Fish IdentifierIdentify any fish from a photo
Fish Identifier is a fish identification app for iPhone. Take a picture of a fish and get the species name, habitat, size, and season in seconds - then save it to your collection and learn where to find more.
Free to download · iPhone · Freshwater & saltwater
Fish identification made simple
Whether you just landed a mystery catch, spotted something at the aquarium, or found an unfamiliar fillet at the market - a quick photo answers the question "what fish is this?"
One photo is enough
No keys, no flipping through a field guide. Photograph the fish and review the suggested species with its distinguishing traits.
Know what you caught
See the common name, scientific name, typical size, behavior, and habitat, so you can tell a walleye from a sauger or a blue cat from a channel cat.
Fresh and salt water
From farm-pond bluegill to offshore mahi-mahi: the app covers freshwater, saltwater, and aquarium species alike.
From catch to kitchen
Curious whether a species is commonly eaten and how it is prepared? Ask in the app and get practical culinary guidance.
Build a collection
Save identifications, log where you found each fish, and work toward your target species list with rarity tiers.
Find fishing spots
Discover fishing piers, banks, and clubs near you on the built-in map, wherever you are in the world.
How fish identification by photo works
Photo-based fish ID compares the visible features of your fish - body shape, fin placement, markings, and color - against known species and shows you the closest match.
Take a photo
Photograph the fish from the side with the whole body and fins visible. Daylight and a clean background help the analysis.
Review the match
The app suggests the most likely species with its common name, scientific name, and the traits it recognized, plus a confidence indicator.
Learn and save
Read about habitat, size, season, and behavior. Save the fish to your collection and ask follow-up questions in the chat.
Prefer to learn the field marks yourself? Start with our guides to freshwater fish identification and saltwater fish identification.
A calm, clear fishing companion
Identification results, fishing spots, your collection, and quests - everything lives one tap from the camera.
More than a fish ID scanner
Fish Identifier combines photo identification with the tools anglers actually use on the water.
Photo identification
Snap or upload a photo and the app suggests the species, with the common and scientific name and the traits that support the match.
Ask follow-up questions
Ask about habitat, behavior, or how a species is usually prepared in the kitchen, and get clear, conversational answers.
Fishing spots near you
Browse nearby piers, banks, and fishing areas on the map, from Florida to Scotland, and plan where to go next.
Your fish collection
Every identification can be saved to a collection with rarity tiers, so you can track which of your target species you have caught.
Quests and badges
Levels, quests, and badges turn your season into a progression: identify fish, log catches, and unlock rewards.
Smart fishing guide
Per-species guidance on where and when to find fish, such as depths, seasons, and conditions worth trying.
Freshwater and saltwater fish identification
Freshwater fish identification
Lakes, rivers, and ponds: identify bass, panfish, walleye, pike, trout, and catfish with a practical chart of field marks - or let the app read them from your photo.
Freshwater guide →Saltwater fish identification
Inshore and offshore: recognize snapper, grouper, drums, jacks, and mackerel by shape, lateral line, and fins, with a special guide for the Gulf of Mexico.
Saltwater guide →Fish ID guides by species
Deep dives into the species anglers ask about most, each with the exact field marks to check and a comparison chart.
Salmon Identification
Tell Chinook, coho, sockeye, pink, chum, and Atlantic salmon apart by mouth color, spots, and tail - with a full salmon species chart.
Read the guide →Trout Identification
Rainbow, brown, brook, cutthroat, and lake trout: the field marks that separate them, and how to tell trout from salmon.
Read the guide →Catfish Identification
Identify types of catfish: channel, blue, and flathead catfish plus bullheads, using tail shape and anal-fin ray counts.
Read the guide →Gulf of Mexico Fish
Snapper, grouper, redfish, mackerel, and other common Gulf species - and the lookalikes anglers mix up most.
Read the guide →Saltwater Fish Identification
How to identify marine fish by shape, lateral line, and fin structure, from inshore drums to offshore pelagics.
Read the guide →Freshwater Fish Identification
A practical freshwater fish identification chart covering bass, panfish, walleye, pike, and more.
Read the guide →Fish identifier FAQ
What is a fish identifier?
A fish identifier is a tool that helps you determine which species a fish belongs to. Traditional fish identification uses field marks such as body shape, fin position, mouth shape, and color patterns. A fish identifier app does the same job from a photo: you take a picture, the app analyzes it, and it suggests the most likely species with details such as the scientific name, typical size, and habitat.
Can I identify a fish from a picture?
Yes. Photo-based fish identification works by comparing the visible features of your fish (shape, fins, markings, color) against known species. For the best results, photograph the fish from the side in good light, with the whole body and fins visible. The Fish Identifier app then shows you a suggested species that you can review together with the listed field marks.
Is the Fish Identifier app free?
The app is free to download on the App Store and free to try. A subscription unlocks the full premium feature set. There is no Android version at the moment; the app is built for iPhone.
Does it work for both freshwater and saltwater fish?
Yes. Fish Identifier covers freshwater species such as bass, trout, catfish, walleye, and pike, as well as saltwater species such as snapper, grouper, mackerel, and jacks. Each identification includes the habitat type, so you can see whether a species is typically found in fresh, salt, or brackish water.
What information do I get with an identification?
Each result includes the common name, scientific name, typical size, habitat type, behavior notes, and a best-season overview by month. You can save the identification to your collection, log where you found the fish, and ask follow-up questions about the species.
What does "fish ID" mean?
Fish ID is short for fish identification: working out which species a fish is. Anglers use fish ID to recognize their catch, students use it for marine biology, and hobbyists use it at aquariums or fish markets. It is done by checking field marks, or faster, by using a fish identifier app on your phone.
How do I identify a fish without an app?
Check field marks in this order: body shape, tail shape, fin position and edges, mouth size and direction, then color and markings. Compare those against a regional fish identification chart. Our guides for salmon, trout, catfish, freshwater, and saltwater fish walk through the key marks per group.
Put a fish identifier in your pocket
Download Fish Identifier for iPhone and turn every catch, aquarium visit, and market find into a moment of discovery. Photo ID, species details, fishing spots, and your personal collection - all in one app.
Free on the App Store for iPhone. A subscription unlocks the full premium feature set.
