| Can you say the fish’s common name? How about its scientific name (hey, you’re speaking Latin!)? Now say it in the local Native American language Ojibwe! These critters live in Lake Superior. | Native Species |
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Northern Pike These voracious predators live in sluggish waters and lakes throughout much of the Upper Midwest and Canada, including Lake Superior. They are one of the easiest fish to catch. A northern has light markings on a dark body and rounded tail fins. In comparison, the closely-related muskellunge (muskie) has dark markings on a light body and a pointed tail. |
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Lake Sturgeon Lake Sturgeon are the biggest, most ancient species of fish in the Great Lakes. They may grow to more than 300 pounds. Torpedo-shaped and covered with plates, a sturgeon hoovers food off the floor of the lake by extending its mouth like a vacuum hose. They are a species of special concern in Minnesota so people are working to help their populations grow. |
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Cisco (a.k.a. Lake Herring) These tasty fish thrive in deep, cold lakes from Minnesota to New York through much of Eastern Canada. They eat insect larvae and zooplankton and are in turn eaten by other fish. Many years ago, ciscoes generated an important commercial fishery in the Great Lakes. Commercial fishermen still harvest them from Lake Superior. Lake Herring, Cisco and Inland Tullibee are different names for the same fish. |
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Lake Trout These hefty trout are the largest found in North America. On a summer’s day, they like cold deep water. On a summer’s night, they come to the surface to feed. Lake trout in the Great Lakes trout were almost eliminated by sea lamprey and overfishing. Lake trout in Lake Superior have rebounded (especially the fat siscowet variety), thanks to good fisheries management. |
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Painted Turtle These reptiles are one of the most common turtles throughout North America. In summer, they bask on logs and rocks poking out Lake Superior’s wetlands and slow-moving tributaries. Sunbathing helps rid the turtles of parasites. They hibernate in winter. They’re dark olive on top, but their bottom shell can be an abstract composition in vivid reds, yellows, and black....very painterly. |
