Fish of the Week!

Humphead (Napoleon) Wrasse!

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’d like to welcome you to the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument and introduce you to an enormous coral reef fish: the Humphead (AKA ...

Atlantic Cod!

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Award-winning author Mark Kurlansky joins Katrina and Guy to celebrate the Atlantic Cod, a "down to earth" fish that once reached sizes rivaling the m...

Arapaima: Astronomical Air-Breathing Fish

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get to know the largest freshwater scaled fish with a face that looks like a topographical map of Mars: the Arapaima. Wait, there's more! Their swim b...

Puerto Rico's Spectacular Sicydium Gobies

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get to know Puerto Rico’s migratory and waterfall-climbing Sicydium gobies! These amphidromous fishes are an essential part of Caribbean streams and...

Beautiful Brook Trout

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From its vermiculated dorsum all the way to its vermillion ventrum, the Brook Trout is a most charming fish! Guests Emily Hill and Tom Hoffman are her...

Fishing Adventures: Special Episode!

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For one week and one week only Katrina and Guy discuss some of their recent best fishing adventures and what they learned. Come along as they continue...

Atlantic Sturgeon: Humongous Among Us

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Like dinosaurs? Aerial acrobats? Sensitive barbeled snoots? Get to know the Atlantic Sturgeon with special guests Albert Spells and Steve Minkkinen. T...

Ultimate Goth Sucker (Hogsuckers)!

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you're into an intimate, small stream "mini golf style fishing experience" with gothic vibes, you'll want to make time for the hogsuckers! The oxbl...

Candy Darter: Sweet Appalachian Fish

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Meet the Endangered Candy Darter, one sweet Appalachian fish we'd like to see more of! Guests Andrew Phipps from our White Sulphur Springs National Fi...

Yukon River Chinook: A Gwichya Gwich'in Perspective

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Arctic Youth Ambassador Mackenzie Englishoe from Gwichyaa Zhee (Fort Yukon, Alaska) brings her Gwichya Gwich’in perspective about Yukon River C...

Common Carp: Dog of Fish

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hated by some, revered by others, get to know a fish with a rich history. From Heather the Leather to Christmas traditions, one thing is for certain.....

Tennessee's Pretty Little Barrens Topminnow

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn about a flat place where herds of bison and elk once grazed and a gorgeous little endangered fish is now being squeezed between a rock and a har...

The Slow, Old Greenland Shark!

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you're feeling old and slow today, the Greenland Shark has you beat! In addition to being the largest Arctic fish and one of the slowest swimming s...

Pygmy Sunfish: The Mini Seven

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Meet a miniaturized group of brightly-colored fishes (jet black and electric blue anyone??) with a wiggle-waggle dance and love for tea-colored blackw...

Mooneyes & Goldeyes: Alien Curiosity

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Minnesota guests and fish enthusiasts Eric Kolcinski and Tony Schollmeier bring their angling perspectives and enthusiasm for the uniquely shiny-eyed ...

Goliath Grouper: Volkswagen Beetle of Fishes

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Maxing out at around 800 pounds and eight feet long, the weight of this fish is comparable to an adult grizzly bear, American bison, or grand piano......

Mariana Snailfish: Trench Fish Extraordinaire

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Buckle up for a trip down into the Mariana Trench to discover an amazing fish living miles beneath the surface! Learn the brilliant ways these fish su...

Flathead Catfish: Chocolate, Cavities, and Constantine Samuel Rafinesque

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you cavity search a river or reservoir, you might meet the business end of a Flathead Catfish! In this episode, we share our favorite anatomical fe...

Red Snapper

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Big head, broad shoulders, red emerging from deep blue. Greg Stunz (AKA Dr. Snapper) joins Katrina and Guy to chat about a beautiful, tasty, and coope...

Bluegill: The Gateway Fish

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A sunny fish with a pan-shaped profile, the Bluegill is an excellent "gateway" fish into fishing! Their widespread abundance and ease of being fooled ...

The Colorado River's Mega Minnow (Colorado Pikeminnow!)

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Take a step back in time and imagine the possibility of casting a bird or rabbit into the Ovaltine-colored water of the Colorado River and reeling in ...

The Man-Sized "Megafishes"

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dive in with the world's largest freshwater fishes on a special "megafish" episode. Our guest is Zeb Hogan: big fish enthusiast, researcher, author, h...

Something Fishy: Freshwater Mussels

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Is it a fish? A lure? Why is it attached to that freshwater mussel?? There's something fishy about the Unionid mussel family, and we're going to help ...

Tuna: a Hawaiian Perspective

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From pre-contact times to today, tuna have interacted with the people of Hawaii. William Aila shares his knowledge about traditional and contemporary ...

Ancient Eats: Royal Lamprey Pie!

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you travel from Alaska to the Eastern Seaboard and across the pond to England, you're in lamprey country! Lampreys are an important First Food for ...

Roanoke Logperch

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You'll love this aloof little fish with the bulbous, piggy snout. Roanoke Logperches are built for rooting around and flipping things over in search o...

River Herring Return: A Spring Wonder

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you like eagles and ospreys? Seals? Striped bass, bluefish and tuna? Add alewives and blueback herring to your list (collectively called "river her...

Herbivore and More: The Chiselmouth!

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Meet a lesser-known (but not less cool) Pacific Northwest fish with a unique face and primarily herbivorous feeding behavior. Chiselmouth enthusiast D...

Mexican Tetra: Surface Swimming to Spelunking

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Beautiful on the surface and fascinating underground, the Mexican Tetra has an incredible story as told by our guests Dr. Paty Ornelas from the Univer...

Freshwater Drum: Thank Your Lucky Stones

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Freshwater Drum (AKA "sheepshead") has a song to sing and a story to tell. Fishermen Drew Geving and Josh Knuth of Native Fish for Tomorrow recall...

Char-dcore Dolly Varden: Isolated Arctic Dwarfs

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Meet the little Dolly Varden char that eke out their living in the perennial springs of Northeast Alaska. Here, these amazing freshwater oases hold th...

The All-Female Amazon Molly

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon mollies are an all-female fish named after the tribe of warlike women in Greek mythology. However, the females do require sperm, so they do hav...

Yellow Perch: Friday Fish Fry

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Yellow Perch enthusiast Erin Huggins joins us to talk about "the people's fish" (it's a real beauty). We hope you're hungry and ready to hear about a ...

Lionfish! Not Your Mane Squeeze

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You: minding your business. Lionfish: corners you with flamboyant fins, shoots a jet of water at your lateral line. You: discombobulated. Lionfish: st...

California Killifish: Wee King of the Salt Marsh

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Meet a serious player in the salt-marsh ecosystems of the Pacific coast! You'll find the Cali Killi migrating with the tides and feeding everything fr...

Sacramento Perch: California's Heritage Sunfish!

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Meet the only Centrarchid endemic to California! This underappreciated and intriguing game fish continues to swim under the radar in its native Califo...

Razorback Sucker: Colorado River Livin'

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Looking sharp! Maybe the "razor" of this Colorado River fish serves as a keel. Or perhaps it deters another local fish (the Colorado Pikeminnow) from ...

Rainbow Trout!

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Taste the rainbow, or just enjoy its opportunistic and adventurous spirit! Learn the fate of a family of misfortunate shrews in Alaska; where rainbows...

Opah! Warmest Fish in the Cold Blue Sea

16 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This polka-dotted piscine anomaly is the only fish known to science capable of whole-body endothermy. Dr. Nick Wegner from our sister agency NOAA Fish...

Lingcod: Pacific Coast "Buckethead"

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get to know the largest member of the greenling family. Alaska Department of Fish and Game guests Donnie Arthur and Brittany Blain join Katrina and Gu...

Reflections & Casting Forward

02 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As we reflect on bright spots from Season 2, we also cast our lines towards Season 3 and #AllTheFish we're excited to cover!

Walleyes!

26 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Usher in the new year with a popular, shiny-eyed North American fish and our very own take on the "Walleye Drop" (who needs a ball when you can have a...

Goldfish Gone Wild

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How well do you REALLY know your goldfish? We have some real suprises for you! Christine Boston from Fisheries and Oceans Canada joins Katrina and Guy...

Special 100th! Pallid Sturgeon

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hi. Pallid Sturgeon here. Just been hanging out doing sturgeon things since before the dinosaurs went extinct...Migrating. Living a long time. Growing...

America's Pickerels

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Get to know the ornery little cousins of the Northern Pike and Musky: the pickerels!

Broad Whitefish: Trade & Tablefare

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dried, boiled, or frozen with seal oil, the broad whitefish is a vital table fare here in Alaska. Ernest Nageak brings his Iñupiat perspective to the...

Blue Sucker: Fish Nerd's Fish

20 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Meet the linebacker of the suckers with the redonkulous peduncle...the musky of the Catostomids...papa papillose himself...THE BLUE SUCKER!! Guests T....

Prince of Wales Island Sockeye Salmon

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Head to Prince of Wales Island, Alaska—a temperate rainforest where moss grows thick on giant trees and Sockeye Salmon are the "lifeblood" of this s...

First Food: Pacific Lamprey

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's not a flute. That jawless mouth is not an embouchure hole and those aren’t finger holes either...they lead to gills. It's a Pacific Lamprey. Fi...

Beneath the City: North America's Blindcats

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Learn what's swimming deep beneath San Antonio. Hint: Satan's not alone down there! Dr. Dean Hendrickson (Curator of Ichthyology at the University of ...

Goblin Sharks: Life in the Slow Lane

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's deep. It's dark. A big, soft, pink body is barely disturbing the water. You don't even know it's coming. You're not worried. Then its jaws shoot ...

Utah's One and Only June Sucker

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Head to the former "greatest sucker pond in the universe" where old timey ichthyologist David Starr Jordan once got his boat stuck on a shoal of sucke...

Arizona-Grown Apache Trout

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Picture it: a small, high elevation stream surrounded by ponderosa pines, Douglas fir and aspens. A beautiful spotted Arizona native trout. Get to kno...

Tennessee's Snail Darter

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This little brown fish with a penchant for escargot has one of the most interesting legal histories in the United States. Katrina ...

Molas: solar-powered fish with jellies in their bellies

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The mega-sized Molas like the ocean sunfish may look like lazy half fish with no tails. But don't be fooled! They have an active agenda and are capabl...

Fish On! Falling for Fallfish

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You're going to totally fall for this brassy, aggressive underdog sometimes referred to as the Shenandoah Tarpon or James River Bonefish. Join Katrina...

Scraping & Shimmering: The Stonerollers

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Retired Kennesaw State University biology professor Bill Ensign joins Katrina and Guy to chat about a splendid group of fishes called the stonerollers...

Flying Fish!

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you're prey for fast underwater predators sometimes the best option is to catch an updraft and leave them behind! Katrina and Guy dig into the fl...

Gone Fishing!

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We'll be back September 5th. Get out there and enjoy all the fish!

Channel Catfish!

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a catfish, and there's a party, how will you enjoy the cake? We'll answer this question and delve into the superhero-ish senses of this popu...

Alaska's Wild Salmon: An Unangax̂ Perspective

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Maria Dosal, an Unangax̂ mother and fisherman from King Cove, Alaska who now resides in Dillingham shares her perspectives and love for Alaska's wild...

The Rio Grande (Texas) Cichlid

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Texas fly fisherman and guide Chris Johnson joins the conversation about the United State's only native cichlid. Learn all about the ecology of this b...

Long Valley Speckled Dace: A Cryptic Desert Fish

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Cryptic desert fishes...they're so cool! Katrina and Guy chat with Rosa Cox and Kaylan Hager about a type of dace with a unique population found in th...

Lumpsuckers: Nature's Cutest Suction Cup

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Get to know a group of orb-like marine fishes called lumpsuckers! Ketchikan, Alaska artist Ray Troll joins Katrina and Guy to share his love for these...

Great Lakes Cisco (Lake Herring)

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pack your bags, we're headed to the Michigan side of Lake Huron to talk Coregonus artedii with fisheries biologist Kevin McDonnell. This silvery fish ...

Crappies!

04 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Katrina and Guy have a crappie (not crappy) conversation about the two species of North American freshwater fish in the genus Pomoxis...the black and ...

Alaska Pollock: Face Behind Ye Fillet o' Fish

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Meet the fish likely behind ye fillet o'fish, your favorite fish sticks, and surimi: the Alaska Pollock, a fish who finds its home in the north P...

The Percussive Red Drum (redfish)

20 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you prefer a good drum circle around your kayak or going on a Cajun sleigh ride, this percussive coastal fish will have you hooked! Katrina an...

Topeka Shiner: Little Fish, Big Story

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From oxbows to farmers and a must-visit hatchery, this little fish has a big story to tell. Guests Roderick May from our Neosho National Fish Hat...

Big Skates: Roombas of the Ocean

06 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Meet the largest skate in the waters off North America with a very clever name (Big Skate). These "Roombas of the ocean" can reach the size of an aver...

Bigmouth Buffalo: Misunderstood Centenarian Fish

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This exceptional fish can live to be well over 100 years old and still be advancing into its prime as it approaches centenarian status! Reaching a siz...

Gambusia (Mosquitofish)

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

No guests, just two friendly fish nerds chatting about gambusia. This mosquito-killing, live-birthing relative of popular aquarium fish like guppies, ...

American Shad: Running Silver

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

American shad/Oh the migrations you've had/Rivers ran silver. Katrina and Guy talk migratory fish, rivers and history with John Waldman, an&...

Redeye Bass: "Trout of Alabama"

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's not just trout that live in beautiful places. Redeye bass (commonly called the “trout of Alabama” according to this episode's guest) can be f...

Moi of Molokai (Pacific Threadfin)

02 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Uncle Mac Poepoe and Hi'ilei Kawelo share their Hawaiian perspectives about Moi (Pacific Threadfin) and the fishponds of Molokai. 

Bowfin: Beauty Beneath the Bow

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Katrina and Guy talk talk bowfin with Tony Brady from Welaka National Fish Hatchery in Florida. This aggressive, neat fish is the only living member o...

Pacific Footballfish: A Deep Sea Treasure

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This big, black blob of a fish comes with its own fishing rod! Dr. Ben Frable (Scripps Institution of Oceanography) and Dr. Bill Ludt (Natural History...

Ugiidatli (Sicklefin Redhorse): A Cherokee Perspective

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Cherokee people call this large southeastern fish Ugiidatli ("wears/has a feather"). Redhorses, including the Sicklefin, are also sometimes referr...

Rio Grande Suckers

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When Gunnison sage-grouse are all puffed up and strutting their stuff on the lekking grounds, the Rio Grande Sucker is putting on its coat and getting...

The Southeast's Secretive Smoky Madtom

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Like annual flowers, most Smoky Madtoms only live a year. One of the smallest of the madtom catfishes, these cuties can also sting like a bee. Katrina...

West Virginia's Diamond Darter

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Shine bright like a diamond...darter. Katrina and Guy head to West Virginia to meet the man who described and named the sparkly, nocturnal Diamond Dar...

Pacific Salmon (with a side of Striped Bass) with Jeff Corwin

14 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

American biologist and wildlife conservationist Jeff Corwin joins Katrina and Guy to talk about Pacific salmon and some of his Atlantic Coast faves. F...

Coelacanths!

07 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Katrina and Guy depart from their usual focus on North American fishes to talk about the coelacanth, a fish different from all the rest. The conversat...

The Snakehead Dilemma

28 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Katrina and Guy dive into the Snakehead dilemma with Fisheries Biologist John Odenkirk from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. 

Longear Sunfish: Slab-Sided Beauty

21 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Put on your shades and learn about one of North America's most colorful fish, the Longear Sunfish. Sunfish enthusiast and Ohio State University resear...

Bluehead Chubs: Dressed Up & Ready to Nest

14 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

All dressed up in blue with horns, the male bluehead chub painstakingly moves stones to build a nest the whole neighborhood can appreciate. Katrina an...

Humpback Chubs: Colorado River Swimmer

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While the Colorado River has been cutting dramatic canyons in the Southwest for millions of years, so too has a very special fish been carving its exi...

The Odoriferous Delta Smelt

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Whoever smelt the Delta Smelt dealt it...and it smells like cucumbers! Katrina and Guy talk with special guest Katherine Sun about this uniquely odori...

Scalyhead Sculpin feat. Thaddaeus Buser

24 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Big personality in a small, pokey, camouflaged package! Dive into a conversation about one of the most accessible and dominant intertidal groups of fi...

Sea Lamprey: it's complicated!

17 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A conversation about the duality of Sea Lamprey, a prehistoric fish with a complicated reputation across its natural and introduced range. Katrina and...

Arr Matey, it's the Pirate Perch!

10 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What's a pirate’s favorite letter? You might think it’d be R but ’tis the C they love! On this episode, Katrina and Guy discuss the Pirate Perch...

Behind the Scenes: Back Cast, Fish Forward!

03 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Katrina, Guy and friends share favorite moments from Season 1 and offer a sneak peek into Season 2. Go behind the scenes and learn how the co-hosts an...

Holiday Darters: Making Streams Merry & Bright

27 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Katrina, Guy, and special guest Dr. Brett Albanese from Georgia DNR's Freshwater Biodiversity Program take a deep dive into the life of a particu...

Pre-Contact Chum Salmon Management

20 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This episode takes a special angle on Chum Salmon. Jesse Morin and Michelle George from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation join Katrina and Guy to talk about a...

Jigging for Tomcod (Uuġaq)

13 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jimmy Evak from Kotzebue, Alaska joins Katrina and Guy to talk about what’s known in his "neck of the tundra" as tomcod/uuġaq. You'll get an audio ...

Big and Beautiful: Bull Trout

06 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Katrina and Guy talk Bull Trout with two guests who have dedicated much of their professional lives to this fascinating species: Dan Brewer and Stepha...

Fishing Mudsharks with Traditional Traps

29 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mudsharks! Depending where you live, these bottom-dwelling, single-whiskered fish are also known as burbot, ling, eelpout, cusk, and, in the Kobuk are...

Lake Chubs: North America's Northernmost True Minnow

22 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Katrina and Guy talk with micro-fishing enthusiast/fisheries ecologist Dr. Kevin Fraley about North America's northernmost true minnow, and Alaska's o...

Devils Hole Pupfish: A Tiny Oasis

15 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We're taking a journey to a tiny oasis in the Nevada desert, where a blue gem of a fish ekes out a living in extreme conditions. From earthquakes in A...

Humpback Whitefish: Athabascan Fish Camp

08 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Get to know the humpback-iest of Alaska's whitefish and local favorite. Guest Travis David from Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge shares his Athaba...