Third Fish Of Montana Poster Available

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If you think your family is large and colorful, you’ve got nothing on Montana’s minnows.   Montana’s largest family of fish, the minnows, now have a poster devoted exclusively to them and their identification.  

The popular Fish of Montana poster series continues its run, with the release of the third of five posters.   Images for the posters were produced by Joe Tomelleri, a nationally recognized artist known for his accurate fish reproductions.   The poster also features information on the average size, origin, scientific name, and distribution map for each fish.

With about 220 species worldwide, the minnow family is the largest of the fish families in Montana and in all of North America.

While many people refer to any kind of small fish as a minnow, minnows are actually a distinct group of fish, some of which can grow to be quite large.   Montana’s non-native carp, for instance, is a minnow family member that commonly attains weights of more than 20 pounds.   Other members of the minnow family include the native longnose dace, one of the most widely distributed fish in the state, and also the redside shiner, a colorful native fish found in western Montana.  

The Fish of Montana poster series is part of a larger FWP effort to help Montanans learn about the state’s unique fisheries resources. The poster is available free at all FWP Regional Offices.