OUTDOOR CORNER: UNDERSTANDING THE ATTRIBUTES OF FISH LEADS TO SMARTER FISHING

"Fishing, God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation..." wrote Izaak Walton.

This is never truer if you look at the number of people who fish. Recreational fishing is the third-most popular outdoor sport in the country, behind swimming and bicycling, according to the National Sporting Goods Association.

An estimated 47 million Americans ages 6 and older fish; of this number, 1.3 million are Missourians. Some of them fish for sport or relaxation; others fish only for food. But the majority of anglers reap all the benefits of fishing.

During the next couple of months (third Sunday) I'm going to introduce you to the fish and fishing. I'm going to give you some ideas where to find fish, what type of bait or lure works best, and also give you the low down on what lakes will provide the best fishing in 1998 in the Southeast Region of Missouri.

What is a fish? Fish are vertebrates that live in water, "breathe" by means of gills, and have fins instead of legs. They are cold-blooded, which means that their body temperature is the same as the water.

A fish's streamlined shape helps it move through the water. A fish swims by alternately contracting muscles along each side, which causes its tail to sweep and propel the fish forward.

The tail fin also acts as a rudder, and the dorsal and anal fins along the upper and lower surfaces of the body provide stability like the keel of a sailboat. The pectoral fins (those located just behind the gill openings) provide a braking action and also function in climbing or diving.

Fish markings usually serve as camouflage. For example, fish that live near rocks or weeds often have blotches or bars on their sides. Many fish are dark on top and light beneath, making them more inconspicuous when viewed from above or below.

Most fish have scales, which are embedded into the skin and are arranged in overlapping rows. Scales may be large and tough, like a carp's, or extremely small, as with a trout. Catfish have a tough skin, instead of scales.

Growth marks on scales reveal the age of fish, just as tree rings show the age of trees. The skin secretes a slimy coating of mucus that reduces friction with the water and helps to resist disease. Removal of large patches of mucus through injury or rough handling can result in infection and death. The life span of most of our gamefish is about 4-6 years, but some of them live more than 10 years. Fish never stop growing as they get older.

Many fish swim in groups or schools, but some lead a solitary life, especially large predators. Some fish wander constantly in search of food; others wait for food to come close enough to ambush.

Fish often make regular daily movements between feeding and resting places, seasonal movements to summer and winter habitat, and annual movements to traditional spawning areas.

Many species travel long distances to spawn. Spawning activity concentrates fish and makes them easier to find and catch.

The various senses - sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch - are well developed in fish, just as in man, but the structures involved in perception differ in certain respects.

Sight: Fish are able to see well, but not in muddy water or low light. Out of the water, a fish is blind.

Hearing: Water conducts sound better than air, and fish hear directly through the bones in their head. Noise on a boat or dock may spook fish away.

Taste: Most fish do not rely much on taste, but catfish and bullheads have taste buds over their entire bodies and fins that help them find food.

Smell: Fish have a nasal sac to help them detect odor. Night feeders or fish that live in muddy water have a highly refined sense of smell.

Touch: Fish can detect minute temperature differences and can discriminate between hard and soft baits. Fish are more likely to hold a soft bait longer.

Lateral line: This is a special sensory organ not found in other animals. Nerve endings along a row of pores on either side of a fish from gills to tail act as radar, allowing the fish to detect the size, shape, direction and speed of objects around it.

Missouri is home to more than 200 kinds of fish, including many types of game fish. Here is a description of some common game fish found in Missouri.

Bluegill - Found in ponds, lakes and streams, bluegills thrive in warm, clear water with weeds and insects. They often feed in shallow water and can be caught on worms, crickets or flies. Average size is about 6 to 8 inches (0.5 to 1.0 lb.).

Channel Catfish - Channel catfish live in ponds, lakes and streams and bite on a variety of live, cut, or prepared baits fished on the bottom. The best fishing is at night or following a heavy rain. Adults are commonly 12 to 25 inches long (5 to 10 lbs.).

Largemouth Bass - Largemouth bass are plentiful in lakes and ponds. Even a small pond may hold big fish. They often hold near cover, such as weeds, docks or timber. Bass eat other fish and crayfish. Adult bass commonly run 12 to 20 inches (1 to 8 lbs.).

White and Black Crappie - Crappie usually prefer cover, such as brush beds placed by anglers, and submerged trees. They bite best on small jigs or minnows fished slowly and sometimes quite deep. These poplar food fish usually run from 9 to 11 inches (0.5 to 1.5 lbs.).

Rainbow Trout - Trout prefer cool, flowing water, found in spring-fed streams of the Ozarks. They bite on worms and insects and are a favorite of fly fishers. Trout average about 10 inches, but larger fish are common.

For more information on fish and fishing, contact the Conservation Department in Cape Girardeau at (573) 290-5730.

Brad Pobst is a fisheries management biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation.