From 2016 to 2017, freshwater fishing was one of the most popular forms of fishing, with over 38.3 million participants.
If you’ve been interested in freshwater fishing, now is the perfect time to go.
But are you trying to figure out the types of fish you should go after this year? Read this article to learn about the different types of freshwater fish.
1. Common Carp
Carp fishing is really popular in Florida in the Apalachicola and Ochlockonee Rivers. The common carp is native to Florida, but there is a lot of other fish you can catch as well there.
The common carp is a large minnow that has a good sense of smell, taste, and hearing. You will need to make sure you really are quiet while you fish because this fish is very skittish in the water.
This fish isn’t too popular for eating because it’s very bony, and there isn’t a lot of fat on them. However, you can boil and smoke them.
The carp eats insect larvae, snails, crustaceans, and other small items. If you’re trying to catch it, you can also try some sweet things. You can try marshmallows, sweet bread, dough balls, and canned corn or peas.
2. Bass
There are all kinds of different bass out there, but the Butterfly Peacock Bass is a tropical freshwater fish that can be found in the Amazon River and Southeast Florida.
The FWC introduced the fish into Florida to help try and control the African spotted Tilapia.
This fish can grow over to 25 pounds, and it’s very aggressive. Sometimes it will even target pretty that is bigger than itself.
Plastic worms may not work on this fish, so you should use fish-shaped lures or live Shiners.
3. Catfish
You can normally find catfish in muddy and dark waters. There are all kinds of different kinds of catfish, and you can normally find them in rivers and lakes across the United States.
Catfish will try to hide undercover, so you need to make sure that you fish deep when trying to catch them.
One tip is to use a hook with a chunk of meat and a sinker on it.
4. Bluegill
The bluegill is also known as the sunfish, and they will definitely try to steal your bait.
They are small, but they’re tough fighters. If you want to try and catch some, you can try fishing in some ponds or lakes. They normally travel in schools, and you can use crickets, worms, jigs, or spinners to try and catch them.
These fish are relatively easy to catch since they are always hungry, which makes them great for kids who are fishing.
5. Trout
There are different kinds of trouts, but you can normally find them in lakes or streams. Like the bluegill, these are also normally easy to catch.
Trout will normally wait behind rocks until something tasty passes them by. This is why a lot of fishermen use flies to try and catch trout.
However, you can have a lot of success with a rod and a shiny spinner as some bait.
6. Bowfin
You can normally find the bowfin in swamps and lowland streams near some vegetation.
Because they live in low oxygenated-water and have an air bladder, normally they will swim to the surface of the water at some point.
These fish can grow to be over three feet long, but the longest was close to 30 inches.
This species is a strong fighter, so make sure you have a good fishing rod before you head out. Normally people don’t eat the jelly-like flesh of this fish, but if you want to try it, you can always smoke it and then put it into a patty or stew.
7. Tilapia
There are different types of tilapia, but the spotted tilapia grow and multiply rapidly.
They have a simple diet due to the restrictions of their home, which can make them difficult to catch sometimes.
If you catch one, you shouldn’t release it back into the water because they tend to mess up the ecosystem.
8. Salmon
Salmon is a very popular fish to eat, and it is so much fun to fish for as well.
King Salmon are big fish, and they will be really tough to pull in as they put up a fight. If you do manage to hook one, you should brace yourself.
Fishing isn’t always about catching the biggest fish or fighting the hardest fight but rather a sense of accomplishment at catching any fish.
You will feel really accomplished after being able to catch one of these though.
9. Muskellunge
Muskellunge, musky, are very big fish as well and can be difficult to catch.
A good musket is normally about fifty inches long and can weigh a significant amount.
If you catch a big enough one, it will actually make a really tasty dinner as well.
10. Warmouth
The warmouth lives in shallow lakes that have muddy bottoms, marshes, and swamps.
They like to feed in the morning, so make sure you set your alarm if you want to go catch some of these. They eat things like small fish, insects, shrimp, and crayfish. Using shrimp as bait would be your best option for trying to catch these.
In Florida, they can be up to 10 inches long and weigh close to a pound.
Catch Some of These Different Types of Freshwater Fish!
These are some of the most popular types of freshwater fish, but there are so many more of them out there.
You may go fishing for a salmon and end up coming home with all kinds of different fish you didn’t expect. But that’s one of the best parts of the sport.
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