Mixed bag

[DEADhead]

gout out for a bit today. temps were wear hovering just below the freezing mark. Flows were sky high due to the record precip in the region this winter. Water was turbid so sight fishing was out of the question. Didn't expect much today on the river, I just needed some fresh air. I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

the catch of the day:

This is the third greater redhorse I've caught in my life, second on the fly. I'm pretty dang fortunate; some people go there whole lives without catching one...

[pumpkinfisher]

NICE!! Those are some great roughies. I have not gone out fishing since ice out. I should have that fixed this weekend or next.

[wildcatcreek]

Nice greater redhorse. I'm yet to even see one. They are endangered around here.

[Paul_Kramer]

Nice fish Deadhead! BTW, how do you ID a greater from a golden or a shorthead? One more question, what patterns would you reccomend for targeting suckers?

[DEADhead]

Nice fish Deadhead! BTW, how do you ID a greater from a golden or a shorthead? One more question, what patterns would you reccomend for targeting suckers?

the dorsal fin on a golden and shorthead are convave (curve inwards), while the dorsal on the greater is convex (curves outwards). Goldens are generally on the smaller side and have 12-13 dorsal fin rays. Shortheads, rivers, and greaters all have the red fins. shortheads have a small mouth; typically it will fit your thumb. Rivers and greaters have a larger "lip" protuberance. the main difference between the two is that rivers have a concave dorsal fin and greaters have the convex fin.

good patterns for redhorse are small heavily weighted nymphs. HEAVY. They need to roll tight to the bottom. Greaters and other redhorse will feed on freshwater mussels, though I have yet to catch one on my darth clam pattern.

[Paul_Kramer]

good patterns for redhorse are small heavily weighted nymphs. HEAVY. They need to roll tight to the bottom. Greaters and other redhorse will feed on freshwater mussels, though I have yet to catch one on my darth clam pattern.

So on a fairly dirty river, would you use a flashier one, maybe with a beadhead, or do they seem to like more natural colors better? Would size 12-14ish be about right? Thanks for the help.

[DEADhead]

I use a lot of dark and muted patterns. I go more for a silhouette and profile in the water, rather than color. Since redhorse are bottom feeders, maybe color isn't even a factor when shoveling food out of the bottom.

[LOTWSvirgin]

Great pics looks like agood day. How you like that net you got?? I have one to there pretty amazing on the size fish you can actually get in there

[DEADhead]

yeah no kidding. for the big fish, I grab the rubber end of the net to support the fish and keep the net from breaking. I don't think the net was designed for fish over 20#.

It has landed some decent sized fish though and has been beat up on the rocks and is still rockin.

[hanson]

Not to Hi-Jack your thread Deadhead but this sort of pertains...

What species you think this one is?

I gotta polish up a little on my sucker & redhorse ID.

[Tyler Holm]

hanson...Silver Redhorse.

[hanson]

hanson...Silver Redhorse.

You know if they are biting at that spot yet Tyler?

[StillwaterAaron]

Silver Redhorse!

The convex Dorsal fin and lack of red in the tails is a good way to remember.

(Sorry I did not see it was answered)

One thing to make it easier is

Red Tail

-Shorthead

-River

-Greater

Orange Tail

-Silver

-Golden

Not Fool Proof but a good guideline.

[crazyice]

Originally Posted By: Tyler Holm

hanson...Silver Redhorse.

You know if they are biting at that spot yet Tyler?

They should be going pretty soon, I would say shortly after sturgeon excursion. I am sure that we will be testing the waters soon.