Weird Fish

Anglers always appreciate catching new species. These eight saltwater and freshwater fish might get a second look when you reel them in. Fish mount photography by King Sailfish Release Mounts.

The lancetfish literally looks like a sea monster, with a long, slender body, large eyes and a big mouth with sharp fangs. The lancetfish can grow up to 6 feet long and is often caught as bycatch by longline vessels. The body is slender with a very high, sail-like dorsal fin. They mainly inhabit tropical and subtropical waters where they feed on crustaceans, cephalopods and small fish. Lancetfish mount by King Sailfish.

Perhaps the largest freshwater fish in the world, the Arapaima can reach up to 8 feet and 200-plus pounds. The species inhabits rivers in the Amazon basin of South America. It is considered one of the toughest species to catch on fly. The long torpedo-shaped body is streamlined with dorsal and anal fins near the tail. Like tarpon, it can breathe air and has been known to eat small land animals next to shore. Adult males protect their young by carrying them in their mouth. Arapaima fish mount by King Sailfish.

While it resembles half of a fish, the Mola Mola is the largest bony fish in the world, growing to 2,200 pounds. The oddly shaped body has a tall dorsal and anal fin which it flaps from side to side to swim. Instead of a typical tail it has a rudder-like structure called a 'clavus.' Adults eat mostly jellyfish and crustaceans. They often swim close the surface and trick anglers who are looking for billfish, but don't ever snag one of these and expect to reel it in! Mola Mola fish mount by King Sailfish.

Found worldwide in tropical to temperate waters, the opah is one of the most unique, colorful fish in the ocean. It has a round shape with a steely blue to reddish back shading into an iridescent belly with silvery spots and rosy, red fins. The opah feeds on mid-water fish and squid. Rarely caught by anglers, they are prized for their colors, sashimi and also make a great mount. Opah fish mount by King Sailfish.

Native to the Indo-Pacific region, the lionfish is steadily expanding its range, wreaking havoc on any reef it inhabits. With few natural predators, a voracious appetite and the ability to reproduce prolifically, they are now found throughout the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coast from Florida to North Carolina in waters up to 500 feet deep. They are also good to eat, but avoid the venomous fin rays. If you see one, kill it and order a mount. Lionfish mount by King Sailfish.

Enter another invasive species that has found fertile ground to cause problems in the United States. The various species of snakehead vary in size from 10 inches to 3-plus feet. They can live out of water for up to four days and travel a quarter of a mile over land. They have few natural enemies in non-native habitats and can do serious ecological damage. Snakehead fish mount by King Sailfish.

The largest of the gars, they are one of the largest freshwater fish known and can grow to more than 8 feet and weigh more than 250 pounds. The bodies are torpedo shaped with a broad snout loaded with dual row of large sharp teeth. They can breathe air and are voracious ambush predators, mostly feeding at night. Alligator gar mount by King Sailfish.

The hogfish is known for its elongated snout and teeth. It's a wrasse and is called a hogfish because of the pig-like snout and the way it commonly roots around in the reef like a pig. The dorsal is composed of several long dorsal spines and several shorter ones. Not easy to catch on hook and line, the hogfish is a sought-after target for spearfishermen. Their bright colors and unique shape make a great fish mount. Hogfish mount by King Sailfish.

The teardrop-shaped smooth puffer is greenish-gray above and white below. The mouth is very small with heavy, powerful jaws that the smooth puffer uses for grazing and capturing small species such as squid. The species typically lives in inshore, brackish waterways but can be found in depths up to 300 feet. Smooth puffer fish mount by King Sailfish.