Sorry for the delay in this second edition of the northern bait fish study. Things have gotten a little hectic around the Smith house hold. That being, said here ya go, number two.

If you have ever bought live bait in the Midwest, chances are you have had the opportunity to purchase some "Fat Heads".  They are a favorite bait for anglers chasing Perch and Walleyes in many parts of the country especially in the winter. A little known fact is that a strain of the fat head known as the "Rosy-red Minnow is commonly sold as a feeder fish in US pet stores. I guess domestic fish like to eat fatheads as much as wild fish. Many Fatheads found in bait shops are captured from wild populations.



 
This minnow's range extends throughout much of North America, from central Canada south along the eastern side of 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.

The fathead is quite tolerant of turbid, low-oxygenated water, and can be found in muddy ponds and streams that might otherwise be inhospitable to other species of fish. It can also be found in small rivers and streams.

It can grow to a length of about 4" with a one year old fish ranging from .5" to 3 " depending on growing conditions. The fathead minnow in its wild form is generally dull olive-gray in appearance, with a dusky stripe extending along the back and side, and a lighter belly. There is a dusky blotch midway on the dorsal fin. Breeding males acquire a large, gray fleshy growth on the nape (between the head and dorsal fin), as well as approximately 16 white breeding tubercles on the snout. They can become almost black in color. The females will remain somewhat drab in color.



Often found in large schools around submerged structure, they spawn from early May through August when water temperatures reach 60-65 degrees. The adhesive eggs are deposited on the under surface of floating objects such as wood and aquatic plants, and the male guards them. The eggs hatch in 5 to 6 days. Both males and females die within a month or two of spawning although they may spawn multiple times prior to that.

Click here for a PDF document that has a good description and more pictures of this common bait fish.

So what does this mean for the average angler? Well if you use live bait you should give these little guys a try. Pond managers will all tell you that these guys are quickly eliminated from any pond that has Largemouth in it. The spawning habits puts these guys in the cover commonly inhabited by bass in many of our northern lakes. From a color perspective, the dark stripe running down the minnows side is a common characteristic we will see in several other species in this series. If you are using artificial baits anything in the 3-4" range with a dark lateral line fished around floating cover could likely trigger a response from predatory fish. Check with your local fisheries managers and see if your favorite lake has fatheads in it.

Next week we will look at the shiner family.