FishDatabase

Locations

Fish species in Alabama

455 species have two or more US observation records in Alabama. Explore their habitats, families, and local records.

455 species have two or more US observation records in Alabama. ITIS calls 314 of them native to the United States, 128 native to part of the country and introduced elsewhere, and 13 introduced.

Species
455
Freshwater
355
Saltwater
134
Survey list
154
Alabama in the United States.
0
1
Alabama in the United States.

Two counts, two questions. 455 is the number of species observed in Alabama and filed with GBIF, which includes lakes, the coast, and museum records. 154 is the number the USGS stream survey caught, which samples flowing fresh water only. Neither is the other, so the site never adds them.

The statute

The official state fish of Alabama

Largemouth bass (freshwater)

Micropterus salmoides · named 1975

archives.alabama.gov

Fighting tarpon (saltwater)

Megalops atlanticus · named 1955

archives.alabama.gov

A state fish is a statute, not a survey. It says which fish the legislature chose, not which fish is most common. The list above links each row to the state's own record.

Record fish

Alabama state records

The heaviest fish of each species certified by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, freshwater. Heaviest first. Every figure is the agency’s own.

SpeciesWeightWaterDateAngler
Gar, Alligator151 lbs 9 ozTensaw River8/13/2009Richard Johnson, Bay Minette
Gar, Alligator151 lbs 5 ozTensaw River8/13/2004Michael Houseknecht/Mobile
Catfish, Blue120 lbs 4 ozHolt Reservoir3/9/2012John Paul Nichols, Northport
Catfish, Flathead80 lbsAlabama River, Selma6/22/1986Rick Conner, Selma
Carp, Grass73 lbsGuntersville Reservoir4/10/2012Bradley D. Bridges, Sr., Bryant
Bass,Striped69 lbs, 9 ozBankhead Reservoir2/28/2013James Bramlett, Dora
Bass,Striped69 lbs, 9 ozBankhead Reservoir2/28/2013James Bramlett, Dora
Buffalo57 lbsGuntersville Reservoir4/13/1990Ralph B. Lowery , Albertville
Paddlefish52 lbs 12 ozWilson Dam tailwater3/18/1982Susan Holland, Muscle Shoals
Paddlefish52 lbs 12 ozWilson Dam tailwater3/18/1982Susan Holland, Muscle Shoals
Paddlefish52 lbs 12 ozWilson Dam tailwater3/18/1982Susan Holland, Muscle Shoals
Drum, Freshwater41 lbs 8 ozWilson Reservoir7/24/1949Wilson Brock, Birmingham
Catfish, Channel40 lbsInland Lake6/17/1967Donald R. Cox, Oneonta
Carp, Common35 lbsBear Creek, Colbert County4/19/1980Darrin Jackson, Double Springs
Gar, Longnose32 lbs 14ozJordan Reservoir4/18/1985Gary Smyth , Pelham
Bass, Hybrid Striped25 lbs 15 ozSipsey Fork9/13/1996E. H. Hodges , Chelsea
Muskellunge19 lbs 8 ozWilson Dam tailwater12/31/1972Steve Leatherwood , Haleyville
Muskellunge19 lbs 8 ozWilson Dam tailwater12/31/1972Steve Leatherwood , Haleyville
Bowfin18 lbsLake Tuscaloosa7/31/2005Nelson Ray Sansing , Sawyerville
Bass, Largemouth16 lbs 8 ozMtn. View Lake, Shelby Co11/3/1987Thomas (T. M.) Burgin , Birmingham
Redhorse, Silver14 lbs 14 ozWilson Dam tailwater4/24/1995Chris Stephenson, B'ham
Walleye10 lbs 14 ozWeiss Reservoir6/24/1980Julia Hurley, Cedar Bluff
Catfish, White10 lbs 5 ozChambers Co. Public Lake4/3/1981Roy T. Britton, Opelika
Trout, Rainbow9 lbs 1 ozMud Creek, Tannehill Historical State Park4/22/2006Otha Hamm , Alexandria
Bass, Spotted8 lbs 15 ozSmith Lake3/18/1978Phillip C. Terry, Decatur
Gar, Spotted8 lbs 12 ozCotaco Creek8/26/1987Winston Baker , Alex City
Bass, Shoal6 lbs 11 ozHalawakee Creek2/25/1996Darrell Trawick, Salem
Pickerel, Chain6 lbs 6 ozDyas Creek, Baldwin County6/24/1976Michael P. Ryan, Bay Minette
Eel, American5 lbs 8 ozLake Shechi, Chilton Co.5/11/1989Tod A. Groover , Montevallo
Sauger5 lbs 2 ozWilson Dam tailwater3/5/1972William F. Huntley, Athens
Sunfish, Bluegill4 lbs 12 ozKetona Lake, Birmingham4/9/1950T. S. Hudson, Birmingham
Bass, White4 lbs 9 ozWarrior River2/14/1987Ben DeMott, Bessemer
Crappie, White4 lbs 9 ozLake Martin, Tallapoosa Co.5/8/2000Jeremy S. White , Alexander City
Crappie, White4 lbs 8 ozGuntersville Reservoir4/4/1974Jack Grant , Altoona
Crappie, Black4 lbs 5 ozFort Payne Res.3/27/2007Shelley Meadows/Mentone
Crappie, Black4 lbs 5 ozJefferson Co. pond6/2/1997William D. Webb, B'ham
Crappie, Black4 lbs 4 ozPaint Creek3/18/1984Sherril Harris, Sylacauga
Sunfish, Redear4 lbs 4 ozChattahoochee Park5/5/1962Jeff Lashley, Gordon
Bullhead (Brown)4 lbs 3 ozPrivate Pond, Lee. Co.5/7/2019Collin Burney, Auburn
Herring, Skipjack3 lbs 5 ozWheeler Dam Tailwater3/18/2020Chris S. Fuller, Athens
Herring, Skipjack3 lbs 4 ozMulberry Fork5/2/2012Bobby Lee Davis , Bessemer
Bass, Redeye3 lbs 2 ozChoccolocco Creek3/8/2000Terry Johnson, Oxford
Bass, Yellow2 lb 8 ozGuntersville Reservoir, Jackson Co.4/12/2000Dennis M. Woebbeking, Pisgah
Perch, Yellow2 lb 2 ozYates Reservoir3/7/2015Gary Lee Grove, Jr./Opelika
Warmouth1 lb 12 ozFarm Pond4/25/1986Jimmy A. Barfield, Dothan
Sunfish, Green1 lbs 9 ozMcLamore Pond, Walker County8/10/2005Caleb Miller, Parrish
Bass, Rock1 lb 6 ozPaint Rock River5/6/1995James R. Stewart , Scottsboro
Sunfish, Redbreast1 lb 4 ozChoctawhatchee River6/12/2010Archie Russ, Brantley
Pickerel, Redfin0 lbs 14 ozBassett Creek, Wash. Co.9/4/2017Henry Merritt, Deer Park
Pickerel, Redfin0 lbs 13 ozArmstrong Creek, Wash. Co.7/7/2014Frank Lambert Dickey, Chatom
Bass, Smallmouthl0 lbs 8 ozWheeler Dam tailwater10/8/1950Owen F. Smith, Fairfield
Sunfish, Longear8 ozYellow River5/12/1990Jerry Jones, Ozark
Bowfin6 ozLake Tuscaloosa7/31/2005Nelson Ray Sansing , Sawyerville

Source: Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. A row with no link is a name the site holds no species page for, which is usually a hybrid.

Most recorded

The fish of Alabama

The species with the most observation records in the state. It is the closest the open data comes to naming the fish people meet.

Bay Anchovy134,757 records
Anchoa mitchilliEngraulidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Spot81,575 records
Leiostomus xanthurusSciaenidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Atlantic Croaker73,569 records
Micropogonias undulatusSciaenidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Sand Seatrout27,567 records
Cynoscion arenariusSciaenidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Pinfish19,128 records
Lagodon rhomboidesSparidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Gulf Menhaden18,198 records
Brevoortia patronusClupeidaeNativeSalt
Hardhead Catfish15,903 records
Ariopsis felisAriidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Blackcheek Tonguefish12,012 records
Symphurus plagiusaCynoglossidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Bay Whiff10,653 records
Citharichthys spilopterusParalichthyidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Broad-striped Anchovy9,602 records
Anchoa hepsetusEngraulidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Dusky Anchovy7,056 records
Anchoa lyolepisEngraulidaeNativeSalt
Bluegill5,678 records
Lepomis macrochirusCentrarchidaeNative and introducedFresh

Groups

Types of fish in Alabama

Species

All 455 species, A–Z

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

V

W

Y

One record only

49 more with a single record

One observation can be a stray, an aquarium release, or a mis-keyed locality, so these are kept out of the count above and listed here instead. The first 40 are shown.

American Flagfish5 states
Jordanella floridaeCyprinodontidaeNativeFreshBrackish
American Shad25 states
Alosa sapidissimaClupeidaeNative and introducedFreshSaltBrackish
Ashy Darter5 states
Allohistium cinereumPercidaeNativeFresh
Bandtail Puffer15 states
Sphoeroides spengleriTetraodontidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Bannerfin Shiner5 states
Cyprinella leedsiLeuciscidaeNativeFresh
Bay Pipefish5 states
Syngnathus leptorhynchusSyngnathidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Blunthead Puffer8 states
Sphoeroides pachygasterTetraodontidaeNativeSalt
Brown Madtom6 states
Noturus phaeusIctaluridaeNativeFresh
Central Mudminnow27 states
Umbra limiUmbridaeNative and introducedFresh
Club-bait Goosefish2 states
Lophiodes monodiLophiidaeNativeSalt
Common Snook8 states
Centropomus undecimalisCentropomidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Cubera Snapper5 states
Lutjanus cyanopterusLutjanidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Cumberland Snubnose Darter3 states
Etheostoma atripinnePercidaeNativeFresh
Dog Snapper5 states
Lutjanus jocuLutjanidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Eastern Silvery Minnow16 states
Hybognathus regiusLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Elegant Madtom4 states
Noturus elegansIctaluridaeNativeFresh
Etowah Darter2 states
Nothonotus etowahaePercidaeNative
Fantail Mullet5 states
Mugil gyransMugilidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Green Sturgeon5 states
Acipenser medirostrisAcipenseridaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Gulf Stream Flounder14 states
Citharichthys arctifronsParalichthyidaeNativeSalt
Ide8 states
Leuciscus idusLeuciscidaeIntroducedFreshBrackish
Irish Pompano8 states
Diapterus auratusGerreidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Knobbed Porgy5 states
Calamus nodosusSparidaeNativeSalt
Lake Chub21 states
Couesius plumbeusLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Longnose Sucker29 states
Catostomus catostomusCatostomidaeNative and introducedFreshBrackish
Mirrorwing Flyingfish6 states
Hirundichthys speculigerExocoetidaeNativeSalt
Mountain Mullet7 states
Agonostomus monticolaMugilidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Northern Pike39 states
Esox luciusEsocidaeNative and introducedFreshBrackish
Northern Pipefish17 states
Syngnathus fuscusSyngnathidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Ocean Sunfish20 states
Mola molaMolidaeNativeSalt
Oceanic Two-wing Flyingfish10 states
Exocoetus obtusirostrisExocoetidaeNativeSalt
Pecos Gambusia3 states
Gambusia nobilisPoeciliidaeNative and introducedFresh
Porcupinefish7 states
Diodon hystrixDiodontidaeNativeSalt
Redbreast Tilapia4 states
Tilapia rendalliCichlidaeIntroducedFreshBrackish
Redear Herring5 states
Harengula humeralisClupeidaeNativeSalt
Redfin Shiner24 states
Lythrurus umbratilisLeuciscidaeNativeFresh
River Shiner29 states
Notropis blenniusLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Sharpnose Puffer7 states
Canthigaster rostrataTetraodontidaeNativeSalt
Shorttailed Pipefish5 states
Microphis brachyurusSyngnathidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Slough Darter13 states
Etheostoma gracilePercidaeNativeFresh

Nearby

Other states