As you well know, fishing is all about knowing your fishing grounds. Well, you also need to know the fish. Here is a brief summary of common freshwater fish you could go after.
Fishing for Freshwater Fish
When discussing “common” freshwater fish that you might try to catch, one always runs the risk of having a different definition of “common” than others. Since I am writing the article, you will just have to learn to live with this list.
The bass is undoubtedly the most common freshwater fish targeted by anglers. There are plenty of variations, but basses tend to break down into two categories – largemouth and smallmouth. Both fish are considered excellent game fish, but the smallmouth is known for putting up a torrid fight. The bass were originally found in the Southeast of the country, but are now found practically anywhere. They will eat just about anything they can find, but temperatures should be between 65 and 75 degrees for the best results.
If the bass is number one on our list, trout definitely take up the second position. Frankly, many people would argue the trout should be first. There are a wide variety of trout with brown, rainbow, brook and cutthroats being a few of the more popular. There are some trout that stick solely to lakes and rivers while other varieties head down stream to the ocean and forge for food there. Steelhead trout, for instance, are brown trout that do this. The conditions for catching trout vary widely on the location and type of trout.
The glorious salmon is our third fish on the list. That being said, the exact nature of a salmon is a bit complex. There are two types – Pacific and Atlantic. The Atlantic Salmon is undisputedly a…well, salmon. The Pacific Salmon, however, is not. Scientifically, it is considered a variation of a rainbow trout with an urge to travel. Genetically, they salmons are entirely different.
Ironically, the best place to catch salmon these days is not along the east or west coast of the country. It is the Great Lakes. Pacific Salmon were introduced to these waters to act as a predator against a herring species that was proving bothersome. The salmon controlled the herring so well that the salmon population exploded much to the delight of anglers everywhere.
Well, there you have it. The three most common fish. Any of them will give you a good fight and are great targets.
Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of journals that make great
fly fishing gifts.
