Bowfin (Freshwater Dogfish)
males have spot by caudal fin
long dorsal fin
will eat anything that doesn't eat it first
Darter
smallest MN fish
14 kinds of Darter exist in MN
Johnny Darter is the most common in MN
Freshwater Drum - aka Sheepshead
rumbling and grunting sounds the males make to attract mates
humpback
Lake Sturgeon
Minnesota's largest fish
bottomfeeder (mouth is on the bottom)
roe is used for caviar
the maximum lifespan of lake Sturgeon is typically 55 years for males and may be more than 150 years for females
Long nose Gar
aggressive predator
breath air from the surface
eggs have toxic coating
Paddlefish - related to sturgeon
skeleton is made of cartilage (not bone)
feed on zooplankton
threatened species (can't fish for)
Sea Lamprey
sucker mouth with rings of teeth (feed off blood)
6 years (first 4-6 years larval stages and bottom feed)
1-2 years, spawn before dying
anadromous - born in freshwater, move to saltwater and return to saltwater to spawn
Smelt
sensitive to light and run at night
accidentally released into Great Lakes from a inland lake in MI
Bigmouth Buffalo
largest member of Sucker family
White Sucker
young suckers have three large dark spots on the side
Burbot (Eelpout)
burbot is the french word for "mud"
poor man's lobster
cod family
active in winter