Fish found in Wetlands

Fish Species	Interesting Facts	Wetland Role
Black bullhead	Commercial and game fish that live in ponds, marshes, and backwaters. Eat insects and - Big Rivers crustaceans when young. Adults eat clams, snails, plant material and fish.	Food
Black crappie	Build nests in shallow wetlands near vegetation. Females can lay up to 188,000 eggs.	Food; Nursery
Bluegill	Live in shallow water marshes and fens among wetland plants. Males create nests for eggs and protect eggs until they hatch. Fry remain in marshes and use these wetlands as nursery areas.	Food; Nursery
Channel catfish	Locates plant seeds, insects, crawfish, fish, and other prey through smell and touch.	Food
Common carp	Undesirable nuisance species whose introduction into this country was an ecological and commercial blunder. While searching for food, carp rip up aquatic vegetation and muddy the water, making conditions less desirable for native fish.	Food; Nursery; Spawning
Largemouth bass	Spawn in late spring to mid-summer. Males create nests and guard eggs and young. Wetland vegetation provides cover and supports its food source. Flooded stumps and trees and marsh plants such as water lilies and cattails provide cover. Adults move to deep water during the day and return to the shallow water at night to feed on small fish, frogs, and crayfish.	Food; Nursery
Minnows	Minnows are important food to larger fish. Used by anglers as bait and in laboratory bioassays to test pollution levels.	Food; Refuge
Muskellunge	Often found in heavily vegetated areas of lakes and large rivers. Scatter eggs near aquatic vegetation.	Food; Spawning
Northern Pike	Spawn in shallow, vegetated areas along the borders of lakes where they are most vulnerable to being caught. Frequents marshes in search of food. The color pattern of northern pike allows it to hide from its prey among wetland vegetation.	Food; Spawning
Pumpkinseed	Thrive in farm ponds and within marsh plants along the edges of larger ponds and lakes. Breed in shallow water and eat insects, snails, clams, and small fish.	Food; Nursery; Spawning
Smallmouth bass	These popular sport fish can be found in fens and other freshwater marshes.	Food
Walleye	Very sensitive to pollution. Visit marshes during cooler parts of the year and at night to feed, but move to deeper water when warm.	Food
White crappie	Prefer aquatic vegetation and woody debris for cover. Eat small fish, insects, and crustaceans.	Food; Spawning
Yellow bullhead	Visit wetlands to eat plant matter, crayfish, aquatic insects, mollusks, and fish. Males and females make nests in shallow wetlands among plants and roots. Juveniles also use these wetlands as nursery areas.	Food; Nursery; Spawning
Yellow perch	Tolerant of acidic water. Eggs produced in long, sticky strings that stick to marsh plants or settle to the bottom.	Food; Spawning

Source: WETLANDS AND FISH: CATCH THE LINK, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)