Can You Identify These Canadian Fish?

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Identify These Canadian Fish?
Image: Humberto Ramirez/Moment/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Fish are a big part of the wildlife in Canada, and you can see why if you take a look at a map of the country. Over 9% of Canada’s surface is freshwater lakes - there are over 30,000 of them across the country including the massive Great Lakes! And that doesn’t even take into account the fact that Canada’s bordered on three sides by ocean waters. If you’re a fish, Canada is the place you want to be.

There’s a healthy commercial fishing industry in Canada; the country exports over $6 billion worth of fish per year and over 72,000 Canadians make their living thanks to fishing and fishing-related industries. There's also plenty of sport fishing for those who are into it as well. Of course, the fish are a favorite of the wildlife too. Who hasn’t seen those iconic images of bears in a crisp, Canadian river catching salmon? Or a polar bear in the Arctic fishing for char?

While a lot of the species in Canada can be found all over the world, others are definitely a little rarer. How many do you think you’ll be able to recognize? If you’re feeling a little fishy, dive in and take the quiz now!


Northern Pike
USFWS Mountain-Prairie via Wiki Commons
This large fish has a snout full of sharp teeth. What is it?
Rock Bass
Northern Pike
Rainbow Trout
Walleye
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This predatory fish will aggressively go after smaller fish, a fact that makes the northern pike a favorite of fishermen since that means they're more than eager to go after bait. If you're catching one to eat, make sure you clean it well since they have a layer of mucus coating their scales.

Advertisement

Pumpkinseed
Raver Duane, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Wiki Commons
Can you name these colorful little fish that usually weigh less than a pound?
Pumpkinseed
Pickerel
Largemouth Bass
Salmon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pumpkinseeds are a kind of sunfish and tend to stay under a foot in length. While very common in Canadian waters, they were introduced to European lakes and have become an invasive species.

Advertisement

Rock Bass
The original uploader was Tkinias at English Wikipedia. via Wiki Commons
This hard-sounding species is known for its red eyes that bulge a bit. Can you identify it?
Pickerel
Rainbow Trout
Rock Bass
Bowfin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The rock bass is known by a handful of names including goggle-eye, red eye and rock perch. They're distinctive from other similar fish because of the anal fin which has 6 spines instead of the usual 3.

Advertisement

White Sucker
Brian Gratwicke via Wiki Commons
Can you name this pale, bottom-dwelling fish eats worms, clams, and insects?
Walleye
White Sucker
Bull trout
Spotted Gar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

White suckers are freshwater fish that have a distinctive, down-turned snout to allow for bottom-feeding. During spawning, a single female can lay between 20,000 and 50,000 eggs.

Advertisement

Common Carp
USFWS via Wiki Commons
This invasive fish can be found all over the world, not just Canada. Which is it?
Walleye
Pickerel
Lake Trout
Common Carp
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The common carp is actually native to Europe and Asia but has made its way all around the globe and can be found in nearly all waters except at the frozen poles.

Advertisement

Fathead Minnow
Rankin1958 via Wiki Commons
These little guys will often be sold in pet stores as feeder fish. What are they?
Channel Catfish
Brook Trout
Fathead Minnow
Bluegill
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When a fathead minnow is in danger, it will actually release a chemical substance through their skin when attacked. Other fathead minnows will then sense this alarm substance in the water and know that whatever is around is a danger to be avoided.

Advertisement

Bluegill
Ltshears via Wiki Commons
Can you identify this small fish, which can be fished all year round?
Bluegill
Sturgeon
Pickerel
Cod
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bluegill are typically very small fish that weigh under a pound. That said, a record bluegill was caught in 1950 that weighed 4 pounds, 12 ounces.

Advertisement

Salmon
Dan Cook (USFWS) via Wiki Commons
These large fish are valued not just for their meat but their fatty acids. What are they?
Walleye
Green Sunfish
Rainbow Trout
Salmon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Some species of salmon in Canada, like the Chinook salmon, can grow to be remarkably large. While they're usually anywhere between 10 lb and 50 lb there have been records of salmon reaching well over 100 lb.

Advertisement

Largemouth Bass
The original uploader was Zoe at English Wikipedia. Later versions were uploaded by Minesweeper at en.wikipedia. via Wiki Commons
This is the most popular game fish in North America. What is it?
Largemouth Bass
Atlantic Salmon
Common Carp
Catfish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Largemouth bass may have large mouths but the rest of the fish isn't particularly big. A 5 lb bass is generally considered to be a healthy size but the world record is over 22 lb. Since bass never stop growing, you can tell you have an older fish if it's a big one.

Advertisement

Ruffe
Tiit Hunt via Wiki Commons
Can you name this invasive species that was first seen in the Great Lakes in 1986?
Bluegill
Ruffe
Redfish
Pollock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ruffe are believed to have been introduced to Canadian waters in the ballast of ships coming from Europe. They've taken up residence in the lakes and are proving to be something of a pest for native species which have trouble competing with them.

Advertisement

Halibut
NancyHeise via Wiki Commons
This fish is highly sought after for its meat which can be used as fillets or in fish and chips. What is it?
Walleye
Monkfish
Common Carp
Halibut
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Atlantic halibut is the largest type of flatfish in the world and can grow to be over 8 feet in length. Halibut have been fished so heavily that they have been on the endangered species list since 1996.

Advertisement

Bowfin
Duane Raver, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Wiki Commons
Known for its ability to thrive in murky water, what fish is this?
Yellow Perch
Bowfin
Arctic Char
Skate
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The bowfin is sometimes called a mud dog or just a mudfish. This is because the bowfin is able to survive in very poorly oxygenated and dank-looking water. It's not fished commercially as the meat is considered pretty low quality.

Advertisement

Yellow Perch
Chris Light via Wiki Commons
This popular sport fishing fish is growing in popularity as a food fish. What is it?
Panfish
Spotted Gar
Yellow Perch
Pollock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Yellow perch are typically small fish weighing only around 2 lb. Often people will just refer to them as "perch" and leave off the yellow part, but there are actually 16 different species of perch in Canada.

Advertisement

Chain Pickerel
Ken Hammond via Wiki Commons
Can you name this torpedo-like fish, which can be caught all year round and is very popular for ice fishing?
Atlantic Salmon
Chain Pickerel
Smallmouth Bass
Channel Catfish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Even though chain pickerel can lay up to 50,000 eggs during spawning, you wouldn't really consider them good parents. Unlike many species of fish, the adult pickerel won't stick around to guard their young.

Advertisement

Herring
Duane Raver, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Wiki Commons
When these fish are canned they're often called sardines. What are they?
Herring
Brown Trout
Walleye
Cod
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Herring is one of the most widely sought after fish in the world and is remarkably versatile as a food source. Aside from canned sardines, popular herring dishes include smoked herring, pickled herring and herring roe.

Advertisement

Rainbow Trout
Knepp, Timothy - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
These colorful fish are considered some of the most beautiful freshwater fish in Canada. What are they?
Rock Bass
Atlantic Pollock
Rainbow Trout
Lake Sturgeon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While some fish are known for having white meat and others darker orange or pink meat, the meat of the rainbow trout very much depends on the diet of the fish. White meat is not uncommon, but many fish can have pink or even a dark red meat, especially if they're farm raised.

Advertisement

Walleye
Engbretson Eric, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Wiki Commons
Can you name this fish that has adapted to see better in murky water?
Slimy Sculpin
Brown Trout
Smallmouth Bass
Walleye
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Walleye are a member of the perch family. They got the name thanks to a special layer of pigment in their eyes that reflects light and allows them to see in murky water. The trade-off is that they are light sensitive so they tend to stay away from the surface of the water.

Advertisement

Flathead Catfish
USFWSmidwest via Wiki Commons
This distinctive-looking fish can live for over 20 years. What is it?
Flathead Catfish
Arctic Char
Pumpkinseed
Sand Shiner
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The flathead catfish is the second largest species of catfish and is considered a good fish for eating provided it came from clean water. Contrary to popular belief, catfish can't sting you and the barbels or "whiskers" on their face are completely harmless. That said, their pectoral fins can be sharp and should be treated with caution.

Advertisement

Monkfish
EVNautilus via youtube
This extremely ugly fish is prized for its meat which many people compare to lobster. What is it?
Perch
Sunfish
Cod
Monkfish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Monkfish are sometimes called frog fish and sea devils and it's easy to see why. Despite their looks, they're widely fishes and there has been some concern that over-fishing could lead to population problems in the future. At least one British supermarket chain banned the sale of monkfish because of those concerns.

Advertisement

Dover Sole
Hans Hillewaert via Wiki Commons
This flat fish is known for being slippery. What is it?
Atlantic Cod
Dover Sole
Lake Chub
Pearl Dace
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dover sole is a popular food fish but is rarely found in its whole form. This is because the skin of the fish secretes an extremely slimy mucus that makes it incredibly hard to hold on to.

Advertisement

Lingcod
Wiki Commons
Can you name this west coast fish?
Lingcod
Brown Trout
Yellow Perch
White Bass
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lingcod are only found on the west coast of North America and have been a food source for many years. Sometimes the flesh of the fish will have a green tinge to it when it's raw which can be off-putting to some people, but it is harmless and will turn white once it's cooked.

Advertisement

Spiny Dogfish
Sergi from Spain - Espagne - Spanien - Spagna - %u0418%u0441%u043F%u0430%u043D%u0438%u044F - Espanha - %u30B9%u30DA%u30A4%u30F3 - Spánn - Tây Ban Nha - %u0623%u0633%u0628%u0627%u0646%u064A%u0627 - Uhispania - %u0399%u03C3%u03C0%u03B1%u03BD%u03AF%u03B1 - %u05E1%u05E4%u05E8%u05D3 - %u0938%u094D%u092A%u0947%u0928 - %u897F%u73ED%u7259 via Wiki Commons
What is this little guy, who is actually a member of the shark family?
Arctic Char
Spiny Dogfish
Smooth Skate
Rock Sole
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The spiny dogfish is a shark species that despite its small size is known for being very tenacious. They're also expert long-distance swimmers. One dogfish that was tagged in Washington State was later found in Japan.

Advertisement

Atlantic Sturgeon
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region via Wiki Commons
This long-lived fish is highly valued for its caviar. What is it?
Chinook Salmon
Cod
Lake Trout
Atlantic Sturgeon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Atlantic sturgeon is something of a living fossil. These giant fish, which can grow to 15 feet in length, have existed for millions of years. In fact, the oldest known fossil of a sturgeon was 85 million years old.

Advertisement

Bluefin Tuna
Wiki Commons
Worth millions to the Canadian fishing industry, what is this fish?
Slimy Sculpin
Bluefin Tuna
Perch
Pollock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bluefin tuna are caught on the Atlantic coast of Canada and are much larger fish than you'd expect based on the little cans you see in grocery stores. An adult bluefin can weigh over 800 lb. They're also one of the most highly valued fish in the world - a single fish once sold in Japan for $1.7 million.

Advertisement

Sablefish
Wiki Commons
This long-lived fish is also known as Black Cod or Butterfish. What is it?
Sablefish
Arctic Char
Sandpaper Skate
Bluegill
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sablefish got the nickname butterfish thanks to a rich, buttery flavor which makes it a welcome addition to menus. It's also known for a long lifespan and some have lived for over 90 years.

Advertisement

Warmouth
Fredlyfish4 via Wiki Commons
The aggressive-sounding fish is a member of the bass family. What is it?
Hake
Brook Lamprey
Warmouth
Silver Carp
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The warmouth bass is often confused with the rock bass since the two look very similar and they are often called by the same nicknames like "Red Eye." The key to telling them apart is to check those fin spines because the warmouth will only have three while the rock bass has six.

Advertisement

Smelt
irving peterpaul via youtube
These little fish are a popular food source for humans and animals. What are they?
Northern Pike
Catfish
Lake Trout
Smelt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Despite their small size, smelt are very popular for eating because of how you can fish them up. They often move together in groups of potentially millions, so during a smelt run when the fish come inland to spawn, many people will scoop up hundreds of them at a time and have a cookout right there.

Advertisement

Haddock
Eleazar Albin via Wiki Commons
This cold-water fish is popular because of its lean, mild-flavored meat. What is it?
Haddock
Grass Carp
Salmon
Monkfish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Haddock are a member of the cod family and have adapted well to life in water that is almost freezing cold. It's one of the most popular fish for eating and can often be found in grocery stores fresh or filleted.

Advertisement

River Redhorse
Brian Gratwicke via Wiki Commons
This sucker fish is sometimes called the big-sawed sucker or the mullet. What is it?
Grass Pickerel
Rocky Mountain Sculpin
River Redhorse
Lake Trout
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The river redhorse is usually found in medium-sized to large rivers and gets its the red part of its name from a red-tinted dorsal fin. The species is in decline in Canada but still shows up in rivers throughout Ontario and Quebec.

Advertisement

Arctic Grayling
National Park Service via Wiki Commons
Can you name this cold-water fish known for its colorful dorsal fins?
Arctic Grayling
Lake Chub
Sunfish
Fallfish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Arctic grayling is fairly popular with sports fishermen because they're known for having a nearly insatiable appetite. They're especially popular with fly fishermen because they're more than eager to rise and catch flies if they see them.

Advertisement

Kokanee
U.S. Department of the Interior via Wiki Commons
This silvery fish is the freshwater version of the sockeye salmon. What is it?
Flounder
Bluegill
Kokanee
Arctic Char
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kokanee are landlocked sockeye salmon, meaning they spend their whole lives in freshwater, never going to the sea as a sockeye will. They're also the inspiration for a beer of the same name in Canada.

Advertisement

Black Crappie
Eric Engbretson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Wiki Commons
This unfortunately named fish can be found in lakes and rivers throughout Canada. What is it?
Redfish
Monkfish
Arctic Char
Black Crappie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Black crappies didn't get their name as a crafty insult, it's actually from the French word "crapet" which was just a generic name for all kinds of similar fish.

Advertisement

Dolly Varden
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Wiki Commons
What is this unusually named fish?
Dolly Varden
Burbot
White Sturgeon
Northern Pike
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The name Dolly Varden comes from a book by Charles Dickens. How did it become a fish? There's a popular story that some anglers had caught the fish in the 1870s and were wishing it had a better name. This inspired a teenage girl who overheard to suggest Dolly Varden, after a brightly dressed character in the book she was reading at the time.

Advertisement

Arctic Char
Jim Gaither, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Wiki Commons
During spawning season, these fish develop vivid red bellies. What are they?
Smallmouth Bass
Walleye
Arctic Char
Grass Pickerel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Arctic char is the Northernmost freshwater fish in the world. Most of the year they have a rather pale stomach, but during spawning season the males can become an intense shade of red, gold, yellow or orange.

Advertisement

Muskellunge
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers via Wiki Commons
This fish is the largest member of the pike family. What is it?
Bowfin
Bluegill
Mottled Sculpin
Muskellunge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The muskellunge can be a pretty big fish, sometimes getting over 60 lb. They're so large that they often have no natural predators in the wild, aside from the odd angler.

Advertisement

Splake
Sea-Money Fishing via youtube
This trout species is a hybrid of two other species. What is it?
Monkfish
Splake
Fallfish
Lake Chub
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The splake is a mix of the speckled trout and the lake trout. Speckled + lake gives you splake.

Advertisement

Pacific Cod
David Csepp, NMFS/AKFSC/ABL via Wiki Commons
These saltwater fish are hunted for their meat and their live oil. What are they?
Pacific Cod
Stream Trout
Burbot
Flounder
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cod liver oil is something you'll probably find in most pharmacies and it's valued for its high levels of vitamins A, D, E, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Advertisement

Northern Snakehead
Brian Gratwicke via Wiki Commons
This invasive species can reportedly travel on land for short distances. What is it?
Sockeye Salmon
Brook Trout
Bluegill
Northern Snakehead
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The northern snakehead is an invasive species native to China. Several species of snakehead have been reportedly seen on land traveling short distances from one body of water to another by wiggling their body forward across the ground.

Advertisement

Northern Brook Lamprey
Ecofact via youtube
Can you name this eel-like fish?
Brassy Minnow
Northern Brook Lamprey
Quillback
Rainbow Darter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The northern brook lamprey only grows to about 6 inches in length. It also has a very creepy round, jawless mouth with teeth arranged in a circle.

Advertisement

Spotted Wolffish
Kim Hansen via Wiki Commons
This fish is known for having prominent canine-like teeth. What is it?
Sauger
Brown Trout
Monkfish
Spotted Wolffish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The spotted wolffish gets its name from the dramatic and powerful teeth which look a lot like what you'd expect to find in a dog's mouth. Fortunately, these fish aren't known to be overly aggressive so they don't bite humans very often.

Advertisement

You Got:
/40
Humberto Ramirez/Moment/Getty Images