow Perch

Yellow Perch
Yellow Perch is identified by the black
vertical bars on their yellow sides. They
prefer shallow protected waters where
they feed on aquatic insects, crayfish, and fish. Catch them ice fishing with worms, grubs and small lures.

Pumpkinseed

Pumpkinseed

Pumpkinseed are the most abundant
sunfish in New York. Look for the
pronounced orange/black spot on the
gill cover. They eat insects, crustaceans
and small fish. Catch them in shallow
sheltered waters on live bait or small
spinners and jigs.

Brook Trout

Brook Trout
Brook Trout is the official fish of New York State and it is also called the speckled trout. This popular gamefish lives in small to moderate-sized streams, lakes and ponds, where it feeds on insects. Catch them on flies, artificial lures, minnows and worms.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass
Largemouth Bass is the largest member in the ‘sunfish’ family and they grow in excess of 10 lbs. They prefer densely vegetated areas and submerged cover. Anglers still–fish, cast live bait or a wide variety of lures to catch them.

Fish illustrations reprinted with permission from the Smithsonian Institution,
NMNH, Division of Fishes, NYS DEC, A.J. McClane’s Field Guide to Saltwater
Fishes of North America, and John Waldman.

Visit NYSG's Fisheries Resource Center and
NYSDEC's Web Site to learn more information about these fish.


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