SOME IMPORTANT BAIT FISHES 



The common shiner is omnivor- 

 ous in its feeding habits. It has 

 been known to eat algae, insects, 

 fish, phxnts, entomostracans, hy- 

 drachnids, protozoans, and des- 

 mids. Stomachs of this species 

 have contained in some instances 

 100 percent insects; in other, 100 

 percent algae and other plants. 



The studies of several workers show 

 that, in general, the food percent- 

 ages are as follows: Insects, 37.2; 

 algae and other plants, 39.9 ; plank- 

 ton, 11.8; fish, 7.1; sand and silt, 

 1.1; and miscellaneous foods, 2.9. 



Importance. — It is used widely 

 as bait for bass and pike, but is 

 one of the less-hardy bait fishes. 



SPOTFIN SHINER Nofrop/s spifopferus 



Also called Blue Minnow. 



LIFE HISTORY 



Description. — Body thin from 

 side to side, deep from top to bot- 

 tom ; dorsal fin with black pigment 

 on one or two membranes between 

 posterior rays ; breeding males often 

 steel blue wdth orange fins and 

 small, pointed tubercles on snout; 

 females and young fish silvery blue 

 in color. 



Range. — The spotfin shiner pre- 

 fers rapid-running streams, but is 

 sometimes found in clear, weedy 

 lakes. It occurs from the eastern 

 part of the Dakotas to New Eng- 

 land, except in Lake Superior and 

 its tributaries, and south in the cen- 

 tral Mississippi basin to the Ten- 

 nessee River drainage of Alabama, 

 and to central Missouri. 



Breeding habits. — The spotfin 

 shiner spawns from May to August 

 on gravelly riffles or over sandy 

 shoals. The adhesive eggs are 

 often laid on logs and dock pilings, 

 in crevices of submerged tree 

 trunks, and even in old pails. 



Food. — The food of this shiner 

 consists mostly of insects. It has 

 been knowni to eat both aquatic and 

 terrestrial insects, small fishes, vege- 

 table matter, small crustaceans, 

 plankton, and carp eggs. Food 

 studies by several workers show 

 that in general, the food percent- 

 ages are as follows: Midge larvae, 

 17.5; mayfly nymphs, 6.2; insects, 

 64.7; and miscellaneous, 11.5. 



Importance. — The spotfin is a 

 good bait species for crappies and 

 pike; it is active, and is hardy on 

 the hook and in the live box. 



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