The Coosa River enters Alabama in the northeast corner of the state from Georgia and flows southward for about 175 miles to its junction with the Tallapoosa River, near Montgomery. There the two rivers become the Alabama River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The lakes on the Coosa include—from north to south—Weiss, Neely Henry, Logan Martin, Lay, Mitchell, and Jordan. Collectively, they are among the state’s most heavily fished waters due to their proximity to Gadsden, Birmingham, and Montgomery.  Nevertheless, they continue to provide excellent angling opportunities for Alabama’s most popular species: largemouth bass and crappie. Interestingly, however, three of the lakes have gained nationwide reputations for one particular species. Weiss Lake, especially, has been one of the South’s premier crappie lakes for decades, and each spring anglers from afar converge on the 30,200-acre impoundment to fish its waters. Note: All of these fish will not be found in the Coosa river.

Largemouth Bass The largemouth bass is a species of Black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass. The largemouth bass is the state fish of Alabama. Smallmouth Bass The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family. One of the black basses, it is a popular game fish sought by anglers throughout the temperate zones of North America, and has been spread by stock to many cool-water tributaries and lakes in the United States and Canada. The smallmouth bass is native to the upper and middle Mississippi River basin, the Saint Lawrence River–Great Lakes system, and up into the Hudson Bay basin. Its common names include Smallmouth, Bronzeback, Brown Bass, Brownie, Smallie, Bronze Bass, and Bare back Bass. Spotted Bass The Spotted Bass, also called "Spotty", "Leeman", or "Spots" in various fishing communities, is a species of freshwater fish sunfish family. One of the black basses, it is native to the Mississippi River basin and across the Gulf States, from central Texas through the Florida panhandle. Its native range extends into the western Mid-Atlantic States and it has been introduced into eastern North Carolina and Virginia. It has also been introduced to southern Africa, where it has become established in some isolated waters. It is often mistaken with the similar and more common largemouth bass. White bass The white bass or sand bass is a freshwater fish of the temperate bass family Moronidae. It is the state fish of Oklahoma. White Bass are unrelated to the black basses, which are members of the sunfish family.  The species is somewhat similar in appearance to the white perch, though larger. Its back is dark, with white sides and belly, and with narrow darkish stripes running lengthwise on the sides.   Some anglers enjoy eating fresh white bass, others avoid it, as it can tend on occasion to have oily flesh. Yellow Bass The yellow bass or barfish, is a freshwater fish native to the south and midwestern United States. Though sometimes confused with white bass or striped bass, it is distinguished by its yellow belly and the broken pattern in its lowermost stripes. The species name "mississippiensis" refers to the Mississippi River, where it was first described and is still most commonly found. Yellow bass reach an average length of 28 cm (11 in). It can also mate with the white bass to form the yellow bass hybrid Striped Bass The striped bass also called Atlantic striped bass, stripers, linesiders, rock, pimpfish,or rockfish) is the state fish of Maryland. They are also found in Nova Scotia Canada and the South. The striped bass is a typical member of the Moronidae family in shape, having a streamlined, silvery body marked with longitudinal dark stripes running from behind the gills to the base of the tail. Maximum size is 200 cm (6.6 ft) and maximum scientifically recorded weight 57 kg (125 US pounds). Striped bass are believed to live for up to 30 years. Channel Catfish Channel catfish is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of  Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8 million anglers targeting them per year. The popularity of channel catfish for food has contributed to the rapid growth of aquaculture of this species in the United States. Blue Catfish The blue catfish is one of the largest species of North American catfish. Blue catfish are distributed primarily in the Mississippi River drainage.  On July 20, 2010, a yet to be certified new world record blue catfish was caught by Greg Bernal of Florissant, Mo. on the Missouri River.  The record catfish weighed in at 130 lbs. It was 57 inches long and 45 inches in girth. The previous angling world record was 124 pounds, and was caught by Tim Pruitt on May 22, 2005, in the Mississippi River. Flathead Catfish The flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris), also called the yellow cat, opelousas, and shovelhead cat, are large North American freshwater catfish. This is the only species of the genus Pylodictis. Ranging from the lower Great Lakes region to northern Mexico, they have been widely introduced and are an invasive species in some areas. Yellow Bullhead The yellow bullhead is a species of bullhead catfish. Yellow bullhead are typically yellow-olive to slatey-black on the back and sometimes mottled depending on habitat. The sides are lighter and more yellowish while the underside of the head and body are bright yellow or white. A voracious scavenger typically feeding at night on a variety of plant and animal material, both live and dead, including small fish, crayfish, insects, snails, and worms. The yellow bullhead may grow to 18 inches and weigh up to 2 pounds and sometimes more. On average, the yellow bullhead can live up to 7 years. Spotted Sucker Spotted suckers are easily distinguished from other species by several rows of black or brown spots (one per scale) along the sides of the body. The body has 43 or more lateral scales. the lateral line is poorly developed or absent.  Adult size is 12 to 18 in. This species is present in every river system of Alabama. Goldline Darter The goldline darter is an endangered fish found primarily in the Cahaba River in central Alabama and the Coosa River in Georgia and Alabama. It has been deemed "threatened" since April 22, 1992. The fish is between 1.6 and 2.9 inches long with brownish red and amber dorsolateral stripes. This fish prefers to live in areas with moderate to swift current and a water depth of over 2 feet in the main channels of free-flowing rivers. The goldline darter is threatened due to water quality degradation on the Cahaba River. Rainbow Trout The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid  native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. The fish is sometimes called a salmon trout.  The species has been introduced for food or sport to at least 45 countries, and every continent except Antarctica.  White Crappie Pomoxis is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie.  They have diverse diets, however, including zooplankton, insects, and crustaceans. By day, crappie tend to be less active and to concentrate around weed beds or submerged objects, such as logs and boulders; they feed especially at dawn and dusk, moving then into open water or approaching the shore. The species are highly regarded game fishes and are often considered to be among the best tasting freshwater fish.  Black Crappie The black crappie is very similar to P. annularis in size, shape, and habits, except that it is darker, with a pattern of black spots. It is most accurately identified by the seven or eight spines on its dorsal fin. The oldest recorded age of a specimen is fifteen years, although seven years is a more typical life span for the species. The black crappie's range is uncertain, since it has been widely transplanted, but it is presumed to be similar to the white crappie's; as of 2005, populations existed in all of the lower 48 states. Bluegill The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family.  It is native to a wide area of North America,.  It is renowned as an excellent tasting fish. It is relatively common and easy to catch. Of tropical sunfish body shape, the bluegill's most notable feature is the blue or black "ear". Its name, however, comes from the bright blue edging visible on its gill rakers. It can be distinguished from similar species by the (not always pronounced) vertical bars along its flanks. The bluegill grows to a maximum overall length of approximately 16 in. Green Sunfish The green sunfish  is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family. It is native to a wide area of North America east of the Rocky Mountains, from the Hudson Bay basin in Canada, to the Gulf Coast in the United States, and northern Mexico. They are usually caught by accident, while fishing for other game fish. The green sunfish reaches a maximum recorded length of about 12 in, with a maximum recorded weight of 2.2 lb. Redbreast Sunfish The redbreast sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family The type species of its genus, it is native to the river systems of eastern Canada and the United States. The redbreast sunfish reaches a maximum recorded length of about 12 in, with a maximum recorded weight of 1.7 lb. The species prefers vegetated and rocky pools and lake margins for its habitat. A panfish popular with anglers, the redbreast sunfish is also kept as an aquarium fish by hobbyists. As is typical for the sunfishes, the female redbreast sunfish lays her eggs (approximately 1000) in a substrate depression built by the male. The male guards the eggs and fry. Longear Sunfish The longear sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family. It is native to the an area of eastern North America stretching from the Great Lakes down to northeastern Mexico. The longear sunfish reaches a maximum recorded length of about 9.5 in, with a maximum recorded weight of 1.7 lb. The species prefers densely vegetated, shallow waters in lakes, ponds, and sluggish streams. Its diet can include insects, aquatic invertebrates, and small fish. While the fish is readily caught by anglers, the fish are typically too small to be useful as food, and most anglers release them. Warmouth The Warmouth (Lepomis gulosus) is a species of freshwater fish. It is a member of the sunfish family. It is referred to some as a hybrid bluegill. It is native to a wide area of the United States, from Minnesota to western Pennsylvania in the north and from the Rio Grande in New Mexico east to the Atlantic in the south, inhabiting the heavily vegetated, muddy-bottomed habitats typical of the sunfishes. The Warmouth has also been stocked outside of its native range. Redear Sunfish The redear sunfish also known as the shellcracker, Georgia bream, cherry gill, chinquapin, improved bream, rouge ear sunfish and sun perch, is native to the southeastern United States, but since it is a popular sport fish it has been introduced to bodies of water all over North America. It generally resembles the bluegill except for coloration and somewhat larger size. It is dark-colored dorsally and yellow-green ventrally. The male has a cherry-red edge on its operculum; females have orange coloration in this area. The adult fish is between 7.9 and 9.4 in in length. Max length is 17.0 in, compared to a maximum of about 16 in for the bluegill. Walleye Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch. The walleye is sometimes also called the yellow walleye to distinguish it from the blue walleye. Although the fish is related neither to the northern pike nor to the other pickerels, both of which are members of the family Esocidae. Their closest genetic relative is the sauger and often times breeding occurs between the walleye and sauger producing an offspring known as saugeye. Freshwater Drum The freshwater drum is a fish endemic to North and Central America. It is also known for its succulent flesh, but many fishermen are put off by its mucus lining and dank smell. Freshwater drum possess an adapted swim bladder which is able to produce sound. Sound production is thought to be related to spawning activity where many drum will gather in pelagic waters of an ecosystem and begin drumming. Freshwater Drum can weigh in excess of 54 lbs. Common Carp The Common carp is a widespread freshwater fish in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia. The wild populations are considered vulnerable to extinction, but the species has also been domesticated and introduced into environments worldwide, and is often considered an invasive species. The common carp is a fish native to Asia which has been introduced to every part of the world with the exception of Eastern Europe.  It had two pairs of barbels and a mesh-like scale pattern. Although this fish was initially kept as an exploited captive, it was later maintained in large, specially built ponds by the Romans in south-central Europe.  Grass Carp The Grass Carp is a herbivorous, freshwater fish cultivated in China for food but was introduced in Europe and the United States for aquatic weed control. It is a fish of large, turbid rivers and associated floodplain lakes, with a wide degree of temperature tolerance. Grass carp are usually thought to enter reproductive condition and spawn at temperatures of 68 to 86 °F, but have been shown to sometimes spawn at temperatures as low as 59 °F. Golden Shiner The golden shiner commonly known as a minnow, is a  fish native to eastern North America. It is the sole member of its genus. Much used as a bait fish, it is probably the most widely pond-cultured fish in the United States. Red Shiner The Red Shiner commonly known as a minnow, is a species of ray-finned fish in the Cyprinidae family. They are deep-bodied and laterally compressed and can grow to about three inches in length. For most of the year both males and females have silver sides and whitish abdomens. Males in breeding coloration, on the other hand, have iridescent pink-purple-blue sides and a red crown and fins (except the dorsal fin which remains dark. Fathead Minnow The fathead minnow is a species of temperate freshwater fish belonging to the cyprinid family. The natural geographic range extends throughout much of North America, from central Canada south along the Rockies to Texas, and east to Virginia and the Northeastern United States. This minnow has also been introduced to many other areas via bait bucket releases. Its golden strain, known as the rosy-red minnow, is a very common feeder fish sold in the United States. Threadfin Shad The Threadfin Shad is a small planktivor common in rivers, large streams, and reservoirs of the Southeastern United States.  The fins of Threadfin shad often have a yellowish color especially the caudal fin. The back is grey to blue with a dark spot on the shoulder.  They occur in large schools, sometimes with gizzard shad, and can be seen on the surface at dawn and dusk. The Threadfin Shad may reach lengths of 7 inches, but only rarely. The threadfin Shad is a favorite food for many game fishes including striped bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and catfishes.  Gizzard Shad The American gizzard shad is a fish of the herring family Clupeidae native to fresh and salt waters of eastern North America. Like other gizzard shads, the body is deep somewhat forward of the middle. It is a grayish or silvery blue above, becoming silver on the sides and white below. They can reach a length of 22.5 inches, and weigh up to 4.37 lbs. American gizzard shad begin life feeding on zooplankton, using their teeth to catch them. They consume both small invertebrates and phytoplankton, as well as some sand for the gizzard. Chain Pickerel (Pike) The chain pickerel is a species of freshwater fish in the pike family (family Esocidae) of order Esociformes. The chain pickerel as well as the trout pickerel and the grass pickerel belong to the Esox genus of pikes. Alligator Gar The Alligator Gar ("Gator Gar"), is a primitive ray-finned fish. Unlike other Gars, the mature Alligator Gar possesses a dual row of large teeth in the upper jaw. Its name derives from the alligator-like appearance of these teeth along with the fish's elongated snout. The dorsal surface of the Alligator Gar is a brown or olive-color, while the ventral surface tends to be lighter. Their scales are diamond-shaped and interlocking (ganoid) and are sometimes used by Native Americans for jewelry. Spotted Gar The spotted Gar is a primitive freshwater fish of the family Lepisosteidae, native to North America from the Lake Erie to lower Apalachicola River in Florida, USA. It has a profusion of dark spots on the body, head and fins. Spotted gar are long and have a elongated mouth with many teeth used to eat other fish. They grow to 20-30 inches in length and weigh 4-6 pounds on average making it the smallest gar out of the four species of gar.  Shortnose gar The Shortnose Gar is a primitive freshwater fish of the family Lepisosteidae. In Greek, Lepisosteus translates to "bony scale," whereas platostomus means "broad mouth." Shortnose gar can be discerned from other gar species in that they lack the upper jaw of the alligator gar, the long snout of the longnose gar, and the markings of the spotted gar. Shortnose gar are native to the Mississippi River system, Longnose Gar The longnose gar is a primitive ray-finned fish of the gar family. It is also known as the needlenose gar. The longnose gar ranges in length from 24–72 in and weighs  1.1–7.7 lb.  FishBase reports a maximum size of 6.6 ft. Average life span is 17- 20 years. The snout is elongated into a narrow beak containing many large teeth. The gar has a long body, that is shaped like a cylinder, and is covered with diamond-shape scales.  Buffalo Buffalo fish, is a genus of freshwater fish common in the United States. It is sometimes mistaken for carp because of its flat face and large, silver scales running along the body, though it lacks the whisker-like mouth appendages common to carp. The buffalo fish is not a popular game fish because it is difficult to catch. Yet, once on the line, it can put up a good fight. It is an affordable fish that is popular in the southern USA including the Memphis and St. Louis markets. American Eel The American eel is found on the eastern coast of North America. The eel lives in fresh water and and prefers to hunt at night. During the day it hides in mud, sand or gravel very close to shore.  They are caught by fishermen and sold, eaten, or kept as pets. Although many anglers are put off by the snake-like appearance of these fish, eels are in fact exceptionally good fish. They are usually caught by anglers fishing for something else.  Bowfin Bowfins are an order of primitive ray-finned fish. Only one species, the bowfin of family Amiidae, survives today. Bowfins are found throughout eastern North America, typically in slow-moving backwaters, canals and ox-bow lakes. When the oxygen level is low (as often happens in still waters), the bowfin can rise to the surface and gulp air into its swim bladder, which is lined with blood vessels and can serve as a lung. Sturgeon Sturgeon is the common name used for some 26 species of fish in the family.  One of the oldest families of bony fish in existence,  They are distinctive for their elongated bodies, lack of scales.  Several species of sturgeons are harvested for their roe, which is made into caviar—a luxury good.  Most species of sturgeons are currently considered to be at risk of extinction.  Texas Cichlid The Texas cichlid is a freshwater fish of the cichlid family. Also known as Rio Grande cichlid, this species is originated from the lower Rio Grande drainage in Texas and Northeastern Mexico, particular on the sandy bottom of deep rivers. This is the only cichlid species native to the United States. The Texas cichild has a large grayish high-backed body with bright blue scales and two dark spots, one at the center of the body and another and the end of its tail. Adult males have a large hump on their heads. The Texas cichlid is commonly found in the aquarium trade and is relatively popular with cichlid enthusiasts..