Great Lakes Fishes Field Guide

Two hundred species of fishes call the Great Lakes home. Some are big. Some are small. Some are so common that just about everyone has heard of them. Some are so rare that only a handful of biologists have ever seen them in the wild. And some are popular to catch and eat, supporting a multibillion-dollar industry.
This guide is intended to help people identify fishes from the Great Lakes. It focuses on those species that people are most likely to come across, as well as a sample of fish diversity. If you see a fish you cannot identify, you can post an image online so others (including Shedd Aquarium experts) can help you figure it out. These images will be incorporated into an online database that will publicly display the pictures on a map. This information can be used for research and conservation projects that will help sustain and protect our Great Lakes natural heritage.

Thank you for helping to keep the lakes great! less ↑