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State Fish

Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, and Ohio. Iowa has an un-official state fish. Other states have designated two Official State Fish, distinguishing them with labels such as Warm water, Coldwater, Saltwater or Marine, Sport, and Commercial.

California Symbols

California State Fish

Golden Trout

(Salmo agua-bonita)

Adopted in 1947

The golden trout, Salmo agua-bonita, is native only to California and was named the official state fish by act of the State Legislature in 1947.

South Fork Golden Trout (Blue Book p.23) Designated in 1947 (This information was listed in the California Blue Book of 1975. However, it is not mentioned in the Government Code section on State Emblems, 2000.)

Description of the California State Fish

A brilliantly colored fish, the golden trout has bright red markings on its sides, underbelly, and cheeks. Along its spine, dorsal and caudal fins, are large, black spots. It grows to 28 inches in length.

Habitat

Originally the species was found only in a few streams in the icy headwaters of the Kern River, south of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the United States outside of Alaska. Stocking of wild and hatchery-reared fish has extended its range to many waters at high elevation in the Sierra Nevada from El Dorado and Alpine Counties southward. The golden trout was originally found only in the waters of the Kern River in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Later it was introduced to mountain streams throughou other states.

Taxonomic Hierarchy of the Golden Trout

Kingdom	Animalia -- animals
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Osteichthyes
Order	Salmoniformes
Family	Salmonidae
Genus	Salmo
Species	Salmo agua-bonita

State Fishes

This is a list of official and *unofficial U.S. state fish: The only states lacking a state fish as of 2008 are Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, and Ohio.

fish ('fish)
n. pl. fish or fish·es

1. Any of numerous cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates of the superclass Pisces, characteristically having fins, gills, and a streamlined body and including specifically:: a. Any of the class Osteichthyes, having a bony skeleton.
b. Any of the class Chondrichthyes, having a cartilaginous skeleton and including the sharks, rays, and skates.
2. The flesh of such animals used as food. 3. Any of various primitive aquatic vertebrates of the class Cyclostomata, lacking jaws and including the lampreys and hagfishes. 4. Any of various unrelated aquatic animals, such as a jellyfish, cuttlefish, or crayfish.