Colored Up Shiners

[Dave_W]

In the late spring and summer it's common to catch a bunch of common shiners when targeting riffles. They can be a real nuisance.

The males color up for the spawn and develop the head bumps and bright red fins. I think they're beautiful fish. A streamer this time of year incorporating some gold and silver flash along with some red would make a good imitation of a spawning shiner.

 

[Baron]

T

 

[Baron]

Beautiful Dave, This was my screen saver for months. Taken with an iPhone 7 and edited to this size. Scales on a large shiner from Gouldsboro. Though you might understand:

 

[Baron]

Why do they get bumps?

 

[Dave_W]

Baron wrote:
Why do they get bumps?

Beats me.

These are called tubercles and they show up on the heads of male spawning shiners and some other fish species. It's related to the act of spawning and may have something to do with courtship or dominance(?).

 

[Swattie87]

Speaking of the spawning habits of minnow species, has anyone else ever found their spawning mounds (usually of the bigger Fallfish) a convenient place to stand in otherwise deeper water while fishing to rising Trout? I’ve done this on Penns for instance.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Yes! They look strange. I sas a bunch on Tunckhannock Creek.

 

[wgmiller]

I was catching these a month or so ago in the South Branch Codorus Creek. Very vibrant colors!

 

[Baron]

Strange beauty

 

[dc410]

Gotta love them natives!