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What is the Best resource for native minnows


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#1 cornandcrawlers

cornandcrawlers
  • NANFA Member
  • northeast iowa

Posted 02 August 2022 - 12:36 PM

Ive noticed tons of helpful book for identifying all the catfish and sunfish species, hell even good resources on little darters. But when it comes to minnows I can never tell what I have caught and many of my books have no pictures or just black and white photos of minnows that arent helpful.

Anyone here have a minnow resource that they recommend?

#2 itsme

itsme
  • NANFA Member

Posted 02 August 2022 - 01:01 PM

What state are you looking at?

#3 cornandcrawlers

cornandcrawlers
  • NANFA Member
  • northeast iowa

Posted 02 August 2022 - 05:21 PM

What state are you looking at?

Iowa



#4 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 21 August 2022 - 03:59 PM

Minnows can be problematic for me no matter what guide I'm using. So many of the differences are so subtle. A guide specific to your location obviously helps (don't know if Iowa has one) but sometimes just weeding through the range maps in Peterson's will give you a fighting chance at working out an I.d.
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#5 WheelsOC

WheelsOC
  • NANFA Member

Posted 29 August 2022 - 08:45 PM

I feel that frustration. So many minnow species fit the description "cigar-shaped, golden-brown on top, a dark-ish band running back along the side, cream colored on the belly; fins may be tinted some color."

Sometimes it's hard to tell the various Notropis shiners apart unless they're in full spawning coloration (and even then, you get look-alikes!). Let alone if a fish is scared, sick, or just feeling shy and retiring their colors can fade out and look indistinct. Then you have some widespread species that are a little variable from place to place.

There really should be a full-color guide just to these guys.






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