Rough Fish: What Are They?

If you’ve ever fished a river, chances are you’ve pulled up a fish from the depths that you couldn’t identify. Not known for their aesthetics, some of you may even have been shocked or creeped out from the sight of these fish. You likely caught a roughfish. This chapter will discuss the common roughfish species found in the Upper Midwest.Most simply, roughfish are underutilized non-game fish species, often holding little or no commercial value. In Minnesota, roughfish are defined as carp, buffalo, sucker, sheepshead, bowfin, burbot, cisco, gar, goldeye, and bullhead. Typically referred to in a negative connotation, the common carp often overshadows other roughfish species due to their appearance and reputation. Overcoming the tradition of assumption and ignorance passed down from generation to generation can be a daunting task to the roughfisher.