Fish Species of Lake Erie: A Diverse Freshwater Fishery

Lake Erie, the warmest and most biologically productive Great Lake, hosts over 130 fish species. Key game and forage fish include:

Sport Fish

• Walleye (premier fishery)
• Yellow perch
• Smallmouth & largemouth bass
• Steelhead, rainbow, brown, lake trout
• Chinook, coho, pink salmon
• Muskellunge, northern pike
• Channel, flathead, blue catfish

Panfish & Forage

• White & black crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, rock bass
• Gizzard & threadfin shad, alewife, emerald shiner, smelt

Rough & Invasive

• Common, grass, silver, bighead carp
• White perch, round goby, ruffe

This diversity supports a $1+ billion annual recreational fishery and significant commercial harvest (yellow perch, white bass, whitefish).