How to identify signs of fish in streams - Quiz
  • 1. What is the most direct sign of fish presence in a stream?
A) Smelling algae
B) Finding crayfish
C) Hearing frogs
D) Seeing fish
  • 2. What is 'fish flashing' an indicator of?
A) Fish trying to dislodge parasites
B) Fish signaling to each other
C) Fish getting ready to spawn
D) Fish playing
  • 3. What does a sudden disturbance or ripple on the water surface, without an obvious cause, potentially indicate?
A) Submerged rock
B) Fish movement
C) Wind gust
D) Falling leaf
  • 4. What is a redd?
A) A spawning nest
B) A deep pool of water
C) A type of algae
D) A large rock in the stream
  • 5. What sediment composition is typical for a fish redd?
A) Clean gravel
B) Fine silt
C) Organic muck
D) Large boulders
  • 6. What might an abundance of aquatic insects suggest?
A) Pollution
B) A healthy food source for fish
C) Low oxygen levels
D) A lack of fish
  • 7. What physical characteristic of a stream is often preferred by fish?
A) Cover such as overhanging vegetation or rocks
B) A straight, unobstructed channel
C) A shallow, slow-moving current
D) Completely open and sunlit areas
  • 8. Which of the following is *least* likely to indicate the presence of fish?
A) Footprints near the stream bank
B) Bird activity around the stream
C) An oily sheen on the water's surface
D) Fecal matter near the edge of the stream
  • 9. What is a likely reason for observing fish congregating near a stream inlet?
A) Lack of predators
B) Lower water temperature
C) Increased pollution
D) Higher oxygen levels
  • 10. What can the presence of fish scales on rocks indicate?
A) Predator activity
B) Natural shedding
C) Spawning behavior
D) Fish molting
  • 11. What do fish need in a stream to survive and thrive?
A) Warm water, sunlight, fast currents
B) Clean water, food, shelter
C) Polluted water, no shelter, slow currents
D) Muddy water, no food, open space
  • 12. What does the presence of many different sizes of fish in a stream indicate?
A) Overcrowding
B) Successful reproduction and growth
C) High pollution levels
D) Lack of food
  • 13. What time of day are fish most likely to be actively feeding and thus more visible?
A) Dawn and dusk
B) Midday
C) Anytime equally
D) Midnight
  • 14. What does increased turbidity in the stream water potentially indicate?
A) Clear and healthy water
B) Too many plants
C) Lack of oxygen
D) Disturbance of the stream bed, possibly by fish
  • 15. What bird species' presence might suggest fish are present in the stream?
A) Robin
B) Kingfisher
C) Crow
D) Sparrow
  • 16. What behavior is typical of predatory fish?
A) Holding in ambush
B) Swimming in schools
C) Grazing on algae
D) Burying in the sand
  • 17. What is a 'run' in stream terminology?
A) A dry section
B) A deep pool
C) A calm area
D) A fast-flowing section of the stream
  • 18. What is the significance of 'spawning coloration' in fish?
A) Indicates camouflage
B) Indicates they are ready to reproduce
C) Indicates age
D) Indicates sickness
  • 19. Which of these stream features offers the least habitat to fish?
A) A riffle with cobbles
B) A concrete-lined channel
C) An undercut bank with roots
D) A pool with submerged logs
  • 20. What can tell-tale signs of human fishing activity suggest?
A) Fish are present
B) Water is polluted
C) Birds are feeding
D) Fish are absent
  • 21. What are 'fry'?
A) Baby fish
B) Adult fish
C) Type of insect
D) Stream algae
  • 22. What do deep pools generally provide for fish?
A) Reduced oxygen levels
B) Fast-flowing currents for feeding
C) Refuge from predators and temperature extremes
D) Optimal spawning grounds
  • 23. What type of stream bank is most likely to be stable and provide good fish habitat?
A) Concrete bank
B) Bank with established vegetation
C) Bank with bare soil
D) Steep, eroding bank
  • 24. Which factor is MOST important for fish survival?
A) Water Temperature
B) Stream Velocity
C) Sunlight Levels
D) Dissolved Oxygen
  • 25. Why is complex in-stream habitat important for fish?
A) Makes it harder for researchers to study
B) Increases pollution
C) Reduces stream flow
D) Provides cover and feeding opportunities
  • 26. What does the presence of damselflies indicate in a stream?
A) Good water quality
B) Pollution
C) Low oxygen levels
D) High fish population
  • 27. What is a 'riffle'?
A) A stagnant pool
B) A shallow, fast-flowing area with turbulent water
C) A deep, slow-moving area
D) A dry streambed
  • 28. Which material provides the worst spawning substrate?
A) Pebbles
B) Silt
C) Cobble
D) Gravel
  • 29. Which indicates recent spawning in a stream?
A) Leaves in the pools
B) Algae covered rocks.
C) Dry stream banks.
D) Freshly disturbed gravel beds.
  • 30. What is the role of riparian vegetation for fish?
A) Releases toxins into the stream
B) Provides shade and stabilizes banks
C) Reduces oxygen levels
D) Increases water temperature
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