Minnows

[Keiran Beam]

I know there are many species of minnows. I have figured out what kinds of species of minnows thrive in the lakes in my state, New Hampshire. I assume the bass in these lakes feed primarily on these minnows. The most common minnow in the lake I fish is the creek chub. I cant seem to find behaviors on these minnows but I have read one thing saying they hang around the shoreline. There is a brook that does feed into the lake. Will this area where the brook meets the lake be a good spot to produce bass? Give me some feedback on bass that feed on minnows

 

[everythingthatswims]

Bass who feed on minnows will be more likely to be a shallow ambush predator rather than a pelagic predator, since the schools formed by minnows (especially creek chubs) are much smaller than shad or herring schools, and minnows relate to cover for protection whereas shad do not. Same goes for bass who feed on members of the sunfish family. 

  I would just follow the shoreline and work cover since that is the easiest thing to do (feeder creeks are always a good spot too). Very rarely will you find NO bass on cover, even if it is a shad lake when most of the fish are in open water chasing bait. I'

[Crestliner2008]

I feel your pain. Here in MA, we have a population of rainbow smelt in the Quabbin Reservoir. I jumped through hoops searching the net on habits of this forage base. Finally got a "somewhat" answer to my questions, but it was a very difficult process. Good luck on your search.

[Paul Roberts]

Yes, there are lots of species of minnows. And they each have diff habits, so you can't generalize. If they all had the same habits in the same water ... there wouldn't be as many species. Don't try to guess what your bass are eating. Most bass won't ever see the vast majority of minnow species in NH. Creek chubs are rarely a main bass forage species in lakes, as they are mostly a stream species. There is the lake chub: http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/Fish_species/fish_conservation_profiles/lake_chub.php Maybe this is what you've seen? Bluegill, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, and golden shiners are the most likely species sharing largemouth habitat in your neck of the woods.

 

Again, don't guess as to what your bass are eating. Contact your fisheries folks about your lake and the forage there. Find the website and email them. Most state fisheries folks are darn helpful, and in position to know stuff worth knowing. Then start researching habits and try to make observations on your waters.

 

That said, you don't need to start knowing the forage base before you start casting. Keep fishing, and fill in the gaps as you go.

 

Crestliner, smelt are a coldwater species and are known to live very deep -usually below the thermocline. They like water colder than most trout even. They are light sensitive so during the day they drop even deeper. Even deep smallies are unlikely to meet up with the shallowest smelt. Smelt are mighty fast too, and at temperatures when bass are sluggish. Even the smelt spawning run is less than likely the two would meet, since smelt spawn at night and hightail it lakeside before the sun comes up during a cold time of year. Maybe dying smelt during the spawn around spawning trib mouths might be the bet bet. Curious, have you found bass feeding on smelt? I've wondered myself on NYs Fingerlakes and Lake O.

[Dwight Hottle]

I feel your pain. Here in MA, we have a population of rainbow smelt in the Quabbin Reservoir. I jumped through hoops searching the net on habits of this forage base. Finally got a "somewhat" answer to my questions, but it was a very difficult process. Good luck on your search.[/quote

On the Great Lakes those rainbow smelts spawn in the spring after ice out in streams, rivers. & creeks. They go to flowing water. The gobies go shallow in the spring to spawn. It's a smorgasbord for the smallies. The only killer is when Lake Erie turns over in the spring from strong NE winds dropping the water temps and killing the smelt. There is a wind driven flow of dead smelt/dieing smelt everywhere. That usually kills the bite unless you can match the hatch but it is a tough bite.

[Paul Roberts]

I feel your pain. Here in MA, we have a population of rainbow smelt in the Quabbin Reservoir. I jumped through hoops searching the net on habits of this forage base. Finally got a "somewhat" answer to my questions, but it was a very difficult process. Good luck on your search.[/quote

On the Great Lakes those rainbow smelts spawn in the spring after ice out in streams, rivers. & creeks. They go to flowing water. The gobies go shallow in the spring to spawn. It's a smorgasbord for the smallies. The only killer is when Lake Erie turns over in the spring from strong NE winds dropping the water temps and killing the smelt. There is a wind driven flow of dead smelt/dieing smelt everywhere. That usually kills the bite unless you can match the hatch but it is a tough bite.

Dwight, are the smallies on the spawning smelt in spring in general? Or just during die-offs? How about other times of year?

[Dwight Hottle]

Dwight, are the smallies on the spawning smelt in spring in general? Or just during die-offs? How about other times of year?

 

The smallies eat smelt all year I believe. They chase them deep during summer. Prespawn smallies are chasing them in the spring shallow in front of creek mouth areas. When there is a smelt die off the smallies are eating the dieing  smelt as they struggle on the surface from cold east winds. They also are feasting on the shallow gobies.  

[Paul Roberts]

Thanks Dwight. I was aware of Finger Lakes' smallies chasing alewife above the thermocline, but always expected smelt to be too deep. I did once catch a pickeral off a downrigger 80ft down in one FL though. That was a surprise.

[ChrisWi]

The smallies eat smelt all year I believe. They chase them deep during summer. Prespawn smallies are chasing them in the spring shallow in front of creek mouth areas. When there is a smelt die off the smallies are eating the dieing smelt as they struggle on the surface from cold east winds. They also are feasting on the shallow gobies.

don't forget the alewife kill offs! Time to get out the jerkbait!