Do you know what kind of fish this is? Can you assess its
approximate weight? Can you differentiate between males and females? Can
you see if this fish is “marked” or “un-marked”?
Are you able figure out what the relative length of it is? Do you know
if this fish is a Native or Hatchery reared fish? These are some critical
questions that all informed anglers must know especially when talking
to a game-warden or fisheries officer.
All of these questions can be answered by merely looking at the fish "if"
you know what to look for with regard to each species.
It seems like a small thing but year after year novice
anglers show me that understanding the physical nuances of species identification
is something not to be taken lightly. Every year there are those who
swear to me that a black-mouth (two year-old Chinook) and Chinook are
two separate species when they are in fact one-in-the-same. In the field
it’s hard to convince someone that each species of fish have their
own distinguishing marks. This section of the site will discuss in great
detail about the marked differences between each species of fish and
tricks to identify each in the field for all anglers that aren’t
sure about their catches. There are ways to figure out all the questions
that a natural resource officer might ask, and it's vital to be ready.
Fish and game officers absolutely do not forgive ignorance when it comes
to doing their jobs. You have to understand; they've heard all kinds
of excuses from poachers and cannot take the chance that any illegal
activities are taking place even in the presence of honest ignorance.
Don't be offended at a fisheries officer’s indifference when he
or she speaks with you. A kind tone and informed knowledge go a long
way with putting officers at ease. These pages will show you some really
cool tricks to figure out all the answers and in doing so will actually
translate into more fish on the hook. There is complimentary information
in the "Articles" and "Tips" pages of the site too.
