Fish of the Week! artwork

Fish of the Week!

307 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★★ - 62 ratings

Fish enthusiasts Katrina Liebich and Guy Eroh journey across America on a quest to discover ALL THE FISH: big and small, common and rare, beautiful and downright strange. Diverse guests help dig into the latest science and bring their perspectives about how fish are woven into the fabric of communities and cultures. Listeners walk away from each episode with practical information about how to connect with and conserve our amazing, finned friends.

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Episodes

The Unassuming Bony-eared Assfish!

March 25, 2024 04:00 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MB

Meet a soft and flabby wonder with the smallest brain-to-body weight ratio of any vertebrate and a name that's bound to stimulate conversation. Two guests deep dive into assfish territory with us: Peter Auster from Mystic Aquarium and the University of Connecticut, and Brittany Peterson from our National Conservation Training Center (and formerly with the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument).

Fly Fishing for Shoal Bass

March 18, 2024 04:00 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MB

You’ll be hooked when you meet this shoal habitat specialist and Apalachicola-Flint-Chattahoochee River native. Learn how to think like a shoalie, understand the importance of knowing its prey, and pursue it safely in class 3 rapids on foot or from a raft. Fly tier extraordinaire Fletcher Sams and Shoal Bass enthusiast Jay Shelton are our guests.

Alaska's Capelin/Seabird Story

March 11, 2024 04:51 - 33 minutes - 31 MB

Meet a cucumber-scented fish that feeds the masses and sometimes crashes. Our guests are Yumi Arimitsu with the USGS Alaska Science Center Seabird and Forage Fish Ecology Program and Seabird Biologist Robb Kaler with the Marine Birds Section of our Alaska Division of Migratory Bird Management.

Truchas Mexicanas/Mexico's native trout

March 04, 2024 04:06 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MB

Come on an adventure into high elevation and rugged terrain to find Mexico's diverse native trout. Illustrator and Mexican native trout enthusiast Joe Tomelleri takes us on a journey of discovery and art inspired by stunningly beautiful fishes.

Invasive Carp

February 26, 2024 04:30 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MB

Hey, you guys! One distinguishing feature of invasive carp is eye placement at or below the mouth opening. They also have a very particular set of skills that makes them so successful at outcompeting the native fish you love. Fish Biologists Mark Fritts and Tyler Gross join the conversation from our Lacrosse Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office in Wisconsin and our Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office's Ohio River Substation in West Virginia.

Puerto Rico's Bigmouth Sleeper

February 19, 2024 04:00 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MB

Anglers take note...this fish is a sleeper, not a snooze! Meet the Bigmouth Sleeper, the natural "top dog" in Puerto Rico's streams. The name tells you all you need to know about the appearance and behavior of this underappreciated fish. Augustin (Gus) Engman from the University of Tennessee joins us again to dig further into the native fishes that inhabit the island, including what we know about this fish and how to get it on the end of your line.

Lancetfish: Solving Sea Mysteries

February 12, 2024 04:00 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MB

If you happen to be an unfortunate men’s size 7 Nike shoe, one of 50+ species of octopus, a big shard of plastic or rope, or any number of reef, oceanic, and deep sea fish, you might find yourself undigested in a Longnose Lancetfish’s stomach! That’s after you’ve been trapped between cage-like teeth with no get-out-of-jail-free card. That said, we’d like to give a big thank you to lancetfish for being amazing samplers of the marine environment and helping scientists understand ocean food web...

Bringin' Bloater Back!

February 05, 2024 04:00 - 36 minutes - 33.2 MB

We're bringing bloater back...Go ahead and tell them skinny fishes that...'Cause every inch of bloater's perfect from the bottom to the top (sha-wop, wop). We've got a great episode for you about an amazing fish with a rich history in the Great Lakes: the Bloater! Brian Weidel with the U.S. Geological Survey's Great Lakes Science Center and Dimitry Gorsky from our Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office are guests.

Lake Trout: Lacustrine Lunker!

January 30, 2024 04:00 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MB

Explore the past, present and future of the Lake Trout that inhabit North America's Great Lakes. Larry Miller with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Allegheny National Fish Hatchery is our guest. On deck: Bloater (another Great Lakes native)!

Greatest Rock Basses of All Time

January 22, 2024 04:00 - 24 minutes - 22.5 MB

If you've come here for music, all we've got is fish (sorry no John Paul Jones or Flea). Special back stage pass to meet the four members of Ambloplites, a somewhat undervalued yet beautiful group of fishes in the sunfish family.

C'waam: Lost River Sucker

January 15, 2024 04:00 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MB

Get to know the endangered Klamath C'waam (Lost River Sucker) with guests Don Gentry (a Natural Resources Specialist with the Klamath Tribes) and Jane Spangler (a Sucker Recovery Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).

Swordfish: Lessons From Sea

January 08, 2024 03:54 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MB

Meet a ridiculously strong and fast fish who can warm its eyes and slash its prey. Swordfish boat captain and best-selling author Linda Greenlaw shares her insights about fishing, life at sea, and leadership.

All Aboard! Season 4

January 01, 2024 04:00 - 50 minutes - 46.4 MB

It's a new year, and we have no shortage of new fish and guests! Jump on board as we reflect on Season 3 and go behind the scenes, cast our line towards ALL THE FISH we plan to cover in Season 4, and continue our week-by-week tour of interesting ichthyofauna with guests from all walks of life. On deck: Swordfish with Linda Greenlaw!

Snowflake Moray Eel!

December 25, 2023 04:00 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MB

Meet a fascinating fish that can swallow its prey on land! From California to Hawaii and beyond, Snowflake Morays are an important player in both the marine and intertidal zones. Dr. Rita Mehta, an evolutionary biologist from the University of California Santa Cruz, is our guest.

Bonytail Chub: Pencil-Peduncled Piscine!

December 18, 2023 04:00 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MB

Meet the Bonytail Chub: an Endangered Colorado River fish with a pencil-thin peduncle and a penchant for wetlands. Zane Olson with our Ouray National Fish Hatchery and Chris Smith with our Green River Basin Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office in Utah join our conversation about all the fish.

Cabezon: Through the Photographer's Lens

December 11, 2023 13:27 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MB

Meet the Cabezon! This large "introverted" sculpin is found along the Pacific Coast of North America. National Geographic photographer Kiliii Yuyan brings his multi-cultural perspective to a discussion about Cabezon, underwater photography, and storytelling.

Texas' Fountain Darter

December 04, 2023 04:00 - 34 minutes - 32 MB

Whether you're on campus or tubing or just curious about fish, get to know the Fountain Darter, a little Endangered fish found only in Texas's San Marcos and Comal rivers. Two guests join from our San Marcus Aquatic Resources Center: Dave Britton (Center Director) and Dr. Katie Bockrath (a geneticist and research lead for the Edwards Aquifer Refugia Program).

Atlantic Tarpon: Silver King

November 27, 2023 04:00 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MB

From the Florida Keys to the Sistine Chapel, this prized saltwater fish has been getting into people's heads for centuries. Author and tarpon fly fishing enthusiast Monte Burke joins the conversation to help dig into the allure of the "silver king."

Lahontan Cutthroat Trout of Pyramid Lake

November 20, 2023 04:00 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MB

Visit Kooyooe Pa'a Panunadu (also known as Pyramid Lake) and get to know the Agi/Lahontan Cutthroat Trout! Whether it's a big or small one on the end of your line, there's much to appreciate and celebrate about this remarkable fish and place that the Numu/Northern Paiute people call home. Our guests are Autumn Harry, a Numu & Diné fishing guide, and Roger Peka, a fish biologist with our Lahontan National Fish Hatchery Complex in Nevada.

Cui-ui: Pyramid Lake Suckers

November 13, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MB

Meet a beautiful, long-lived sucker found nowhere else on Earth except Nevada's Pyramid Lake (known also as Kooyooe Pa’a Panunadu/"Cui-ui Standing Water" by the Northern Paiute people) and the lower Truckee River. We deep dive into the changes this system has seen and what's being done to conserve this endangered fish. Our guest is U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fish biologist Erik Horgen.

Pacific Herring: Haida/Tlingít Perspective

November 06, 2023 06:02 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MB

When it's herring egg weather, a snow flurry may usher in blue skies that quickly cloud up and cast down rain or snow. Boats are readied and hemlock branches cut. Birds, whales and sea lions converge while the herring stage to spawn. Marina Anderson from Prince of Wales Island, Alaska is our guest.

Hagfish: DIY Slime Machine!

October 30, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MB

Meet the Hagfishes! Their superpower is producing a ridiculous amount of slime in just a fraction of a second. Dr. Douglas Fudge from Chapman University's Comparative Biomaterials Lab and Dr. Dean Grubbs from Florida State University's Coastal and Marine Laboratory join Katrina and Guy to talk about the importance of hagfish and their very special slime.

Wolf Eel: Snaggletoothed Grandpa Fish

October 23, 2023 04:00 - 37 minutes - 1 MB

Meet the Wolf Eel: an extraordinary fish with a face resembling that of an old man. An aquarist, museum curator, and diver bring their perspectives about this monogamous (mostly), snaggletoothed ocean-dweller.

Wolf Eel: "Grandpa" Fish

October 23, 2023 04:00 - 37 minutes - 34.5 MB

Meet the Wolf Eel: an extraordinary fish with a face resembling that of an old man. An aquarist, museum curator, and diver bring their perspectives about this monogamous (mostly), snaggletoothed ocean-dweller.

Marvelous Midwest Muskies (Muskellunge)

October 16, 2023 04:00 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MB

Meet the Muskellunge, a so-called "green railroad tie with fins" that might inspire you to cast a ridiculously huge lure ten thousand times. Jordan Weeks from the Wisconsin DNR and Brian Herwig from Minnesota DNR bring their midwestern perspectives about musky size, genetics, behavior and more!  

Huge Hermaphrodite: Humphead (Napoleon) Wrasse!

October 09, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutes - 1 MB

We’d like to welcome you to the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument and introduce you to an enormous coral reef fish: the Humphead (AKA Napoleon/Māori) Wrasse! Dr. Amanda Pollock helps bring to the surface the story of these fascinating fish that change sex throughout their lives and the amazing places they call home.

Humphead (Napoleon) Wrasse!

October 09, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MB

We’d like to welcome you to the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument and introduce you to an enormous coral reef fish: the Humphead (AKA Napoleon/Māori) Wrasse! Dr. Amanda Pollock helps bring to the surface the story of these fascinating fish that change sex throughout their lives and the amazing places they call home.

Atlantic Cod!

October 02, 2023 04:00 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MB

Award-winning author Mark Kurlansky joins Katrina and Guy to celebrate the Atlantic Cod, a "down to earth" fish that once reached sizes rivaling the men who braved dangerous seas to catch them. From blessing the Vikings with strong bones to influencing the settlement patterns of New England and more, this fish has a storied past and future yet to be written. We hope you enjoy!

Arapaima: Mother of All Fish

September 25, 2023 04:00 - 34 minutes - 1 MB

Get to know the largest freshwater scaled fish with a face that looks like a topographical map of Mars: the Arapaima. Wait, there's more: they excrete a milk-like substance from their head! An ichthyologist who works at the Field Museum in conservation science, Dr. Lesley de Souza, takes us to the Amazon and Essequibo basins in South America where she's learned from Indigenous communities while exploring the habits of this astronomical, air-breathing fish (known by some as "mother of all fi...

Arapaima: Astronomical Air-Breathing Fish

September 25, 2023 04:00 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MB

Get to know the largest freshwater scaled fish with a face that looks like a topographical map of Mars: the Arapaima. Wait, there's more! Their swim bladder has lung-like tissue and they excrete a milk-like substance from their head. An ichthyologist who works at the Field Museum in conservation science, Dr. Lesley de Souza, takes us to the Amazon and Essequibo basins in South America to learn from the Indigenous communities there and explore the habits of this amazing fish.

Puerto Rico's Spectacular Sicydium Gobies

September 18, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutes - 32.3 MB

Get to know Puerto Rico’s migratory and waterfall-climbing Sicydium gobies! These amphidromous fishes are an essential part of Caribbean streams and artisanal fisheries. They also have a built-in suction cup! Guest Augustin Engman brings his perspectives about this special place and its native fishes.

Puerto Rico's Sicydium Gobies

September 18, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutes - 1 MB

Get to know Puerto Rico’s migratory and waterfall-climbing Sicydium gobies! These amphidromous fishes are an essential part of Caribbean streams and artisanal fisheries. They also have a built-in suction cup! Guest Augustin Engman brings his perspectives about this special place and its native fishes.

Beautiful Brook Trout

September 11, 2023 04:00 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MB

From its vermiculated dorsum all the way to its vermillion ventrum, the Brook Trout is a most charming fish! Guests Emily Hill and Tom Hoffman are here to help us appreciate and conserve one of nature's most amazing piscine color palettes.

Fishing Adventures: Special Episode!

September 04, 2023 04:00 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MB

For one week and one week only Katrina and Guy discuss some of their recent best fishing adventures and what they learned. Come along as they continue their quest to get to know ALL THE FISH!

Atlantic Sturgeon: Humongous Among Us

August 28, 2023 04:00 - 34 minutes - 32 MB

Like dinosaurs? Aerial acrobats? Sensitive barbeled snoots? Get to know the Atlantic Sturgeon with special guests Albert Spells and Steve Minkkinen. This humongous Endangered fish has an incredible story to tell.

Ultimate Goth Sucker (Hogsuckers)!

August 21, 2023 04:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MB

If you're into an intimate, small stream "mini golf style fishing experience" with gothic vibes, you'll want to make time for the hogsuckers! The oxblood-colored lip liner and the sunlight glinting off their sparkly scales are unforgettable. Get to know the Northern, Alabama, and Roanoke species with native fish enthusiast Corey Geving.

Candy Darter: Sweet Appalachian Fish

August 14, 2023 04:00 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MB

Meet the Endangered Candy Darter, one sweet Appalachian fish we'd like to see more of! Guests Andrew Phipps from our White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery and Nate Owens from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources bring two complimentary perspectives about this fish, why it's special, and how to help.

Yukon River Chinook: A Gwichya Gwich'in Perspective

August 07, 2023 05:11 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MB

Arctic Youth Ambassador Mackenzie Englishoe from Gwichyaa Zhee (Fort Yukon, Alaska) brings her Gwichya Gwich’in perspective about Yukon River Chinook Salmon, fish camp, loss, and the future.

Common Carp: Dog of Fish

July 31, 2023 04:00 - 39 minutes - 35.7 MB

Hated by some, revered by others, get to know a fish with a rich history. From Heather the Leather to Christmas traditions, one thing is for certain...this fish is interesting! Katrina and Guy deep dive into a discussion about the Dog of Fish: the Common Carp!

Tennessee's Pretty Little Barrens Topminnow

July 24, 2023 06:43 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MB

Learn about a flat place where herds of bison and elk once grazed and a gorgeous little endangered fish is now being squeezed between a rock and a hard place. Bernie Kuhajda from the Tennessee Aquarium and Warren Stiles from our Tennessee Ecological Services Field Office are guests.

Tennessee's Barrens Topminnow

July 24, 2023 06:43 - 32 minutes - 50 KB

Learn about a flat place where herds of bison and elk once grazed and a gorgeous little endangered fish is now being squeezed between a rock and a hard place. Bernie Kuhajda from the Tennessee Aquarium and Warren Stiles from our Tennessee Ecological Services Field Office are guests.

The Slow, Old Greenland Shark!

July 17, 2023 04:00 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MB

If you're feeling old and slow today, the Greenland Shark has you beat! In addition to being the largest Arctic fish and one of the slowest swimming sharks, they are THE LONGEST LIVING VERTEBRATE and can live for hundreds of years!! PhD student Eric Ste-Marie from the University of Windsor's Hussey Lab studies the behavior and physiology of these sharks in the Canadian Arctic and is our guest.

Greenland Shark!

July 17, 2023 04:00 - 32 minutes - 50 KB

If you're feeling old and slow today, the Greenland Shark has you beat! In addition to being the largest Arctic fish and one of the slowest swimming sharks, they are THE LONGEST LIVING VERTEBRATE and can live for hundreds of years!! PhD student Eric Ste-Marie from the University of Windsor's Hussey Lab studies the behavior and physiology of these sharks in the Canadian Arctic and is our guest.

Pygmy Sunfish: The Mini Seven

July 10, 2023 04:00 - 31 minutes - 28.4 MB

Meet a miniaturized group of brightly-colored fishes (jet black and electric blue anyone??) with a wiggle-waggle dance and love for tea-colored blackwaters, springs, and submerged aquatic vegetation. Find all seven species in the Southeastern U.S., including the Spring Pygmy Sunfish (a threatened Alabama endemic). Guests Mike Sandel and David Pounders join from Mississippi State University to spill all the tea about these fish.

Pygmy Sunfish: Mini Seven

July 10, 2023 04:00 - 31 minutes - 50 KB

Meet a miniaturized group of brightly-colored fishes (jet black and electric blue anyone??) with a wiggle-waggle dance and love for tea-colored blackwaters, springs, and submerged aquatic vegetation. Find all seven species in the Southeastern U.S., including the Spring Pygmy Sunfish (a threatened Alabama endemic). Guests Mike Sandel and David Pounders join from Mississippi State University to spill all the tea about these fish.

Mooneyes & Goldeyes: Alien Curiosity

July 03, 2023 07:33 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MB

Minnesota guests and fish enthusiasts Eric Kolcinski and Tony Schollmeier bring their angling perspectives and enthusiasm for the uniquely shiny-eyed Mooneye and Goldeye. Flash of silver and next thing you know you're entering piscine portal into a different galaxy and eye to eye with an alien-looking fish!

Goliath Grouper: Volkswagen Beetle of Fishes

June 26, 2023 04:00 - 26 minutes - 24 MB

Maxing out at around 800 pounds and eight feet long, the weight of this fish is comparable to an adult grizzly bear, American bison, or grand piano...and similarly long items include a king-sized bed and surfboard! Fish biologist Derek Cox from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission joins as a guest to help shed light on the true habits of this amazing fish, as well as its complex history and management.

Mariana Snailfish: Trench Fish Extraordinaire

June 20, 2023 19:40 - 33 minutes - 30.4 MB

Buckle up for a trip down into the Mariana Trench to discover an amazing fish living miles beneath the surface! Learn the brilliant ways these fish survive, how scientists study these depths, and get to know the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument and the people who call it their backyard. Deep sea scientist Alan Jamieson and park ranger Jihan Younis are guests.

Flathead Catfish: Chocolate, Cavities, and Constantine Samuel Rafinesque

June 12, 2023 04:00 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MB

If you cavity search a river or reservoir, you might meet the business end of a Flathead Catfish! In this episode, we share our favorite anatomical features and what it's like to have your hand in the mouth of this fish (ouch!). Learn what other other critters you might encounter while noodling for these cavity dwellers and how to prevent your gear from going rogue and "ghost" fishing (boo!). Fish biologists Austin Griffin and Doug Zentner from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservatio...

Red Snapper

June 05, 2023 04:54 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MB

Big head, broad shoulders, red emerging from deep blue. Greg Stunz (AKA Dr. Snapper) joins Katrina and Guy to chat about a beautiful, tasty, and cooperative fish: the Red Snapper! Learn a little bit of everything about this fish from its biology to management and the Great Red Snapper Count.