Fish Facts

Fish Biology and Identification

Each fish species requires different habitats to carry out their life functions, and their habitat requirements vary with their life stage. Typical life functions include feeding, resting, hiding from predators, and spawning.

Based on their temperature requirements, fish species can be grouped into three broad fish communities as follows: cold water, cool water and warm water. But please note that there is a certain amount of overlap among these broad community types. For example, during the summer when waters are at their warmest in Ontario, it is not uncommon to find some cold water species living in the same areas as cool water species, or cool water species living in the same areas with warm water species.

Warm Water Species

Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, White bass, Bowfin, Brown bullhead, Carp, White perch, Largemouth bass, Channel catfish, Goldeye, Smallmouth bass

Cool Water Species

Freshwater drum, Mooneye, Muskellunge, Redhorse sucker, Black crappie, White crappie, Yellow perch, Northern pike, White sucker, Walleye, Rock bass, Sauger

Cold Water Species

Rainbow trout (inland), Rainbow trout (Great Lakes), Round whitefish, Lake sturgeon, Aurora trout, Brook trout, Burbot, Lake trout, Splake, Atlantic salmon, Brown trout (inland), Brown trout (great lakes), Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Lake whitefish, Pink salmon, Cisco (or lake herring), Rainbow smelt