Most of them are eager to show off their knowledge, and may even want to swap some specimens with you. A local college or university can prove to be quite a blessing since they usually have many trained biologists on the staff. Remember that these people have a fairly rigid schedule to maintain and may not be able to help you at your convenience. Most of them are very willing to help if a schedule can be arranged. They may want you to supply several dead specimens for proper identification.
Some people are a little hesitant to kill an otherwise healthy fish just for identification.
Still another way to have your specimens identified is to make friends with the local game warden. Many of them are fisheries biologists and are quite knowledgeable when it comes to native fishes. Again, a scheduling problem may present itself, especially during hunting or heavy-fishing season. If all else fails, you can always learn to use a scientific key. Libraries at colleges and universities will have these books available, and anyone who has taken a course in ichthyology can show you how to use one.