| Official State Fish of the 50 States |
| State |
Fish |
Year
Adopted |
Scientific |
| Alabama |
Freshwater - Largemouth Bass
Saltwater - Tarpon |
1975
1955 |
Micropterus punctulatus
Tarpon atlanticus |
| Alaska |
Chinook Salmon |
1962 |
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha |
| Arizona |
Apache Trout |
1986 |
Salmo apache |
| Arkansas |
|
|
|
| California |
California Golden Trout
Marine - Garibaldi |
1947
1995 |
Salmo agua-bonita
Hypsypops rubicundus |
| Colorado |
Greenback Cutthroat Trout |
1994 |
Oncorhynchus clarki stomias |
| Connecticut |
|
|
|
| Delaware |
Weakfish |
1981 |
Cynoscion genus |
| Florida |
Freshwater - Largemouth Bass
Saltwater - Atlantic Sailfish |
1975
1975 |
Micropterus salmoides floridanus
Istiophorus platypterus |
| Georgia |
Largemouth Bass
|
1970 |
Micropterus punctulatus |
| Hawaii |
|
|
|
| Idaho |
Cutthroat Trout |
1990 |
Oncorhynchus clarki |
| Illinois |
Bluegill |
1986 |
Lepomis macrochirus |
| Indiana |
|
|
|
| Iowa |
|
|
|
| Kansas |
|
|
|
| Kentucky |
Kentucky Spotted Bass |
1956 |
Micropterus punctulatus |
| Louisiana |
White Perch also known as
Sac-au-lait and
White Crappie |
1993 |
Pomoxis annularis |
| Maine |
Landlocked Salmon |
1969 |
Salmo salar Sebago |
| Maryland |
Rockfish (Striped Bass) |
1965 |
|
| Massachusetts |
Cod |
1974 |
Gadus morrhua |
| Michigan |
Brook Trout
|
1988 |
Salvelinus fontinalis |
| Minnesota |
Walleye Pike
|
1965 |
Stizostedion vitreum vitreum |
| Mississippi |
Largemouth or Black Bass
|
1974 |
Micropterus salmoides |
| Missouri |
Channel Catfish
|
1997 |
Ictalurus punctatus |
| Montana |
Blackspotted Cutthroat Trout |
1977 |
Oncorhynchus clarki |
| Nebraska |
Channel Catfish
|
1997 |
Ictalurus punctatus |
| Nevada |
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout |
1981 |
Salmo clarki henshawi |
| New Hampshire |
Freshwater - Brook Trout
Saltwater Game - Striped Bass |
1994
1994 |
Salvelinus fontinalis
Roccus saxatilis |
| New Jersey |
Brook Trout
|
1991 |
Salvelinus fontinalis |
| New Mexico |
New Mexico Cutthroat Trout or
Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout |
1955 |
Oncorhynchus clarki virginalis |
| New York |
Brook or Speckled Trout
|
1975 |
Salvelinus fontinalis |
| North Carolina |
Saltwater - Channel Bass
or Red Drum |
1971 |
|
| North Dakota |
Northern Pike |
|
Esox lucius |
| Ohio |
|
|
|
| Oklahoma |
White Bass or Sand Bass |
1974 |
Morone chrysops |
| Oregon |
Chinook Salmon |
1961 |
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha |
| Pennsylvania |
Brook Trout
|
1970 |
Salvelinus fontinalis |
| Rhode Island |
|
|
|
| South Carolina |
Striped Bass |
1939 |
Roccus saxatilis |
| South Dakota |
Walleye Pike
|
1982 |
Stizostedion vitreum vitreum |
| Tennessee Tennessee |
Commercial - Channel Catfish
Sport - Largemouth Bass |
1988 1988 |
Ictalurus lacustris Micropterus salmoides |
| Texas |
Guadelupe Bass |
1989 |
Micropterus treculi |
| Utah |
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout |
1997 |
Salmo clarki |
| Vermont Vermont |
Coldwater - Brook Trout Warmwater - Walleye Pike |
1978
1978 |
Salvelinus fontinalis
Stizostedion vitreum vitreum |
| Virginia |
Brook Trout
|
1993 |
Salvelinus fontinalis |
| Washington |
Steelhead Trout |
1969 |
Salmo gairdnerii |
| West Virginia |
Brook Trout
|
1973 |
Salvelinus fontinalis |
| Wisconsin |
Muskellunge |
1955 |
Esox masquinongy masquinongy |
| Wyoming |
Cutthroat Trout |
1987 |
Salmo clarki |
| Awarding ribbons in the Official State Fish symbol category was not difficult when we didn't pay too much attention to conflicting popular and scientific names. Of course eight states have no official state fish at all: Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Rhode Island. Other states have designated two Official State Fish, distinguishing them with labels such as Warmwater, Coldwater, Saltwater or Marine, Sport, and Commercial. Some states have managed to walk away with two ribbons in the competition, picking two of the most popular Official State Fish.
Of the fishless states, Hawaii's trying with a widely recognized "unofficial" entry in the Fish symbol category, the Humuhumunukunukuapua`a or Hawaiian Trigger Fish. Let's make it Official Hawaii! The other seven states have a way to go. If your state is a fishless state, click on the links above to find out how laws are enacted in your state. Scroll to the bottom of the symbols list for this information. |
| The Brook Trout takes first place for the most popular state fish with eight states claiming it for their Official State Fish; Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Taken as a whole, trout dominate the Official State Fish category with 18 states calling some type of trout their Official State Fish. |
| In second place, the Largemouth Bass. Five states claim the Largemouth Bass for their Official State Fish; Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. |
| Running third are two fish; the Walleye Pike and the Channel Catfish. Missouri, Nebraska, and Tennessee call the Channel Catfish an Official State Fish. Minnesota, South Dakota, and Vermont claim the Walleye Pike as an Official State Fish. |
