What is Ichthyology?

Ichthyology is the study of fish. Topics of study include the lateral line system, gills, barbels, swimbladders, otoliths, migration, spawning, schooling, aggression, feeding, resting, communication, ecology, and much more. Outside of pure academics, in the United States, the average person's connection to ichthyology is typically through groups like the USFWS, their state wildlife agency, or local enviromental or conservation non-profits.

Why should anglers care about ichthyology? Anyone who has a love or passion for fishing will find themselves doing ichthyology even if they don't know anything about science. Anglers will seek to understand the behavior of fish and the environment that they live in. Instead of having to make guesses based totally on personal experience, anglers can cross reference what has already been studied in ichthyology for a better understanding.

Ichthyology is connected to everything in fishing from why lures work or don't work, the health of fish stocks, where and what time of year fish can be found, or if it is safe to consume fish from a body of water.

Ichthyology