1. George Johnson Jr., Recreational Angler
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posted on: June 9, 2015

What is this Baby Fish?

Type: Tidal
Region: Southern
Location: South River

I was catching grass shrimp for perch fishing yesterday (6/6/15) in the South River and I caught this in my net. I thought it was a minnow but a closer look at it made me think maybe a snakehead. It has similar colors and fin features but it was so small it was hard to tell. Was wondering if someone could tell me what it was.

DNR Response: That is a naked goby, commonly mistaken by anglers for a baby northern snakehead. The naked goby is a very common little fish in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. The naked goby reaches a maximum size of about 2-1/2� and is very secretive; often hiding in oyster shell bars and various bottom debris and sea grass. They can be identified by 9 to 11 vertical dark bars on their sides. Their pelvic fins are shaped into suction like disc that helps them hold on to oyster shells. They often lay their eggs in a dead gaped oyster on the inside of the upper shell and males guard the nest aggressively.