Wait, my state has an official fish? All but 3 of the 50 states do. Here's yours.
State symbols can be a silly fun fact, but emblems like flowers, trees, flags and mottos can also be vehicles for change. Designating a state symbol is often done to bring awareness to an issue – in Hawaii, for example, state officials named the Hawaiian Hoary Bat one of its state mammals to sound the alarm for possible extinction. In Montana, the state fish choice brought awareness and conservation efforts to a species in decline.
Nearly every state has designated an official state fish except for three. Here's a breakdown of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia.
Alabama
Alabama's official state fish is the largemouth bass. The tarpon is the state saltwater fish.
Alaska
Alaska's state fish is the giant king salmon, an ocean beauty that can weigh up to 100 pounds.
Arizona
The Apache trout is Arizona's state fish.
Arkansas
Arkansas' state primitive fish is the alligator gar, which can grow up to 10 feet long and nearly 350 pounds. An 11-year-old Arkansas resident ran a #Garkansas campaign for 451 days until former Governor Asa Hutchinson signed the bill in 2019.
California
The golden trout, native to California, has been the state fish since 1947. California also has a state marine fish, the garibaldi.
Colorado
Colorado's state fish is the greenback cutthroat trout. the species was originally thought to be extinct until the early 1990s when researchers discovered a small population of trout in Rocky Mountain National Park streams.
Connecticut
Connecticut's state fish is the American shad, the largest of the state's herring species that reside in the Connecticut River and swim upstream.
Delaware
The weakfish is Delaware's state fish.
District of Columbia
D.C. has its own state fish despite not being an official state. The American shad, which frequently Potomac waters, is the official fish of D.C.
Florida
Florida's state saltwater fish is the sailfish. Its state freshwater fish is the largemouth bass.
Georgia
Georgia actually claims three state fish: the largemouth bass is the freshwater fish, the Southern Appalachian brook trout is the state coldwater game fish and the red drum is the saltwater game fish.
Hawaii
Hawaii's state fish is distinct for its long name – the humuhumunukunukuapua‘a, or rectangular triggerfish.
Idaho
The cutthroat trout, native to Idaho, is the state's official fish.
Illinois
Illinois' state fish is the bluegill.
Indiana
The state of Indiana does not have a state fish as of 2023.
Iowa
Iowa also doesn't have a state fish, though many have claimed the channel catfish as the unofficial state fish because they are the most abundant game fish in Iowa.
Kansas
Kansas' state fish is the channel catfish.
Kentucky
Designated in 1956, Kentucky's state fish is the spotted bass, also sometimes called Kentucky spotted bass.
Louisana
The white crappie is the state fish of Louisiana.
Maine
Maine's state fish is the landlocked salmon, a fish that lives exclusively in northern U.S. lakes.
Maryland
Maryland's state fish is the rockfish, which is also known as the striped bass.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts' state fish is the cod, an important part of the state's economic beginnings and fishing industry.
Michigan
The brook trout is Michigan's state fish.
Minnesota
Minnesota's official fish is the walleye, a popular game fish found in the state's lakes and rivers.
Mississippi
Mississippi's state fish is the largemouth bass.
Missouri
The channel catfish is Missouri's official state fish.
Montana
Montana's state fish is the blackspotted cutthroat fish. This fish was chosen to bring awareness to its declining population from overfishing and environmental changes.
Nebraska
Nebraska's state fish is the channel catfish.
Nevada
The Lahontan cutthroat trout is Nevada's state fish.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire's state freshwater game fish is the brook trout and its state saltwater game fish is the striped bass.
New Jersey
New Jersey's state fish is the brook trout, which signals good water quality because they cannot survive in polluted water.
New Mexico
The Rio Grande cutthroat trout is New Mexico's state fish, and it is the only cutthroat trout native to the state.
New York
New York's state fish is the brook trout, and its official saltwater fish is the striped bass.
North Carolina
North Carolina has a state saltwater fish and a state freshwater trout – the channel bass and the Southern Appalachian brook trout, respectively.
North Dakota
The northern pike is North Dakota's state fish.
Ohio
Ohio is one of three states that doesn't have a state fish.
Oklahoma
The white bass is Oklahoma's state fish, a bass native to the state.
Oregon
Oregon's state fish is the Chinook salmon.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's state fish is the brook trout, which is the only trout species native to the state.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island's state fish is the striped bass.
South Carolina
The striped bass, an important fish in South Carolina game fishing, is the official state fish.
South Dakota
The walleye is South Dakota's state fish.
Tennessee
Tennessee has two state fish. The smallmouth bass is the official state sport fish, and the channel catfish is the state commercial fish.
Texas
Texas' state fish is the Guadalupe bass. The state's official saltwater fish is the red drum, also known as the channel bass.
Utah
Utah's state fish is the Bonneville cutthroat trout.
Vermont
Vermont has both a state cold-water fish, the brook trout, and a state warm-water fish, the walleye pike.
Virginia
Virginia's state freshwater fish is the brook trout. The state's official saltwater fish is the striped bass.
Washington
The steelhead trout, the most popular fish for recreational fishing, is Washington's state fish.
West Virginia
West Virginia's state fish is the brook trout.
Wisconsin
The muskellunge, known colloquially as the "muskie," is Wisconsin's official state fish.
Wyoming
Wyoming's state fish is the cutthroat trout.
Discover more unique symbols for your state:
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: State fish list: Find out the official fish of your state.
