Fish
Nearly 350 species of fish live in the Chesapeake Bay. Some fish are year-round residents, while others swim into the Bay from the ocean to feed, reproduce or find shelter.
Types of Fish:
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Alewife
Alosa pseudoharengusAlso known as the big-eye or branch herring, the alewife is a thin, silver fish with a single dark shoulder spot located behind its head.
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American Eel
Anguilla rostrataThe American eel is a smooth, snake-like fish that lives in rivers, streams and other freshwater areas throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
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American Halfbeak
Hyporhamphus meekiThe American halfbeak is a long, skinny fish that visits the Chesapeake Bay’s shallow waters in summer and autumn.
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American Shad
Alosa sapidissimaAlso known as white shad, the American shad is a thin river herring and visits the Chesapeake Bay each spring to spawn in freshwater rivers and streams.
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Atlantic Croaker
Micropogonias undulatusThe Atlantic croaker is a silvery-pink fish that makes a loud “croaking” sound. It visits the Chesapeake Bay from spring through autumn.
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Atlantic Menhaden
Brevoortia tyrannusThe Atlantic menhaden is a silvery-blue herring with dark spots on the sides. Large schools of menhaden visit the Chesapeake Bay from spring through autumn.
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Atlantic Needlefish
Strongylura marinaThe Atlantic needlefish is a skinny, silvery fish with long, tooth-filled jaws. It lives in the Chesapeake Bay’s shallow waters from spring through autumn.
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Atlantic Sturgeon
Acipenser oxyrhynchusThe Atlantic sturgeon is a bony, ancient-looking fish that visits Virginia's James and York rivers to spawn. Sturgeons are the largest fish native to the Chesapeake Bay and was once found throughout the Bay and its freshwater rivers, but is now very rare.
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Black Drum
Pogonias cromisThe black drum is a silvery-gray, bottom-dwelling fish that visits the Chesapeake Bay from spring through autumn. It is one of the largest fish in the Bay.
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Black Sea Bass
Centropristis striataThe black sea bass is a striking, bluish-black fish that visits the lower Chesapeake Bay from spring through autumn.
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Blueback Herring
Alosa aestivalisThe blueback herring is a small, silvery fish that migrate from the brackish waters of the Chesapeake Bay to the open ocean.
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Bluefish
Pomatomus saltatrixThe bluefish is a large, long fish with a greenish-blue body and a forked tail. It visits the Chesapeake Bay's open waters from spring through autumn.
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Bull Shark
Carcharhinus leucasBull sharks are stout, gray sharks that can range from 7 to 11.5 feet in length and weigh between 200 and 500 pounds. The sharks are a summertime visitor to the Chesapeake Bay.
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Cobia
Rachycentron canadumCobia are large, long fish with a dark stripe running along the sides of the body. They visit the lower Chesapeake Bay's open waters from spring through autumn.
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Cownose Ray
Rhinoptera bonasusThe cownose ray is a brown, kite-shaped ray with a long, whip-like tail. It is a highly migratory species along the Atlantic Coast that visits the shallow waters of the Chesapeake Bay in summer each year to give birth and mate.
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Hickory Shad
Alosa mediocrisThe hickory shad is a river herring with a thin, grayish-green body and several spots on the shoulder. It visits the Chesapeake Bay each spring to spawn in freshwater rivers.
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Lookdown
Selene vomerThe lookdown is a silvery, flat-bodied fish that visits the lower to middle Chesapeake Bay in summer and autumn.
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Mackerel
Scomberomorus spp.Mackerel are fast-swimming fish with elongated, bluish or greenish bodies. They visit the Chesapeake Bay from spring through autumn while migrating along the Atlantic coast.
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Northern Puffer
Sphoeroides maculatusThe northern puffer is a club-shaped fish that puffs up into a ball in self-defense. It visits the deep flats of the middle and lower Chesapeake Bay from spring through autumn.
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Northern Sea Robin
Prionotus carolinusThe northern sea robin is an unusual-looking fish with a mottled body, wing-like fins and a flat, bony head. It visits the deep waters of the lower Chesapeake Bay from spring through early winter.
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Red Drum
Sciaenops ocellatusThe red drum is a large, reddish fish with at least one black spot at the base of the tail. It visits the lower Chesapeake Bay from spring through autumn.
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Sandbar Shark
Carcharhinus plumbeusAlso known as the brown shark, the sandbar shark is a stocky shark that visits the grassy shallows of the lower and middle Chesapeake Bay in summer and autumn.
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Spiny Dogfish
Squalus achanthiasThe spiny dogfish is a small, abundant shark that visits the Chesapeake Bay from late fall to early spring.
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Spot
Leiostomus xanthurusSpot are small, feisty fish with a distinctive large, black spot near the gill opening. They are common from spring through autumn in the shallow waters of the middle and lower Chesapeake Bay.
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Spotted Seatrout
Cynoscion nebulosusThe spotted seatrout is a sleek, silvery fish with black, round spots scattered across the back. It visits the Chesapeake Bay from spring through autumn.
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Striped Bass
Morone saxatilisAlso known as the rockfish or striper, the striped bass is a large predatory fish with dark stripes running along its metallic sides. Part of the Atlantic Coast population lives in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries year round.
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Striped Burrfish
Chilomycterus schoepfiThe striped burrfish is a small, yellowish-green puffer fish covered with short, sharp spines. It visits the Chesapeake Bay’s grassy flats from spring through autumn.
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Summer Flounder
Paralichthys dentatusThe summer flounder is a flat, brownish fish with large spots on the top side of the body. It visits the middle and lower Chesapeake Bay from spring through autumn.
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Tautog
Tautoga onitisThe tautog is a stout, mottled fish with a thick tail and strong teeth. It can be found year-round around wrecks, reefs and pilings near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.
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Weakfish
Cynoscion regalisThe weakfish is a sleek, iridescent fish that visits the shallow waters of the Chesapeake Bay in spring and summer.