Fatheads....truth or myth?

[eyepatrol]

I was told many years ago that it's better to use the female fatheads and not the male ones because the nubs on the male's nose gives off a scent that fish don't like.

Now, with that being said, I'm not a minnow sex expert or biologist or anything, but I have noticed in my years of fishing that I've had better success with the female fatheads rather than males.

Is this truth or myth?

Thanks.

[jeff127]

In my experience it would have to be a myth. Negative fish...maybe but aggressive feeding walleyes I would have to say no chance. It may have to do more with size or color difference of the male/female. I have never found any noticable differences in catch rates between M/F fatheads but shiner vs fatheads can be the diffence between fish and no fish.

jeff

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I like to use the big black fatheads (females?). I dont know if they really do much to increase the catch rate though. Ive never heard that about the scent from the males.

[LocalGuide]

The big black fatheads are the Male minnow. The Pale or more silver looking fathead is the Female.

I have also heard of this too.

Maybe this could be true on very negative eyes. But if a walleye wants to eat and is aggressive I don't think it makes a difference.

[MrSenarighi]

I have a superstition about this and only use females. My friend laughs at me and gives me s$%* about it all the time but I catch more fish than him. I really think it has more to due with the difference in color/irredecence the females have that the males do not. They are noticeably brighter and on average smaller which I think really makes a difference on negative or light bite days.

[Rip_Some_Lip]

I dont know if it is the scent or not, but I definitely have better luck with the female fatheads! I watched my buddy do this and got outfished for a long time before I smartened up and followed his lead.

[PerchJerker]

Truth. It doesn't mean you won't catch fish on the males with big black heads, but any other fathead minnow is way better than a male fathead with a big black head.

[MuleSkinner]

Suppose the males smell like chicken?

(In case my momma reads this).

[walleyefanatic]

My grandfather told me many moons ago that walleyes like the female minnows better. He said it had to do with the way they wiggle. I didn't get it when I was 6 but my father loved the explanation.

[mark n]

I was told waldoes prefer the females because they smell like fish, but taste like chicken

[eyepatrol]

Well, whatever the case may be, I've always had better success using the females. In spring they typically have eggs in them and I've always wondered if that's got anything to do with it, but it's probably a combination of things, including the more silver flash a female has.

[river runt]

I have heard this also ,the guy who told me this said he would ask the bait store guy to pick out the males . I havent notest any difrents but if it's slow I will use a female . I have better luck with shiners.

[korn_fish]

Don't know if it is the same thing, but big male creek chubs get the same thing in the spring when they are on the spawning runs. Someone told me once that a fathead was just a baby chub, don't know if it is true or not. But the horned male chubs are a definite "do not use" for those of us going after big flathead catfish. I have kept two bait tanks with males in one and females in the other (same number in each). Definitely could smell the diference after a day when smelling the water.

Again, don't know if the same relates to fatheads, but I would have to assume it does.