Rosie Red Minnows

[Minnetonka]

I was a former fisheries Biologist in another life. One of my friends was asking me about what he referred to as "Rosie Red Minnows". From the description it sounds like regular fat-heads that have been somehow dyed red, or gold, like gold-fish. I have not seen these in bait shops but I was informed that they are a hot bait. I was asked how they get these fish colored. My best guess is a food color type dye, or a food that has a dye in it. Does anyone have any information on "Rosie Red Minnows"?

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"I'd rather be fishing"

Mike Mason

[Guest]

They are sometimes called an albino fathead, they are a fathead, but look more like a goldfish. I have used them up here on Rainy River and LOW, mixed results, somedays they worked good and somedays not.

[fisherman]

I'm not sure if Rosie Reds and Rubie Reds are the same thing, anyways I saw them at Holiday by Mille Lacs and then I saw a sign at a bait store in Deer river that said, "Rubie reds are not legal in Minnesota at this time." Something to look into I'll see what I can find out and then post what I find.

Good fishin'

[Fisher Dave]

I dont believe they are dye'd to color. I saw these at Wal Mart for the 1st time in Minnesota a couple weeks ago in the aquarium section for use as feeder fish.

I was at Frankies recently and they had * Rosie Reds * mixed in with the crappie minnows and fat heads. I have used these before in PA on several occasions with very limited success ... I would actually say they were worthless .. but I did have a good outing or two using them .. they do work on occasion, but for lack of a better term, I will never * Depend * on them.

[This message has been edited by Fisher Dave (edited 01-27-2003).]

[protrapper]

these minnows are not dyed or anything thats how they are, there natural and there very hard to come by. they work great and they are legal.

[irvingdog]

"Rosie Red" is a question of dialect. The term is commonly used for an aquarium fish (a type of dace minnow) used in the aquarium trade as a feeder minnow, and is also a type of fathead (I think a lighter color-phase) that is legal for a baitfish. At least as far as I've seen............

[Minnetonka]

After some internet research, I found the following link on Rosy red minnows.

http://userpages.umbc.edu/~rrhudy1/rosies.htm

It seems that Rosy red minnows are a mutant color phase of fat head minnows and are naturally occurring. A fish dealer in Arkansas developed these fat head mutants back in the 70's. If you follow the link on the web site mentioned above you will see the history. As Rosy reds are bred together to produce off-spring, they are being sold as "feeder-fish" in the aquarium business as well as in the bait business.

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"I'd rather be fishing"

Mike

[herb]

These red minnows are a very popular bait in S.E. Ia. and in parts of Wisc. They are raised in ponds in both areas also. My local baitshop sells them on a regular basis when they can get out to the ponds to trap them.
Funny thing though, our warden says they are ok to sell and use, but if you go to another part of the state, they will ticket you I hear.

[juddfish]

I was givin some rosy reds at a bait store to try and the crappies absolutely went nuts! I tried one out walleye fishing one evening and never had a bite on it. I think I will use them more for crappies!

[Guest]

We found Ruby Reds in our bait bucket on our recent trip to LOW. The sleeper house guide told us that some guys from "down south" brought them up and left them behind.
Those minnows caught lots of walleye, sauger and perch. Including a 28.5" eye on a bare gold hook

[City_Slicker]

Yeah I have seen those rosey reds sold as bait at bait shop. I didnt relize they where legal. YOu can get roseys at Petsmart or petco they are usally right next to the feeder goldfish.

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City boys can fish too

[irvingdog]

City slicker
I think that is the kind that is illegal. "Rosy red" is a generic term, used for a few different types of fish. Introducing exotics to a body of water is a big fine, as well as bad mojo.

[jr712]

Minnetonka "Mike" is correct in his post regarding the orgin of the mutated fathead minnow refered to as rosie reds. I am not sure what all aquarium places are selling as rosie reds but ones I have seen, weren't fatheads. The times I have seen them in baitshops they were fatheads.

They (fatheads) are legal to use in Iowa. I have used them for crappie and walleye thinking they would work better in stained water. Side by side with regular fatheads I found no preference in stained water but did in clear water. With crappies on about 50% of the days. With walleyes, a preference maybe only 10%. The rest of the time there was no preference for either. However, at night, the regular fathead seemed to be preferred on occasion for both species.

[This message has been edited by jr712 (edited 01-29-2003).]

[Guest]

I used rosie reds once this season back in December. We purchased them in a bait shop in Baudette right where Hwy 11 meets Hwy 72. Most were pretty scrawny and didn't live long once being hooked. The nuisance perch on URL would come up six feet to nab them but the crappies there much preferred the emerald shiners (as did the catch and release walleyes.) The ones we got didn't resemble fatheads much at all. So I think there might be more than one variety being offered for sale out there. One thing is certain-they look like a lackluster goldfish if you ask me. Since I only used them one time and in only one lake, I can't really say how they would work over a wide range of water conditions. As far as enforcement of the "no goldfish" law, it sounds like the individual conservation officer could make a discretion call depending on how they appeared to him if you got checked and had some in your minnow bucket. Any reputable bait dealer who sells them has to be on the level don't you think? I'd probably be a little leery if I had purchased them at a five and dime in the pet department though.........T

[Mr. B]

We used those Rosie Reds during the Jaycees Tourney in Brainerd, they did not help me win the truck, but that night all the walleyes we caught were caught on Rosie Reds. We tried every thing that night shiners, rainbows even sucker minnows and the walleyes would only hit the Rosie Reds. They looked like pink fatheads to me and we bought them at a local bait shop.

[Fish On]

you can get rosie reds at almost any pet shop that deals with fish for about 10 bucks for 100 never used them for fishing but fed them to my pet pike when he was a we-lad(3to 3 1/2 inches)

[wallygator]

rosie reds can be purchased at almost all the bait stores in northern mn , they are very popular on red lake and work well for crappies they are leagal most stores are selling them for 2 to 4 dollars per scoop,if your heading out dont be afraid to try them , they sometimes work very well and somtimes not so well like everything them darn fish , have to be all picky and stull lol , have a rippin lips fishing trip

[berfish]

I got some rosy reds and put them in my minnow aquarium after i was done fishing and they turned my water and other minnows light orange. I think that there might be some artificial coloring doing the trick. I have heard that before anyway. The ones I got looked just like crappie minnows. They did't seem to work any better either.
bf