Sport Fish of Alberta

Sport Fish of Alberta

Walleye

Brassy, golden overall appearance, with olive or brown, black and yellow on sides.

Yellow to white on underside. Spiny frist dorsal fin.

Lower tip on tail is white. Glassy eyes. Often found in schools.

Occurs in lakes and rivers throughout Alberta,

except in the foothills and mountains.

Sauger

Similar in color to the walleye, but has distinctive rows of spots on dorsal fins.

Tail fin of sauger does not bear white on lower lobe as does the walleye.

Occurs in North Saskatchewan, Red Deer, St. Mary and milk rivers.

Yellow Perch

Body yellow or green in color. Back is darker olive-green.

Sides have broad,dark vertical bars which extend almost to the yellow underside.

Fins have sharp spines. Often found in schools.

Occurs throughout Alberta, except in the foothills and mountains.

Northern Pike

Elongated body. Black and sides are generally greenish with yellowish-white spots.

Head depressed forward with duck-like jaws.

Sharp backward-pointing teeth on jaws and in the roof of the mouth.

Occurs throughout Alberta, except in the foothills and mountains.

Lake Sturgeon

Brown or grey body with pale belly.

Rows of bony plates embedded in skin, and shark-like upturned tail.

Four barbels beneath pointer snout. Known as the giant of freshwater fish.

Occurs in the North and South Saskatewan rivers and the Red Deer River.

Bull Trout

Olive-green to blue-grey back with slivery sides.

Yellow to red spots on back and sides.Pectoral, pelvic and anal fins offen

have a white leadding edge, not followed with a black stripe.

Mature males often have a red belly. Distinguished from brook trout by the abence of

dense,black markings on the dorsal and tail fins. Once known as Dolly Varden.

Occurs throughout the foothills and mountains.

Brook Trout

Dark olive back and sides with lighter worm-like markings on the back,

dorsal fin and tail fin. Cream-coloured underside.

Sides have many red spots bordered with bluish haloes. Tail is nearly square-cut.

Lower fins have a black stripe behind the white leading edge.

Occurs mainly in the foothills and mountains.

Brown Trout

Brown or olive-brown back with black spots.

Golden-brown sides sprinkled with rusty-red or orange spots, bordered by pale haloes.

Cream-colored underside. Tail is square-cut. Occures in the foothills and mountains.

Rainbow Trout

Color ranges from bluish to greenish on back, with sides silvery to yellowish-green.

Black spots on the back, sides, dorsal fin and tail.

Mature fish have a broad pinkish band along sides.

Occurs throughout Alberta but mainly in the Southern half of the province.

Cutthroat Trout

Yellowish-green body with reddish belly. Narrow pinkish band often occurs along sides.

Red strip present in crease along inner edge of lower jaw.

Mature fish often with bright red belly. Large black spots on back and upper sides with

more towards the tail. Occurs in the southern foothills and mountains.

Lake Trout

Olive to brownish-grey dorsally,sides light sliver.

Irregular greyish spots on side.Coloring varies from lake to lake.

Tail is deeply forked.Occurs in northern lakes and in a few lakes in the foothills and

mountains.

Golden Trout

Body is reddish to yellowish-green in color. Fins may be orange colored.

Pelvic and anal fins may have white or orange tips. Black spots are fewer but larger

than in rainbow trout and are concentrated toward the tail.

Restricted to few mountain lakes in the southern part of Alberta.

Burbot

Slim brownish-black body with smooth skin.

Flattened head with wide mouth and one barbel hanging from lower jaw.

Midline fin nearly continuous around back half of thr body. Often caught through the ice.

Delicous when skined and cooked. Also known as fresh water cod.

Occurs in lakes and rivers throughout Alberta.

Arctic Grayling

Light brown to dark purple back, fading to bluish-grey sides.

Black, diamond-shaped spots are scattered along sides.

Very large and colorful fin with red and violet spots.

Occurs in the northern half of Alberta with scattered stocked populations

in the foothills and mountains.

Lake Whitefish

Olive-green to bluish on back, and silvery sides.

Small mouth below a rounded snout.Tail deeply forked.

Occurs primarily in lakes throughout Alberta.

Mountian Whitefish

Greyish-blue to light brown on back, and silvery sides.

Small mouth below a pointed snout. Tail deeply forked.

Occurs primarily in flowing waters throughout the foothills and mountains.