Fish of the Week!

We're taking a journey to a tiny oasis in the Nevada desert, where a blue gem of a fish ekes out a living in extreme conditions. From earthquakes in Alaska to water rights and intruders' boxer shorts, these fish are both isolated from and connected to events way beyond their small geography of existence. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Jenny Gumm and National Park Service's Kevin Wilson join...

Get to know the humpback-iest of Alaska's whitefish and local favorite. Guest Travis David from Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge shares his Athabascan perspective and takes Katrina and Guy to fish camp.

The American eel starts its mysterious life in the Sargasso Sea before making its way into rivers along the Eastern Seaboard. Katrina and Guy are joined by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fish enthusiast and eel fan Holly Richards. 

For this special Halloween episode, Katrina and Guy are creeping into a conversation about the underappreciated end-of-life and after-life phases of the salmon life cycle. You won't want to miss the scoop on zombie salmon, brain-eating bears, and and salmon graveyards! Read more & see visuals: https://www.fws.gov/story/zombie-salmon

Catch the scoop on the late salmon run in some of the clearest waters of Interior Alaska. We're talking about the amazing Coho Salmon that make it a thousand miles up the Yukon River to the Delta Clearwater River. Katrina and Guy are joined by guest Brandy Baker from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Katrina and Guy talk with Cyrus Harris from Sisaulik, Alaska about whitefish, coastal lagoons, and traditional Iñupiaq fish trapping techniques. 

Katrina and Guy are suckers for a good conversation about Catostomidae. From those fleshy lips to their pharyngeal teeth, this episode about freshwater suckers is sure to appeal to all you fish enthusiasts out there. 

Fisheries biologists Ray Hander and Bill Carter highlight the current state of knowledge about Alaska's Selawik River sheefish population and how a permafrost thaw slump upstream of the spawning grounds may be impacting recruitment and subsistence fisheries.

Katrina and Guy talk with Dr. Mike Armstrong from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries about a popular anadromous fish, the "fishiest looking fish" - the striped bass! We're talking everything from lifecycle to management of this superstar perciform. 

Katrina and Guy chat with Dr. Randy Brown about the fascinating Bering Cisco. Worldwide, there are only three known spawning populations of this fish and all occur in Alaska. From new discoveries to a rise in popularity in the kosher markets of New York City, this is a fish story you won't want to miss!

"It's a very small, exclusive and very cool club, you know, the Chimaera club." Ray Troll, an artist known best for his scientific surrealism, talks with Katrina and Guy about the otherworldly ratfish and how fish inspire his art. 

Katrina and Guy talk with Jill Wick from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and Trevor Luna from the Mora National Fish Hatchery about Gila Trout, a fish described as taking its colors "from the New Mexico sunset." We cover a variety of topics from how the fire/monsoon season impacts these fish to recovery efforts and the range of fishing experiences to be had. Enjoy!

Get to know both sides of the fish who's eyes migrate to the topside of their head as they grow. Katrina and Guy talk with Claude Dykstra (a research biologist with the International Pacific Halibut Commission) about this beautiful, interesting, and tasty fish. 

Katrina and Guy are joined by Andy Bassich from Eagle, Alaska to talk all about fall Chum Salmon (and a little bit about dog teams too!). Learn about these important fish and their amazing migration from someone who's been living with and depending on them for over 30 years. 

Andy Gryska from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game joins Katrina and Guy to dig deeper into the biology and behavior of the beautiful, big-finned Arctic Grayling (earlier, we heard from Joanne Bryant, who shared her Gwich'in/Athabaskan perspectives). Andy also shares his favorite grayling recipe!

Our guest Mark Hieronymus has a soft spot for Pink Salmon. A great beginner fish, we discuss angling techniques and learn more about Pink Salmon ecology in Southeast Alaska.

Katrina and Guy talk Columbia River Steelhead Trout, high temperatures, and everything in between with Nate Wiese, the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Scientists Cindy Tribuzio (NOAA Fisheries) and Sabrina Garcia (Alaska Department of Fish and Game) join the conversation about all the fish to talk about a rad smaller cousin of the great white shark! For more sharks, check out these episodes! Cookiecutter Shark (S4:E49) Blacktip Reef Shark (S4:E30) Pacific Sleeper Shark (S4:E23) Greenland Shark (S3:E29) Goblin Shark (S2:E42)  

Katrina and Guy banter and nerd out about all the sculpins...from tiny "chickens of the stream" to the warty, antlered, lavishly-colored marine species. Sculpins are, in a word: cool! Get to know this underappreciated, fascinating group of fishes. 

Joanne Bryant (Ditsuh Taii) from Arctic Village, Alaska brings her Gwichʼin/Athabaskan perspectives to talk about Arctic Grayling, culture, and also shares a story about fishing for this spectacular sail-finned beauty with her grandpa. 

Katrina and Guy talk with Dr. Daniel Schindler, a professor from the University of Washington, about wild sockeye salmon in Alaska's Bristol Bay region. We dive into the "portfolio effect" and what drives sustainability of this amazing resource. We previously heard from Orville Lind who focused on culture and fishing. 

Orville Lind, who hails from Chignik, Alaska, gives insight into fishing and the cultural importance of Bristol Bay's wild sockeye salmon fishery.

The Signal Crayfish has made itself at home after being introduced to Alaska's Kodiak Island. Guests include Matt van Daele (Tribal Biologist at Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak), Jeff Woods (a crayfish fisherman and police officer), and Tammy Davis (Invasive Species Program Coordinator at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game). 

Wild Atlantic Salmon have seen a lot of changes over recent centuries, but efforts are underway to restore their habitats and the amazing community of native sea-run fishes to which they belong. Guests Dan McCaw (Penobscot Indian Nation) and Rory Saunders (NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service) join the conversation.

Guests Paige Wigren, Jennifer Johnson, and Justin Chiotti from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Alpena Office recount the catching of a massive Lake Sturgeon in the Detroit River.