Fishes
These are some common fishes, by no means all of them.
Bluegill Sunfish
There is scarcely a body of water in the state that does not have Bluegills in it. Bluegills get to a foot long, but are seldom seen at that size.
All sunfishes are aggressive and territorial. Their belligerence is heightened in the confines of an aquarium, where you may start out with several small ones, but you will end up with just one big one. A sunfish will tear a fish-store cichlid to pieces. They adapt readily to regular fish food, but lose most of the attractive wild colors.
-- Wikipedia
More: Sunfish & Crappie ...
Golden Shiner
There are many different types of minnows in North America, but the one you are most likely to encounter kayaking is the Golden Shiner, and there is a good reason for this: If you are out after dark and you have a light, they will jump at it and can end up in the boat.
More: Minnows & Carp ...
Freshwater Basses
Note how the mouth of the Largemouth extends under the eye, while that of the Smallmouth stops short of it. A lot of fishermen seem to think everything they catch is a Largemouth.
More: Bass & Perch ...
Kayaking is an outdoor activity. Yes, kids, you'll have to put down your game controllers and go outside. Out there is what us older folks call nature. Nature can actually be quite beautiful and interesting, and you don't have to worry about your screen resolution and refresh rate - both are infinity. So here is a short list of flora and fauna ( plants and animals ) that you might see in freshwater environments:
More: Wildlife ...