State symbols
Official state fish
48 of the 51 US jurisdictions name an official fish, and 64 fish hold the title. Some states name two: one for fresh water and one for salt. 3 recognise none.
This is a statute layer. It says which fish a legislature chose, not which fish is most common in the state. Every other list on this site answers the second question.
- Jurisdictions
- 51
- With a fish
- 48
- Fish named
- 64
- Species
- 26
64 titles fall on only 26 species, because the popular ones are named again and again.
Named more than once
The repeat winners
Brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis 10 states, also called Southern Appalachian brook troutGeorgia, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia
Cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii 7 states, also called Blackspotted cutthroat trout, Bonneville cutthroat trout, Greenback cutthroat trout, Lahontan cutthroat trout, Rio Grande cutthroat troutColorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming
Striped bass Morone saxatilis 7 states, also called RockfishMaryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia
Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus 4 statesKansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee
Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides 3 statesAlabama, Georgia, Mississippi
Red drum Sciaenops ocellatus 3 states, also called Channel bassGeorgia, North Carolina, Texas
Walleye Sander vitreus 3 statesMinnesota, South Dakota, Vermont
Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha 2 states, also called King salmonAlaska, Oregon
American shad Alosa sapidissima 2 statesConnecticut, District of Columbia
Every jurisdiction
State by state
Arizona
Oncorhynchus apache — the statute’s own wording is Oncorhynchus gilae apache · named 1986
California
Oncorhynchus aguabonita — the statute’s own wording is Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita · named 1947
Hypsypops rubicundus · named 1995
ITIS files no US record under Hypsypops rubicundus, so this site has no page for it.
Colorado
Oncorhynchus clarkii subspecies stomias · named 1994
Delaware
Cynoscion — the statute names the genus, not one species in it · named 1981
Florida
Istiophorus albicans · named 2007
ITIS files no US record under Istiophorus albicans, so this site has no page for it.
Georgia
Salvelinus fontinalis · named 2006
Hawaii
Rhinecanthus rectangulus · named 2006
ITIS files no US record under Rhinecanthus rectangulus, so this site has no page for it.
Indiana
Recognises no official state fish.
Iowa
Recognises no official state fish.
Maryland
Otodus megalodon · named 2026
ITIS files no US record under Otodus megalodon, so this site has no page for it.
Massachusetts
Gadus morhua · named 1974
ITIS files no US record under Gadus morhua, so this site has no page for it.
Nevada
Oncorhynchus clarkii subspecies henshawi · named 1981
North Carolina
Salvelinus fontinalis · named 2005
Ohio
Recognises no official state fish.
Tennessee
Ictalurus punctatus · named 1987
Texas
Sciaenops ocellatus · named 2011
Vermont
Salvelinus fontinalis · named 1978
Sander vitreus
Virginia
Morone saxatilis
