NAMES · FEATURES · FISHINGGET TO KNOW THE FISH
Look up a fish you have heard about, learn its other names and explore how people fish for it. The guides cover lakes, rivers, coastal waters and the Gulf, with shorter notes for more fish, sharks and rays.
COMMON NAMES & LOCAL NAMES
Redfish is another name for red drum, and Louisiana anglers often call crappie sac-a-lait. Some everyday names cover a group: bream can refer to sunfish such as bluegill and redear. A familiar name gets you started, but it may not identify one exact kind of fish.
Names can also cross animal groups. Mahi-mahi is a fish also called dolphinfish; a bottlenose dolphin is a mammal. Sharks and rays belong in the fish search below. For dolphins, turtles, shellfish and other animals, use the water-and-wildlife library.
If you are comparing a fish you have caught, look at several features together: body shape, markings, fins and mouth. Use the identification lesson to make those comparisons. The illustrations here introduce animal types and do not show every feature needed to tell similar species apart.
FISH NAMES & BEGINNER GUIDES
Try a name such as redfish, sac-a-lait or bull shark. The search covers both the short notes and the detailed fishing guides. Short notes appear first; the longer guides follow in coastal, Gulf and freshwater groups. The animal-group and water filters narrow the short notes only.
20 detailed guides · 49 additional short notes
49 SHORT NOTES · LOUISIANA & THE GULF
Browse additional fish, shark and ray names. A short note introduces the animal; the linked guide explains the related subject in more detail.
49 of 49 additional entries match. Showing 12.
Habitat means the place an animal lives. Water tags describe broad settings, not today’s location of an animal. Some notes cover a group of animals, marked as a group entry. The illustrations introduce animal types; use a full reference for identification. In fin descriptions, dorsal means along the back, pectoral means at the sides behind the head, and anal means on the underside toward the tail.
Sharks
Historical Louisiana survey
A coastal shark associated with bays, river mouths and shelf water. It can resemble a spinner shark, so compare fins and body together.
Black-tipped fins can resemble spinner shark; compare the underside fin near the tail and the position of the first back fin.
Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideSharks
Historical Louisiana survey
A heavy-bodied coastal shark that can enter estuaries and freshwater. The setting alone cannot establish whether the animal is a bull shark.
Compare the blunt head, small eyes and rear-sloping first fin on the back.
Freshwater · Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideFinfish · Group entry
Louisiana freshwater record
A native freshwater fish often confused with introduced snakeheads. Choupique and grinnel are useful local search names.
Compare the long back fin, rounded tail and short fin underneath near the tail with the full reference.
Freshwater
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
A bottom-feeding drum of bays, estuaries and the Gulf. Its croaking sound gives the fish its name.
Look for wavy markings and a rounded tail; compare similar spot.
Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideRays
Louisiana survey record
A ray recorded in a Louisiana shrimp-fishery catch study. Rays and sharks have skeletons of cartilage, a flexible material rather than bone.
Its broad body forms a swimming disc; use the full ray reference for identification.
Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
Sand and mud bottoms support this seatrout from estuaries into the Gulf. White trout is a shared local name, so distinguish it from silver seatrout.
Often has a yellowish tone; compare the full agency illustration.
Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
A northern Gulf seatrout that is often grouped with sand seatrout under the name white trout. They are different species.
A silver body without the yellowish tone described for sand seatrout; use the full comparison.
Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
A coastal catfish with long fin extensions and whisker-like feelers called barbels. It feeds at different levels between the surface and bottom.
Look for the long fin extensions; the fin spines are sharp. Use the full reference.
Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
A saltwater catfish of coastal water and estuaries, where fresh water and seawater mix. It lacks the gafftopsail catfish’s long fin extensions.
Compare the whisker-like chin feelers and fins with the full reference; fin spines are sharp.
Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
Mullet can group together in rivers, coastal mixed water and the Gulf. They eat algae and small pieces of dead organic material, and larger fish eat them.
Look for two separated fins along the back; stripes can be clearer on larger fish.
Freshwater · Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
An open-water coastal predator that follows food and temperature. Young kings can have spots, making color alone an unreliable distinction from Spanish mackerel.
Compare the sharply dipping line along the side, called the lateral line, and the first fin on the back.
Coast & nearshore · Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
A coastal predator that swims in groups and feeds heavily on smaller fish. Use the full species reference when comparing it with a young king mackerel.
Oval yellowish spots; the lateral line along the side does not dip as sharply as a king mackerel’s.
Coast & nearshore · Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
One of the jacks shown in LDWF’s common Louisiana saltwater-fish reference. Identification should distinguish it from other jack-family fish.
Dark gill-cover spot and a steep forehead are useful comparison features.
Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
Despite the name, this fish appears in LDWF’s Louisiana coastal-fish poster. Compare its body, tall from back to belly, with similar jacks.
A tall, silver body with yellow below; the sides at the base of the tail are smooth.
Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
A fish with a tall body from back to belly, included in LDWF’s common Louisiana saltwater-fish poster. Use the illustrated reference for a complete comparison.
A spade-shaped body with contrasting vertical bands.
Coast & nearshore · Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
Tarpon are included in LDWF’s common Louisiana saltwater-fish poster. Begin with identification and the intended water before choosing a specialized outing.
Large reflective scales and an upturned mouth are starting cues.
Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
Bluefish are included in LDWF’s common Louisiana saltwater-fish poster. A familiar name is not a reason to skip a species comparison.
Compare the body, mouth and fins with the official illustration.
Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
Louisiana Sea Grant describes blue runners around northern Gulf platforms and their place in the food web. They are fish to recognize even when another species is the intended target.
Hardtail is a local name for blue runner.
Coast & nearshore · Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
A Gulf tuna that can enter greener water closer to shore than some other tunas. Distinguish it from yellowfin and small tuna look-alikes.
Compare the dark small fins near the tail, called finlets, and the golden band along the side with the full tuna reference.
Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
A tuna that swims in groups in open Gulf water. Shared names such as bonito can hide differences between skipjack, little tunny and Atlantic bonito.
Horizontal dark lines run along the lower sides and belly.
Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
A Gulf tuna relative that swims in groups and can range close to shore. It is a different fish from albacore or Atlantic bonito.
Wavy marks on the rear back and dark spots low near the side fins behind the head.
Coast & nearshore · Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
A reef-associated fish with a distinctive locking spine on its back. Young and adult fish differ in appearance.
A tall body from back to belly and a prominent first spine on the back are comparison clues.
Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
Louisiana Sea Grant describes adults around raised features on the Gulf bottom and young fish closer to shore. The name black grouper is sometimes used loosely for gag.
Patchy gray coloring; compare the detailed grouper identification reference.
Coast & nearshore · Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideFinfish
Gulf range
A grouper within the wider Gulf range. Adults associate with rocky ledges and bottom habitat with living growth; young fish use shallower habitat.
Reddish-brown body, pale spots and a large mouth.
Coast & nearshore · Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana / northern Gulf
A Gulf jack associated with reefs and platforms. It can occur near greater amberjack, so compare the whole fish before naming it.
Compare the taller body from back to belly and longer rear fin sections; use the full jack reference.
Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideFinfish
Gulf range
An open-ocean predator that moves between depths. The Gulf forms part of its nursery range—areas used by young fish. This is a specialized offshore fishing context.
A flattened sword-like bill and large eyes.
Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana freshwater record
A freshwater member of the drum family that often feeds close to the bottom. It is a different species from coastal redfish and black drum.
A silvery body, tall from back to belly, without the red drum’s tail spot.
Freshwater
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana freshwater record
A river fish that filters tiny drifting living things, called plankton, from the water. Its spoonbill nickname does not make it a catfish.
Look for the long, flattened paddle-shaped snout.
Freshwater
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana freshwater record
One of several Louisiana gars. Compare the head, body and fins together, especially for young fish.
The head and paired side fins have dark spots; compare the whole fish with a reference.
Freshwater
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana freshwater record
A gar recorded in Louisiana waters that should be distinguished from alligator and spotted gar.
A particularly long, narrow snout.
Freshwater
Read the related guideFinfish
Lower Mississippi / Gulf drainage
A gar to compare when the snout is shorter. A large gar is not automatically an alligator gar.
Compare the head and side-fin markings with spotted gar using the full reference.
Freshwater
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana freshwater record
A heavy-bodied sunfish recorded in Louisiana freshwater systems. Local names can overlap, so goggle-eye is not a complete identification.
Large mouth; compare with green sunfish.
Freshwater
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana freshwater record
A large-mouthed sunfish that can be confused with warmouth. It is one of several distinct fishes often grouped as bream.
Dark green body with turquoise markings and faint bars.
Freshwater
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana freshwater record
A colorful sunfish with a conspicuous gill-cover flap. Louisiana inventories include it alongside several other bream species.
A long flap on the gill cover, often with pale edging; this feature is called the ear flap.
Freshwater
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana freshwater record
A native fish in the sucker family, sometimes confused with carp. Mouth position helps distinguish the buffalo species.
Look for a downward-facing mouth without the whisker-like feelers associated with carp.
Freshwater
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana freshwater record
A black bass to distinguish from largemouth bass. The site’s bass lesson and agency reference explain why a familiar bass outline is insufficient.
Rows of dark spots on the lower sides; use the detailed bass identification reference.
Freshwater
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana freshwater record
A bass recorded in Louisiana freshwater systems. Compare it with white bass and young striped bass.
Yellowish belly and breaks in the lower dark stripes.
Freshwater
Read the related guideFinfish
Louisiana freshwater record
A freshwater predator recorded in Louisiana inventories. It belongs to the pike family, rather than the gar family.
A large mouth; the fin on the back and the fin underneath are far back on the body. Compare the full reference.
Freshwater
Read the related guideSharks
Historical Louisiana survey
A coastal and offshore shark easily confused with blacktip. Compare the first back fin’s position and the markings on the underside fin near the tail.
Very similar to blacktip; use the full identification reference rather than fin-tip color alone.
Coast & nearshore · Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideSharks
Historical Louisiana survey
A predator of small fish in shallow coastal water, bays and estuaries. It also eats squid and crustaceans, the group that includes crabs and shrimp.
Pointed snout, long gill slits and generally unmarked fins.
Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideSharks
Historical Louisiana survey
A small shark whose Gulf life cycle links breeding areas near the coast and deeper water. Its diet includes small fish and crustaceans, such as crabs and shrimp.
A slender shark with a pointed snout; adults may have white side spots.
Coast & nearshore · Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideSharks
Historical Louisiana survey
A small hammerhead-family shark of shallow bays and estuaries. It eats crustaceans and other prey and can also consume seagrass.
A rounded, shovel-shaped head rather than the wider hammer of larger hammerheads.
Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideSharks
Historical Louisiana survey
A Gulf hammerhead with a curved front edge to its head. Historical Louisiana nearshore nursery work recorded this species.
An arched hammer-shaped head with a central indentation.
Coast & nearshore · Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideSharks
Historical Louisiana survey
A yellowish to gray coastal shark with two similarly sized fins on its back. Louisiana’s historical nearshore survey summary includes a small number of records.
Two similarly sized back fins are a starting feature to compare, not a complete identification.
Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideSharks
Gulf range
A shark found within the wider Gulf region. That range does not establish a sighting at a particular Louisiana beach or fishing site.
A nearly straight front edge to the hammer-shaped head and a very tall, curved first back fin.
Coast & nearshore · Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideSharks
Gulf range
A shark within the Gulf’s regional fauna. A regional range is not a verified sighting at a particular Louisiana beach or fishing site.
Juvenile blotches become bars; markings can fade in adults.
Coast & nearshore · Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideSharks
Unpredictable offshore occurrence
Historically recorded at Ewing Bank off Louisiana. NOAA’s 2026 account says sharks are no longer routinely seen at that former aggregation site.
Broad head and pale spots across a dark body; it is a shark, not a whale.
Offshore Gulf
Read the related guideRays
Louisiana survey record
A stingray recorded in a Louisiana shrimp-fishery catch study. A short directory note does not teach handling.
Compare the broad, flattened body and tail with a detailed ray identification reference.
Estuaries & brackish water · Coast & nearshore
Read the related guideRays
Regional marine range
Included in NOAA’s Louisiana protected-marine-species consultation list. Its regional presence does not imply a predictable viewing opportunity.
Broad, wing-shaped fins and projecting parts at the front of the head; compare the reference without pursuing.
Offshore Gulf
Read the related guide37 more match your current filters.
Directory reviewed October 23, 2026. These short notes introduce the subject; follow the guide links to learn more. Use current official requirements before fishing or collecting animals.
Explore mammals, turtles, shellfish & other water life →Our field notes synthesize the references below. Some surveys and biology accounts are historical. Louisiana records are distinguished from the wider Gulf range; existing fishing lessons keep their original source and review notes.
Recognition cues and illustrations are starting points, rather than complete identification keys. Our Louisiana licenses and rules guide explains how to use the responsible official agency for current requirements.
8 FISHING GUIDES
Explore redfish, trout, drum and other fish associated with Louisiana’s marshes, bays and coastal waters. The individual guides explain the habitats and methods; these fish are not confined to one setting.
6 FISHING GUIDES
Meet tuna, wahoo, snappers and other Gulf fish. Compare open-water fishing with fishing around reefs and other underwater features, and learn what each method asks you to do.
6 FISHING GUIDES
Explore bass, crappie, catfish, sunfish and gar in water with little salt. Some guide names cover several species, so read beyond the familiar name.
FROM THE FISH TO THE FISHING
Habitat is the kind of place a fish lives. A coastal fish might be associated with marsh edges, while another guide describes fishing near a reef or in open water. These broad groups help you browse; they do not tell you exactly where a fish will be today.
Read what the fishing involves before choosing equipment. Lowering bait toward the bottom, casting a lure and pulling a lure behind a moving boat call for different actions. The fish guide introduces the method; the skills lessons explain how to do it.
The seasonal calendar describes fishing patterns. Before keeping a catch, use the current requirements for the identified fish, water and date; a seasonal pattern is not a harvest season.
