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Anadromous Fish Species

Anadromous fish are born in freshwater, migrate to the ocean to grow, and return to rivers to spawn — completing one of nature's most remarkable journeys. Salmon, steelhead, striped bass, and shad are the most famous members of this group. Targeting anadromous fish requires timing runs precisely, understanding river systems, and often traveling to specific waterways when fish are actively moving. The runs are predictable by season but vary year to year based on water temperature and flow. This library covers the key anadromous species found in North American waters.

26 species in this category

Shad

Alewife

Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) inhabits rivers, lakes (spring run). Popular tech…

Other

American Eel (River Phase)

American Eel (River Phase) (Anguilla rostrata) inhabits freshwater rivers (elver…

Shad

American Shad

American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) inhabits rivers, estuaries (spring run). Popul…

Salmon

Atlantic Salmon

The king of gamefish. Sea-run populations on both sides of the North Atlantic.

Sturgeon

Atlantic Sturgeon

Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) inhabits atlantic rivers, estuaries. Po…

Shad

Blueback Herring

Blueback Herring (Alosa aestivalis) inhabits atlantic rivers (spring). Popular t…

Salmon

Chinook Salmon

Largest Pacific salmon species, also called king salmon. Trophy fish of the Paci…

Salmon

Chum Salmon

Also called dog salmon. Strong fighter with impressive teeth during spawning run…

Salmon

Coho Salmon

Silver salmon with bright flesh. Popular on the Pacific Northwest troll.

Sturgeon

Green Sturgeon

Green Sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) inhabits pacific rivers, bays. Popular te…

Shad

Hickory Shad

Hickory Shad (Alosa mediocris) inhabits atlantic rivers (spring). Popular techni…

Salmon

Masu Salmon

Masu Salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) inhabits nw pacific rivers (japan). Popular tec…

Other

Pacific Lamprey

Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) inhabits pacific rivers (spawning). Po…

Salmon

Pink Salmon

The most abundant Pacific salmon. Two-year lifecycle with humpbacked males durin…

Other

Rainbow Smelt

Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) inhabits coastal rivers (spring). Popular techniq…

Other

Sea Lamprey

Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) inhabits atlantic & gl rivers (spawning). Popul…

Trout

Sea-Run Brook Trout

Sea-Run Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) inhabits coastal ne streams (fall). …

Trout

Sea-Run Brown Trout

Sea-Run Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) inhabits coastal streams (fall). Popular tech…

Trout

Sea-Run Cutthroat Trout

Sea-Run Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarki) inhabits pacific nw coasta…

Sturgeon

Shortnose Sturgeon

Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) inhabits atlantic rivers. Popular te…

Salmon

Sockeye Salmon

Prized for its firm red flesh. Smallest but most sought-after commercial Pacific…

Trout

Steelhead

Sea-run rainbow trout. Great Lakes and Pacific populations. Fly angler's holy gr…

Bass

Striped Bass

Anadromous striper that runs coastal rivers and lives in saltwater. Prized East …

Other

Striped Mullet

Striped Mullet (Mugil cephalus) inhabits coastal waters, estuaries. Popular tech…

Other

Threespine Stickleback

Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) inhabits coastal streams, estuar…

Sturgeon

White Sturgeon

White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) inhabits pacific rivers, columbia. Popu…

Log your anadromous catches in FishLog

The FishLog app has the full species database plus a personal catch log — species, weight, length, GPS location, and photos. Free for iOS and Android.

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