Lake Superior's Fish Species

Fifty-five species of fish reproduce in Lake Superior. That number becomes 88 by including all fish species found in the lake, its estuaries and associated wetlands. The following tables can be sorted by column. To sort by more than one column, hold down the shift key and select the additional column(s).

Native Fish in Lake Superior (38)

Common Name Scientific Name Family Also Known As
Bloater Coregonus hoyi Salmonidae Deepwater cisco, chub
Bluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus Cyprinidae
Brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis Salmonidae Coaster brook trout
Burbot Lota lota Lotidae Eelpout, lawyer
Central mudminnow Umbra limi Umbridae
Cisco Coregonus artedi Salmonidae Lake herring
Common shiner Notropis cornutus Cyprinidae
Creek chub Semotilus atromaculatus Cyprinidae
Emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides Cyprinidae
Finescale dace Phoxinus neogaeus Cyprinidae Rainbow chub
Fourhorn sculpin Myoxocephalus quadricornis Cottidae Deepwater sculpin
Johnny darter Etheostoma nigrum Percidae
Kiyi Coregonus kiyi Salmonidae Big-eyed chub, deepwater cisco, chub
Lake chub Couesius plumbeus Cyprinidae
Lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens Acipenseridae
Lake trout Salvelinus namaycush Salmonidae Lean trout, siscowet, humper
Lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis Salmonidae
Log perch Percina caprodes Percidae
Longnose dace Rhinichthys cataractae Cyprinidae
Longnose sucker Catostomus catostomus Catastomidae
Mimic shiner Notropis volucellus Cyprinidae
Ninespine stickleback Pungitius pungitius Gasterosteridae Tenspined stickleback
Northern pike Esox lucius Esocidae
Pygmy whitefish Prosopium coulteri Salmonidae
Rock bass Ambloplites rupestris Centrarchidae
Round whitefish Prosopium cylindraceum Salmonidae
Sand shiner Notropis stramineus Cyprinidae
Shorthead redhorse Moxostoma macrolepidotum Catastomidae
Shortjaw cisco Coregonus zenithicus Salmonidae
Silver redhorse Moxostoma anisurum Catastomidae
Slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus Cottidae
Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieui Centrarchidae
Spoonhead sculpin Cottus ricei Cottidae
Spottail shiner Notropis hudsonius Cyprinidae
Trout-perch Percopsis omiscomaycus Percopsidae
Walleye Sander vitreus Percidae
White sucker Catostomus commersoni Catastomidae
Yellow perch Perca flavescens Percidae

 

Reproducing/Non-Native Fish in Lake Superior (17)

Common Name Scientific Name Family Also Known As Earliest Record Earliest Location Attributed Mechanism(s)
Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus Clupeidae Freshwater herring 1953 (or earlier) E. Lake Superior Canals
Brook silverside Labidesthes sicculus Atherinidae 2002 St. Louis River Unknown
Brown trout Salmo trutta Salmonidae 1883 Lake Superior, MI Stocked
Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Salmonidae King salmon 1967 Lake Superior, MI Stocked
Coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch Salmonidae Silver salmon 1966 Lake Superior, MI Stocked
Common carp Cyprinus carpio Cyprinidae 1897 Lake Superior, WI Stocked
Eurasian ruffe Gymnocephalus cernuus Percidae 1986 St. Louis River Ballast Water
Fourspine stickleback Apeltes quadracus Gasterosteridae 1986 Thunder Bay, ON Ballast Water or Live Bait
Freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens Sciaenidae Sheepshead Stocked (assumed)
Pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Salmonidae Humpies 1956 Thunder Bay, ON Stocked
Rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax Osmeridae 1930 Whitefish Bay, E. Lake Superior Canals
Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss Salmonidae Steelhead 1895 W. Lake Superior Stocked
Round goby Apollonia melanostromus Gobiidae 1995 St. Louis River Ballast Water
Sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus Petromyzontidae 1938 Two Harbors, MN Canals
Threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus Gasterosteridae 1987 Thunder Bay, ON Ballast Water
Tubenose goby Proterorhinus marmoratus Gobiidae 2000 St. Louis River Ballast Water
White perch Morone americana Moronidae 1986 St. Louis River Ballast Water

 

Non-Reproducing/Non-Native Fish in Lake Superior (2)

Common Name Scientific Name Family Also Known As Earliest Record Earliest Location Attributed Mechanism(s)
American eel Anguilla rostrata Anguillidae 1970 Brule River, WI Canals
Atlantic salmon Salmo salar Salmonidae 1972 Lake Superior, WI Stocked

 

All Fish in the Lake Superior Basin (88)

Common Name Scientific Name Family Nativity Also Known As
Lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens Acipenseridae Native
American eel Anguilla rostrata Anguillidae Non-Native
Brook silverside Labidesthes sicculus Atherinidae Non-Native
Longnose sucker Catostomus catostomus Catastomidae Native
White sucker Catostomus commersoni Catastomidae Native
Silver redhorse Moxostoma anisurum Catastomidae Native
Shorthead redhorse Moxostoma macrolepidotum Catastomidae Native
Rock bass Ambloplites rupestris Centrarchidae Native
Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus Centrarchidae Native
Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus Centrarchidae Native
Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieui Centrarchidae Native
Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides Centrarchidae Native
Black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus Centrarchidae Native
Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus Clupeidae Non-Native Freshwater herring
Mottled sculpin Cottus bairdii Cottidae Native
Slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus Cottidae Native
Spoonhead sculpin Cottus ricei Cottidae Native
Fourhorn sculpin Myoxocephalus quadricornis Cottidae Native Deepwater sculpin
Goldfish Carassius auratus Cyprinidae Non-Native
Lake chub Couesius plumbeus Cyprinidae Native
Common carp Cyprinus carpio Cyprinidae Non-Native
Brassy minnow Hybognathus hankinsoni Cyprinidae Native
Pearl dace Margariscus margarita Cyprinidae Native
Hornyhead chub Nocomis biguttatus Cyprinidae Native Redtail chub
Golden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas Cyprinidae Native
Pugnose shiner Notropis anogenus Cyprinidae Native
Emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides Cyprinidae Native
Common shiner Notropis cornutus Cyprinidae Native
Blackchin shiner Notropis heterodon Cyprinidae Native
Blacknose shiner Notropis heterolepis Cyprinidae Native
Spottail shiner Notropis hudsonius Cyprinidae Native
Rosyface shiner Notropis rubellus Cyprinidae Native
Sand shiner Notropis stramineus Cyprinidae Native
Mimic shiner Notropis volucellus Cyprinidae Native
Northern redbelly dace Phoxinus eos Cyprinidae Native Rainbow chub
Finescale dace Phoxinus neogaeus Cyprinidae Native Rainbow chub
Bluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus Cyprinidae Native
Fathead minnow Pimephales promelas Cyprinidae Native
Blacknose dace Rhinichthys atratulus Cyprinidae Native
Longnose dace Rhinichthys cataractae Cyprinidae Native
Creek chub Semotilus atromaculatus Cyprinidae Native
Northern pike Esox lucius Esocidae Native
Muskellunge Esox masquinongy Esocidae Native
Fourspine stickleback Apeltes quadracus Gasterosteridae Non-Native
Brook stickleback Culaea inconstans Gasterosteridae Native
Threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus Gasterosteridae Non-Native
Ninespine stickleback Pungitius pungitius Gasterosteridae Native Tenspined stickleback
Round goby Neogobius melanostromus Gobiidae Non-Native
Tubenose goby Proterorhinus marmoratus Gobiidae Non-Native
Black bullhead Ameiurus melas Ictaluridae Native
Yellow bullhead Ameiurus natalis Ictaluridae Native
Channel catfish Ictalaurus puncatus Ictaluridae Native
Brown bullhead Ictalurus nebulosus Ictaluridae Native
Stonechat Noturus flavus Ictaluridae Native
Tadpole madtom Noturus gyrinus Ictaluridae Native
Burbot Lota lota Lotidae Native Eelout, lawyer
White perch Morone americana Moronidae Non-native
Rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax Osmeridae Non-Native
Iowa darter Etheostoma exile Percidae Native
Johnny darter Etheostoma nigrum Percidae Native
Eurasian ruffe Gymnocephalus cernuus Percidae Non-Native
Yellow perch Perca flavescens Percidae Native
Log perch Percina caprodes Percidae Native
Sauger Sander canadense Percidae Native
Walleye Sander vitreus Percidae Native
Trout-perch Percopsis omiscomaycus Percopsidae Native
Northern brook lamprey Ichthyomyzon fossor Petromyzontidae Native
Silver lamprey Ichthyomyzon unicuspis Petromyzontidae Native
American brook lamprey Lampetra lamottei Petromyzontidae Native
Sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus Petromyzontidae Non-Native
Cisco Coregonus artedi Salmonidae Native Lake herring
Lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis Salmonidae Native
Bloater Coregonus hoyi Salmonidae Native Deepwater cisco, chub
Kiyi Coregonus kiyi Salmonidae Native Big-eyed chub, deepwater cisco, chub
Shortjaw cisco Coregonus zenithicus Salmonidae Native
Splake hybrid (lake trout & brook trout) Salmonidae Hybrid of Native
Pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Salmonidae Non-Native Humpies
Coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch Salmonidae Non-Native Silver salmon
Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Salmonidae Non-Native King salmon
Pygmy whitefish Prosopium coulteri Salmonidae Native
Round whitefish Prosopium cylindraceum Salmonidae Native
Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss Salmonidae Non-Native Steelhead
Atlantic salmon Salmo salar Salmonidae Non-Native
Brown trout Salmo trutta Salmonidae Non-Native
Brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis Salmonidae Native Coaster brook trout
Lake trout Salvelinus namaycush Salmonidae Native Lean trout, siscowet, humper
Freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens Sciaenidae Non-Native Sheepshead
Central mudminnow Umbra limi Umbridae Native
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