Photos: See the most common fish that are found in Louisiana
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — There are several different types of fish that can be seen in the bayous, lakes, ponds and creeks in Louisiana.
Some of the most common fish species that can be found throughout Louisiana include catfish, redfish, speckled trout, flounder, black drum and sheepshead.
For those looking for fishing spots across the Baton Rouge area, including the Blackwater Conservation Area, Burbank Park Lake, City Brooks Community Park Lake, Forest Community Park Lake and Highland Road Community Park Lake.
Check out these fish species that you can find across Louisiana on your next fishing trip or weekend boating outing.
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Catfish
Catfish is a freshwater fish that is native to Louisiana. There are several different types of catfish including blue, channel and flathead. According to NOAA Fisheries, a catfish can weigh from a few ounces to 100 pounds.
Red snapper
There are two types of red snapper, including the Gulf of Mexico Stock and the South Atlantic stock. According to NOAA Fisheries, a red snapper can grow at a moderate rate and can reach up to 40 inches long and 50 pounds. Male and female red snappers can spawn from May to October.
Black drum
Black drums are commonly found in brackish estuarine waters out to nearshore offshore waters. This species is often found in mud, sand and shell bottoms, according to the LSU AgCenter. Black drums from one to 10 pounds are very common.
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass can range in color from silvery-white to brassy-green. According to the United States Geological Survey, it can also be a light brown color in darker water. The largemouth bass is native to the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes, Hudson Bay and Mississippi River basins.
Black crappie
Black crappies are commonly found in freshwater lakes, reservoirs, ponds, sloughs, backwaters, pools and streams. This species can form in large groups in clear water in vegetation over mud or sand, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services. The black crappie’s scientific name is pomoxis nigromacultas.
Tuna
According to the World Wildlife Fund, tuna is among the most commercially valuable fish on the planet. Tuna can weigh anywhere from 40 to 500 pounds and be 3 to 10 inches long. Some tuna are even born in the Gulf of Mexico.
Southern flounder
The Southern flounder’s common names include the flounder and doormat. According to the LSU AgCenter, the Southern flounder “are well-adapted for ambushing quick-moving prey such as shrimp or fish.” This fish species commonly enters fresh waters.
Alligator gar
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services, the alligator gar is one of the largest freshwater fish in North America. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services state the alligator gar’s range “continues south to the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico coastal plain.”
Amberjack
There are two types of amberjacks including the Gulf of Mexico stock and a South Atlantic stock. According to NOAA Fisheries, amberjacks can grow up to six feet long and live up to 17 years old.
Sheepshead
The Sheepshead’s common names include the convict fish, baitstealer and sheephead. According to the LSU AgCenter, the sheepshead “are very common near rock jetties, piers, pilings and weirs.”
Bluegill
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service states that the bluegill “are normally managed by recreational fishing regulations that include creel, season, and size limits.” The bluegill is a common host fish for freshwater mussels.
Gray triggerfish
According to NOAA Fisheries, the gray triggerfish can grow up to 13 pounds and 23 inches in length. NOAA Fisheries states the gray triggerfish “are found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia south to Argentina, including Bermuda and the Gulf of Mexico.”
Grouper
Groupers can grow to almost 50 inches long and weigh up to 50 pounds. According to NOAA Fisheries, the grouper “spawns frequently in shallow waters from February through June.”
Redear sunfish
According to the United States Geological Survey, the redear sunfish is “deep-bodied, olive colored, with darker spots and flecks of red, occasionally vertical bars along the side. The redear sunfish’s scientific name is lepomis microlophus.
Crevalle jack
According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, a crevalle jack is a “broad-bodied fish with a brown to yellowish back and a bright yellow, forked tail. Has a bright silver belly and a black spot near the gills and at the base of pectoral fins.” This fish species typically weighs less than 20 pounds.
Spotted seatrout
Common names of the spotted seatrout include a speckled trout, speck and yellowmouth. According to the LSU AgCenter, the spotted seatrout’s size can range from anywhere from one to three pounds.
Mackerel
According to Brittanica, “Mackerel are carnivorous fishes and feed on plankton, crustaceans, mollusks, fish eggs, and small fish. They congregate in schools and swim actively in the upper 25–30 fathoms of the water in the warmer months and then descend to as deep as 100 fathoms during the winter.” Mackerel spawn in the spring and early summer by the coastlines.
Cobia
Cobia fish can grow up to six feet and 100 pounds and can live up to 12 years, according to NOAA Fisheries. This species is found in buoys, debris, shipwrecks, and artificial reefs. The cobia likes to travel alone or in small groups.
Red drum
Common names of the red drum include a redfish, red, spottail, channel bass and poisson rouge. According to the LSU AgCenter, a red drum “can be found from low-salinity or even freshwater estuaries out to offshore waters at least 50 feet deep.”
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