63 replies to this topic

[Giuga10]

Hey is that a telescopic rod??? I use them all the time... Those are some pretty big creek chub guys thanks for sharing...

 

Haha yeah. Tebco telescopic.

[MacMan23]

I thought it was a small pike when I saw him swim by...  Is that a creek chub or a horney head? 

 

 

I cant tell from the picture its much too small to make out fine details.

[Giuga10]

I cant tell from the picture its much too small to make out fine details.

 

Looks like a Hornyhead from the coloration but ya the pic is much to small to properly ID

[LordMykiss]

i thought horny head is when they are in spawn mode, cause i never caught a single one out side their spring spawning time. almost my biggest one was about 12 inches.

[Drop_Shot]

Caught this one in a local creek, however I've pulled out a few even larger ones further up the same creek near a small dam. To be honest I'm not even sure what type of chub it is, or even if its a fallfish... If someone would like to clarify which it is, please do

 

Either way, they're pretty fun on a 3wt. rod when they're this size!

Bit late on this one... But yes that's a fall fish.. Dark fins, no spot and no horizontal stripe... They can get to 16" or more. 

[Drop_Shot]

Where can you catch Fall fish in the GTA if you can that is??? Never caught one, would like to add it to the "conquered" list.

[Ontario Fish Quest]

i like creek chub too

[MuskieBait]

Caught this one in a local creek, however I've pulled out a few even larger ones further up the same creek near a small dam. To be honest I'm not even sure what type of chub it is, or even if its a fallfish... If someone would like to clarify which it is, please do

 

Either way, they're pretty fun on a 3wt. rod when they're this size!

Madoc, that's a Fallfish and not a Hornyhead Chub. The darker back, silvery side, larger scales, as well as the dark crescents on each scale positively ID it as a Fallfish.

Hornyhead Chub has smaller scales without crescents. Depending on the location, some will have a distinct black stripe on the side, while in some locations the stripe appears golden. Fallfish usually have tail fin tips that ends in a point (or less round), while Hornyhead Chub has rounder tail tips.  Larger individuals, especially males, will have a red/orange dot behind the eye. A Hornyhead Chub the size of your fish will certainly have the red dot behind the eye.

[MuskieBait]

Many minnows will have tubercules (horns) on the head during spawning. Locals species include (but not limited to) Common Shiner, Striped Shiner, Creek Chub, River Chub, Hornyhead Chub and Bluntnose Minnow. Tubercules can also develop on anal fin and the caudal fin.

Dace species such as Pearl Dace and Northern Redbelly Dace generally don't have tubecules, neither do Shiner species such as Emerald Shiner, Silver Shiner, Rosyface Shiner nor Sand Shiner.

Sucker and Redhorse species, as members of Cyprinidae family where Minnow species also belongs, share the tubercules feature. Tubercules on spawning White Sucker and all Redhorse species are especially distinct in the males. Common Carp can also develop tubercules during spawning, but "horns" are more akin to round spots that are limited to the lower fins and never on the head.

[lucario]

nice catch mate 

[finnigan]

Not sure if this is a creek or horny head but I pulled this pig out of a pond one day a few summers ago.

[gavins2]

wow which city is that pond in ? i think it's a chub but i could be wrong

[finnigan]

It's in spring water just past Barrie. Funny thing is, its not technically a pond. There's a creek right beside it, and I'm pretty sure the water in the creek got so high it flooded a small valley beside it and this guy and a handful of sunfish got stuck in there when the water went back down. It's only maybe 20 feet across and probably 12 inches deep. That's if it's even still there. I should go back and check it out.

[GTRamo]

Did you put a worm, or just bare jig to catch it?

[finnigan]

If I remember correctly it was just an orange fire hook with a rubber bead and a couple pieces of corn. I find chub are savages and hammer anything that hits the water.

[MuskieBait]

Not sure if this is a creek or horny head but I pulled this pig out of a pond one day a few summers ago.

That's a Creek Chub. The back spot on the dorsal fin is a clear indication of Creek Chub. Hornyhead Chub does not have this spot on its dorsal fin.

Male Creek Chub and Male Hornyhead Chub will BOTH develop horns on their heads. In fact, as I said above, male individuals of most minnow species will develop horn on their heads during spawning season. Thus, the presence of horns does not immediately indicate the fish to be a Hornyhead Chub.

[Cool]

I wondered what I was catching in the Durham 'burbs.  I thought Fallfish were Creek chubs, but I stand corrected. 

I referenced some of my old pictures and they all seem to back the black spot on the dorsal fin.

 

You can reference Fallfish and Creek chubs on Wikipedia.  They are both from the same genus: Semotilus

 

They put up a surprisingly good fight, especially with lightweight telescopic rods (which I always use - perfect for stream/creek and pond fishing).

[MuskieBait]

Since there is so much mis-identification and claims of trophy Creek Chub catches, I decided to post these pictures here with a few simple ID keys. Mis-identification is a pet peeve of mine.

Dace - Tiny to small scales

Finescale Dace - tiny scales, lower and upper jaw almost equal in length, single solid black line from tip of snout to tail, with an iridescent copper to red strip above the red stripe. Usually found in slower current and marshy areas.

 

 

 

Northern Redbelly Dace - tiny scales, lower and upper jaw almost equal in length, two black stripes on side, the upper stripe usually broken close to the tail, the lower stripe from tip of snout to tail, a golden stripe in between the two black stripes, spawning males can develop red belly, usually found in slow to still water especially in ponds and marshes

 

 

Blacknose Dace - Tiny scales, upper jaw slightly longer than lower jaw, black speckled scattered throughout the body, dark stripe from tip of snout to tail, spawning male may develop a strong red stripe, usually found in moderate to swift current especially over sand, pebble and cobble.

 

Spawning male

 

 

Gravid female

 

 

Longnose Dave - Tiny scales, upper jaw significantly longer than lower jaw, long snout, black speckled scattered throughout the body, mottled blotchy dark patterns, spawning males may develop red around belly area, black stripe from tip of snout to tail, usually found over swift current especially over pebble and cobble.

 

 

Redside Dace - Small scales, upper jaw slightly shorter than lower jaw, long jaw extending to the middle of the eye, smaller speckled black spots scattered, scattered matted scales giving an appearance of scale loss, green back with faint red strip from behind the gill to mid body, often intensifying in spawning individuals, usually found in swift current close to the water surface feeding on prey on or above water surface.

 

 

 

Chub - larger head and mouth but comparatively smaller eye, rounded pelvic fins, spawning males develop tubercules (horns) on head used for fighting

 

Creek Chub - small scales, black stripe from tip of snout to tail, spot on dorsal fin, spot on caudal fin but this spot may be absent in larger individuals, very thin dark scale edges on scales where the lateral black stripe is found, juveniles, females and non-spawning males have a golden strip above the black stripe, large broad head with large mouth, more often found in slow current to still water, but can also be found over moderately swift current, especially juvenile individuals that hide among rocks.

 

Gravid female

 

 

Spawning male

 

 

 

River Chub - medium scales with pearly centers, thin dark edges on scales, faint to moderate dusky stripe from tip of snout to tail, small mouth with slight overhanging upper jaw, often red or orange eye, males develop strong tubercules, often a golden appearance on back, closely resembles Creek Chub but lacks black spot on dorsal fin, found in moderately swift to slow current over cobble to sand.

 

 

 

Hornyhead Chub - medium scales with strong black edges, faint to moderate dusky stripe from tip of snout to tail, small mouth with moderate overhanging upper jaw, males develop a red spot behind the eye that is always present, despite the name, male only develop small tubercules compared to Creek Chub and River Chub, found in moderately swift to slow current over cobble to sand.

[MuskieBait]

Fallfish - medium scales with strong black crescent on the inside of scale, no black edge on scales, scales are chrome but spawning individuals may develop a purple golden iridescence, mouth small and upper jaw slightly overhanging, head rounded but smaller compared to Creek Chub, dorsal fin and caudal fin often dusky.

 

 

Shiner - large scales (for these species discussed here)

 

Striped Shiner - large scales that are taller than wide, uniform scale pattern with dusky crescent on the inside of scale, faint dusky stripe on back forming V patterns behind the dorsal fin, scales on back between the head to dorsal fin are similar in size to scales on the side and evenly spaced, males develop tubercules, may be found in moderate current to still water.

 

 

 

Common Shiner - large scales that are taller than wide, matted scale scattered on the side to give an appearance of scale loss, dusky crescent on the inside of scale, no faint dusky stripe on back forming V patterns behind the dorsal fin, scales on back between the head to dorsal fin are much smaller than scales on the side and tightly packed, males develop tubercules, pink belly and red or orange fins, found in moderate current to still water.

 

 

 

Spotfin Shiner - large scales that are taller than wide, silver side, golden lateral stripe, two long dusky spot on the back of dorsal fin, found in slower current.

 

 

 

Bluntnose Minnow - large scales on side but smaller scales on back, scales with thin black edges giving a cross hatch pattern, strong black stripe from tip of snout to tail, small blunt head, mouth subterminal and upper jaw overhangs lower jaw, black marking above and below each lateral line scale giving an equal sign appearance, males develop large blunt head with strong tubercules, larger dorsal fin with black spot and dark colour.

 

Gravid female

 

[Alfiegee]

That all looks like a lot of fine bait for Cats, Bass, Pike etc MuskieBait. Laughs.

Alfie.