Fish and Other Aquatic Species

BLACK CRAPPIE

• Description: Silvery body with black spots.
• Size: Between 8 and 12 inches
• Habits: Spawns in shallow 60° F water in the spring. After spawning, returns to deep water around drop-offs, stump rows, tree tops, and weed beds.
• Bait: Still fishing with live minnows or casting small jigs around cover.

RAINBOW TROUT

• Description: Colorful pink or red band down side with black spots, slightly forked tail fin.
• Size: Between 8 and 10 inches, 3 to 5 pounds.
• Habits: Clear, coldwater streams, below 70° F; some deep lakes with cold zones or in tailwaters below deep reservoirs
• Bait: Still fishing, casting with crankbaits, spinners or spoons, fly rods, and artificial flies.

CHANNEL CATFISH

• Description: Deep forked tail, whiskers.
• Size: Between 2 and 7 pounds.
• Habits: Opportunistic feeders, active at night. Spawns May to July when water temperature reaches 75° F.
• Bait: Night fishing near bottom at tailwaters or dams with nightcrawlers, minnows, cut bait, and stink bait.

LARGEMOUTH BASS

• Description: Greenish horizontal stripe of black blotches on side. Upper back is darker, lower parts are white.
• Size: Less than 10 pounds.
• Habits: Spawns in water temperature of 62 to 65° F, in shallow water. Found near logs, stumps, rocks and vegetation along shoreline, bars, islands, and creek channels.
• Bait: Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs, buzzbaits. Also crayfish, worms, minnows, leeches, and frogs.

BLUEGILL

• Description: Deep bodied, slab-sided, small mouth, long and pointed pectoral fins, dark gill flap.
• Size: Maximum size 10 to 11 inches.
• Habits: Peak spawning in mid-June. Found in shallow, shady areas along shoreline.
• Bait: Live bait such as worms, crickets, meal worms, and wax worms, or small jigs, spinners, and poppers.

MUSKELLUNGE

• Description: Long body, duckbilled mouth, big teeth.
• Size: Up to 50 inches and can get over 40 pounds.
• Habits: Inhabits larger pools, often around woody debris. In spring and fall, in shoreline structures. In summer, drop offs, submerged creeks, and river channels.
• Bait: Crankbaits, buzzbaits, bucktail spinners, jerk baits, and live suckers. Trolling with large baits and bouncing these baits off the bottom or around cover.

WALLEYE

• Description: White tip on tail fin, dark spot on dorsal fin.
• Size: Between 2 to 5 pounds, most under 15 pounds.
• Habits: Active early, at water temperature of 46 to 50° F. Below dams in rivers or near riffles on lakes. Near bottom on rocky or gravel bottoms. In summer, in cool water areas.
• Bait: Trolling or casting with bright colored baits such as spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, jigs, jigs tipped with plastic grubs or minnows, or weight-forward spinners.

Mussels

The mussel is a clamlike invertebrate that lives in freshwater streams and some lakes.

These animals have interesting and intriguing life cycles and uses. Mussels live in stream substrates and ingest or “filter” organic debris found in the water, earning them the name “filter feeders.” During the early stages of life, young mussels attach themselves to the gills or fins of “host” fish. They later drop off into suitable habitat.

Because they are filter feeders, mussels are among the first organisms to feel the effects of stream disturbances or pollution. By monitoring these species, biologists can determine the relative health of a stream.

Mussels are among the most imperiled species known. The Daniel Boone National Forest provides habitat for several species of mussels listed as federally endangered, including the Cumberland bean, little-winged pearlymussel, Cumberland elktoe, oyster mussel, and catspaw.

To help mussels survive, cross streams carefully to avoid crushing them. Cross only on approved roads and bridges to avoid damaging the habitat of many unique stream species, including the mussel.

Author: Wildlife Staff
Last Updated: May 6, 2005