{"id":13858,"date":"2023-12-05T03:00:31","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T02:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=13858"},"modified":"2023-12-05T03:00:31","modified_gmt":"2023-12-05T02:00:31","slug":"what-kind-of-fish-are-there-in-the-mississippi-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/what-kind-of-fish-are-there-in-the-mississippi-river\/","title":{"rendered":"What Kind Of Fish Are There In The Mississippi River"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Mississippi River is renowned for its immense wealth of fish. Yellow perch, black bullhead, northern pike and flathead catfish are some of the more popular species found in the waters of the Mississippi River. In addition, the river is home to more than sixty species of mussel. It is also a major spawning ground for a variety of game fish including bass, trout, walleye, musky and crappie. All these creatures play a vital role in maintaining a healthy aquatic ecosystem.<\/p>\n

The presence of these fish is due to its expansive watershed. The Mississippi River Watershed is the third largest in the world, extending from the Gulf of Mexico, through the middle of the United States, and into Canada. This makes it an incredibly diverse aquatic environment, meaning that a variety of fish can be found dwelling here. The sheer number of species also makes it one of the best fishing sites in the country. <\/p>\n

One of the most popular game fish in the Mississippi River is the smallmouth bass. It is a migratory species, meaning that they travel upstream to spawn in the spring. They prefer to live in the many rocky shoals of the river and can usually be found in the shallow, clear-flowing waters. Smallmouth bass can be caught through the use of artificial lures, spinners, and live bait. <\/p>\n

Another popular species is the flathead catfish. It is widely known as an aggressive predator and is generally found in deeper waters at the bottom of the river. For this reason, it is best caught on live bait such as shiners, eel, and shad. The best time to target flathead catfish is during the summer, when they are most active.<\/p>\n