Fishing Tips
Identifying Fish Gender
An important element to consider when fishing waters
where only males or females are legal to harvest.
Timothy Kusherets
Look at the shape and length of the upper jaw; known as the maxillary.
It never
extends past the orbits of the eye on females and is a quick way to
identify fish in the field.
Many anglers have difficulties identifying males from females; which
is an important element to consider when fishing waters where only males
or females are legal to harvest.
During the early stages of migration most species of fish are not sexually
dimorphic, that is to say, they are not physically distinguishable to
the untrained eye.
The easiest way to figure out what gender a fish is to look at the maxillary;
it’s the upper jaw that tapers away from the front of the mouth
to either side of the fish. I know it sounds obvious, but you’d
be surprised at how many anglers don’t know this simple premise.
The length of the maxillary determines the gender of most species of
fish. If the maxillary extends past the orbit of the eye then it’s
a male if it does not then it’s a female. It’s that easy.
© Timothy Kusherets 2009
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