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Arizona Fish IdentificationArizona is home to more than 85 species of fish. Knowing what fishspecies you are catching is not only fun, it is also important to correctlyidentify the fish you catch so you can abide by the daily bag limits,length limits and other regulations. Fish coloration, by itself, is not agood basis for identifying fish since it varies widely and there is considerableoverlap between species. When in doubt about the identityor legal length, play it safe and return the fish to the water unharmedimmediately. The following, by family, are fish species most commonlysought or encountered by anglers.General Statewide Bag Limits Per DayTo determine daily bag and possession limits for each fish species, referto page 6, Statewide Daily Bag and Possession limits. Bag limits may varyon some bodies of water, so be sure to also check out fishing waterslisted under Special Regulations (pages 12–28) to find out if bag andsize limits are different on the body of water you plan to fish.Fish art by Mary Hirsch and Randall D. BabbTrout Family (includes all species of trout, brook trout, and grayling)Rainbow TroutDescription: Olive to bluish on the back, silverysides, a pink band on the sides from headto tail. Many small black spots on back, sides,adipose and dorsal fin. Distinct radiating rowsof black spots on tail fin. Generally, no spotson pectoral, pelvic and anal fins. Length: 8 to28 inches. Weight: up to 15 pounds.Cutthroat TroutDescription: Body shape similar to rainbowtrout. Back and sides are lightly spotted; Dorsal,adipose and tail fins are heavily spotted. Redor reddish-orange slash on throat. Length: 8 to20 inches. Weight: up to 6 pounds.Brook TroutDescription: Gray to olive-green on the back.Vermiculations or worm-like markings on theback and dorsal fin. Sides lighter in color withblue halos around pink or red spots. Whiteedge on lower fins and lower tail. Length: 4to 18 inches. Weight: up to 4 pounds.Brown TroutDescription: Olive-brown with yellowish sides.Some orange or red spots on the sides, spotsoften encircled with light yellow or whiteDark spots on back and sides. Tail fin usuallyunspotted or vaguely spotted. Adipose finusually orange or reddish. Length: 6 to 30inches. Weight: up to 20 pounds.Apache Trout (native)Description: The Apache is one of Arizona’s twonative trout species and is the Arizona statefish. Body color is yellowish-gold at the top ofthe head and the back is a dark olive. Dorsal,anal and pelvic fins are white tipped with dark,bold spots on dorsal and tail fin. Spotting on thebody is sparse and irregular and may extendbelow the lateral line. Two small black spots oneither side of pupil give appearance of blackstripe through eye. Length: 6 to 20 inches.Weight: up to 5 pounds.GraylingDescription: The dorsal fin is large, dark-gray,blotched with pale spots, with cross-rowsof deep blue spots and edged with red ororange. The dorsal fin has 17 to 25 rays. Thetail fin is forked. The body has scattered blackspots on silver-gray, sometimes pink sides.Scales larger than for trout. Length: 10 to 14inches. Weight: up to 1.5 pound.34 Arizona Game and Fish Department • www.azgfd.gov
Arizona Fish IdentificationBass and Sunfish FamilyLargemouth BassDescription: Large mouth with upper jaw ofadults extending beyond rear margin of eye.Dark olive-green on back, green sides shadingto white belly. Dark horizontal band on eachside. Deep notch in dorsal fin. Soft dorsal finwith 12 to 13 rays. Length: 10 to 25 inches.Weight: up to 15 pounds.BluegillDescription: The bluegill has blue coloring onthe chin, a solid black opercle flap, a smallmouth and a dark spot at the rear of the dorsalfin. The body is very compressed or flat and hasfrom five to nine dark vertical bars on the sides.Length: 4 to 12 inches. Weight: up to 3 pounds.Green SunfishDescription: Large mouth with blue-green striationson the cheeks. Opercle flap is black withreddish or orange border. Body olive-greenin color, dark vertical bars on sides. Pectoralfin short and rounded. Caudal fin and lowerfin margins are white or yellowish with duskyspots at rear of dorsal and anal fins. Length: 3to 10 inches. Weight: up to 1.5 pounds.Smallmouth BassDescription: Smallmouth bass most often arebronze to brownish green in color, with darkvertical bars on sides. In contrast to the largemouthbass, the upper jaw does not extendbeyond rear margin of eye. Eye reddish incolor. Shallow notch in dorsal fin. Soft dorsalfin has 13 to 15 rays. Length: 12 to 20 inches.Weight: up to 6 pounds.Redear SunfishDescription: The “Red-ear” sunfish has a blackopercle flap which is bordered with a reddishor orange color on the rear of the flap. Sidesof head have olive-brown speckling. Body iscompressed or flat with an olive-green cast,light speckling on sides. Pectoral fin long andpointed, usually extends far past eye whenbent forward. Length: 6 to 14 inches. Weight:up to 5 pounds.Black CrappieDescription: Head and back heavily and irregularlyspotted with black blotches on asilver-olive background; Tail, dorsal and analfins are spotted. Seven or eight spines ondorsal fin. Body is compressed. Length: 6 to15 inches. Weight: up to 4 pounds.Temperate Bass FamilyStriped BassDescription: Body has six to nine black horizontalstripes on silvery-white sides. Dorsalfins are distinctly separate, unlike yellowbass, which are joined at the base. Pelvic finsin large adults, white with anal fin edged inwhite. Lower jaw protrudes beyond upperjaw. Generally two patches of teeth on tongue.2nd anal spine distinctly shorter than the 3rd.Tail is slightly forked. Length: 10 to 50 inches.Weight: up to 60 pounds.White BassDescription: Body silver-white, 4 to 7 dark horizontallines; Lines below lateral line often faintand broken. Dorsal fins are distinctly separate,unlike the yellow bass, which are joined at thebase. 2nd anal spine distinctly shorter thanthe 3rd. Lower jaw protrudes beyond upperjaw; Generally a single patch of teeth at baseof tongue. Length: 8 to 18 inches. Weight: upto 4 pounds.Yellow BassDescription: Body has golden-yellow sides with5 to 7 horizontal lines; Lines appear brokenand offset about midway on the lower side.Dorsal fins are connected. 2nd anal spine isabout as long as the 3rd anal spine. No patchesof teeth on tongue. Length: 6 to 13 inches.Weight: up to 1.5 pounds.Fish identification,tips and resources2014 Arizona Fishing Regulations 35
Page 3: Janice K. Brewer GovernorArizonA GA
Page 7: How To Use This BookletThis booklet
Page 12 and 13: Live Baitfish — Legal Species, Le
Page 14 and 15: Special Regulations and Seasons —
Page 16 and 17: North CentralNEWSpecial Regulations
Page 22 and 23: REVISEDNEWColorado River SouthwestS
Page 24 and 25: CentralNEWREVISEDSpecial Regulation
Page 27 and 28: Fishing Waters — Southeast1 Ariva
Page 31 and 32: special regulations and seasons —
Page 33 and 34: Boating InformationMotor Restrictio
Page 35: Crustaceans and mollusks notes (con
Page 40 and 41: Basic Fishing SetupsProper rigging
Page 43 and 44: Where to Fish by Species in Arizona
Page 45 and 46: Trout, Brown 23 in. Black River Ben
Page 47 and 48: Fish Weighing Scales at a Location
Page 49 and 50: Site Specific Fish Consumption Advi
Page 51 and 52: Accessible Fishing OpportunitiesBar
Page 53 and 54: AdPages2014.indd 32014 Arizona Fish
Page 55 and 56: Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 17
Page 57 and 58: Arizona Game and Fish Commission Ru
Page 63 and 64: Special Regulation Waters IndexAAck
Page 65 and 66: Index (continued)Resource Agency Di
Page 67 and 68: SW AZ Fishing Regs_vendors:Layout 1

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