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For anyone wondering how I catch these monsters, I don't use a net or a minnow trap - that's cheating. All these fish were caught on hook and line. The hooks I use for the smallest species are shown here, beside a #10 that most of you should be able to relate to. The J hook is a size 26. I may have some size 28 left too, but they're harder to find. The weird one is a tanago hook (named after a tiny Japanese fish) and has no number. It's made by Owner and is simply called Smallest and it comes snelled on 1 lb test line. I use either my regular UL rod, or an UL ice fishing rod for these beasts, and it's mostly a sight-fishing experience, dropping the hook straight down wherever you see a fish. Needless to say, it's not easy to do on breezy days, or in a river with any decent current, but it is what it is. If you happen to see some fool stooped over while wading in a creek carrying an ice fishing rod in the middle of summer, stop by and say hi.
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Time for a few new additions, plus I've added the Latin name for all species. First up is a river chub (Nocomis micropogon). These can be distinguished from a creek chub by not having a dark spot at the base of the dorsal fin. They are most similar with hornyhead chubs, but lack a dark spot at the base of the tail and also lack the orange spot behind the eye. Spawning males look quite different, but I still haven't caught one.
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Striped shiner (Luxilus chrysocephalus). The largest Ontario shiner species. Most similar to the common shiner, but there is more dark pigment on the chin and, when visible, the striped shiner has stripes on the back that converge behind the dorsal fin. The common shiner has smaller, crowded scales between the back of the head and the dorsal fin, the striped shiner had evenly sized scales.
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Blackchin shiner (Notropis heterodon). This is very similar to the blacknose, pugnose and bridle shiners, as well as juveniles from several other species. Distinguishing characteristics are a dark stripe that extends onto the chin (unlike blacknose shiners that have a pale chin), darkly outlined large scales and a zig-zag pattern to the stripe.
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Blackstripe topminnow (Fundulus notatus). Only minnow in Ontario with a dark stripe and a rounded tail. This species also has one of the most restricted distributions of any freshwater fish in Canada, only being found in one river and it's tributaries.
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Longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae). Very similar to the blacknose dace with the obvious difference being the snout of the longnose dace greatly overhangs the mouth. Longnose dace are night feeders and hide during the day. This one was pulled out from under a rock. I've never had a problem catching blacknose dace in open water during the day.
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Greenside darter (Etheostoma blennioides). Pretty self-explanatory when you see a spawning male like this. When not spawning, they have V-shape markings on the sides that no other darter species has.
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Johnny darter (Etheostoma nigrum). Probably the most widely distributed darter in Ontario, and one of only 2 with the W,M & X marking patterns. Very tough to tell apart from the tesellated darter which has a much more limited range in the province. Tessellated darters have a slightly pointier snout and more dorsal fin rays.
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Fantail darter (Etheostoma flabellare). Only Ontario darter that has a lower jaw that is even or extends past the upper jaw. The spiny dorsal fin is short and, in spawning males, develops fleshy knobs on the end of each spine as in my example.
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Great topic and thanks for all the info when ever I trap some minnows I m happy to see golden shiners when ever I catch some great for brookies lake trout and walleye..
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Banded killifish (Fundulus diaphanus). Only Ontario minnow with vertical bars and a square tail. Females, as pictured, have fewer bars spaced further apart. Closely related to the blackstripe topminnow featured earlier.
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Thoroughly enjoyed this thread Fossil Fish, even more impressed by the fact you caught all of these baitfish without the use of a trap! Well done, great documentation.
Fishing Northern Lakes
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Baitfish Species
