State Fish Of New Hampshire

Brook Trout Is The Official State Fish Of New Hampshire. New Hampshire Adopted as the brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) as the official New Hampshire State Fish in 1994. Brook trout have a long, streamlined body with a large mouth that extends past the eye. The Color variations of Brook Trout include olive, blue-gray or black above with a silvery-white belly and wormlike markings (vermiculation pattern) along the back.

National Fish Of New Hampshire Brook Trout have red spots sometimes surrounded by bluish halos on their sides. The lower fins have a white front edge followed by black and the remainder being reddish-orange. The tail fin is square or slightly forked. During fall breeding time, New Hampshire State Fish male brook trout will develop a slightly hooked jaw and become very bright orange-red along the lower sides which are highlighted by a black vertical stripe along the belly. Brook Trout have been described as voracious feeders with the potential to consume large numbers seasonally available mayflies, stoneflies and other aquatic insects as well as terrestrial insects.

However, New Hampshire State Fish Brook Trout will often feed on whatever is most readily available like zooplankton, crustaceans, worms, and fish. Brook Trout can be found alongside rocks, under cover of logs and undercut banks, in cold water, spring-fed streams, rivers, lakes and in the Great Lakes. State Fish Of New Hampshire Larger brook trout often inhabit deep in stream pools moving to shallow water feed. Spawning generally occurs in the months of October and November. Mature National Fish Of New Hampshire brook trout seek a gravel riffle area in spring-fed streams, seepage areas of ponds, lakeshores with swift currents or groundwater seepages. Female brook trout use their tails to create a spawning bed (or redd). After spawning the female covers the eggs (up to 5,000 per female) with gravel.

 

Identification Of Brook Trout

 

Family: Centrachidae

 Common Family: The Sunfish Family

 Common Name: Black Crappie

 Scientific Name: Pomoxis nigromaculatus

 

PHYSICAL DETAILS

Length: Up to 34 in (86 cm); average of 12 in (30 cm)

Weight: Up to 14.5 lbs (6.6 kg); average of 1 lb (450 g)

 

REPRODUCTION

Fertilization: External

Spawning frequency: Late Summer or Autumn

Mating behavior: Distinct and group pairing

 

LIFESPAN

Up to 5 years

 

HABITAT

Brook trout live in clear and cold spring-fed streams, lakes, and ponds.

 

Similar Species:

White crappie has 5-6 dorsal spines, rarely 7.