Just want to say sorry for the weak posting as of late.... I recently started a new job that has been occupying way to much of my time. With a 3 day weekend I hope to at least get out there for a while and hangout with a few good friends: Brookie-Bows-and Brownie:)
I recently noticed that quite a bit of traffic is directed to my blog via people searching "horned fish", "horned trout", "horned dace" and "creek chub". So I decided to do a small post for those out there who seem to have such a great interest in the fish. Here in the Driftless some of the streams are filled with these horned creatures. I know of a few streams where these fish tend to be a lot bigger than most. I personally see them as a sign that the stream is healthy and doing well. When fishing for trout, if you feel some hits that seem to be almost like a Bluegill, chances are its a chub or "horned dace" nibbling on your fly. Here are a few pics of them and a little bit of info on them.
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| My daugther Sephora with a Beauty and the Beast Horned Creek Chub |
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| Little Bro with a chubster Horned Dace :) |
"The creek chub is a medium-sized minnow that can reach lengths of 8-10 inches. Throughout most of the year creek chubs appear black or bluish above and silvery below, though during the spring spawning season male creek chubs take on a bright, rosy color and develop at least four large tubercles on each side of their heads. These breeding tubercles are the basis for one of the common names for the creek chub, "horned dace." Creek chubs also have a single, small barbel in the corner of each jaw that is sometimes hidden between the maxillary and pre-maxillary bones. Adult fish are most easily identified by a prominent dark spot at the base of the dorsal fin. The male creek chub builds and carefully guards a mound of small stones in which the eggs are deposited." .....info courtesy of :
Driftless Creek Chub - "Horned Dace"
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| Two Chubs at a time :) |
Until Next Time.......Tight Lines to All !!!!!!!
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I caught some trophy creek chubs last year on the Pigeon River. I agree- they are a sign of a healthy river, even if they are a pain. Cool post.
ReplyDeleteF.R.
DeleteThanks much man. Chubs can definitely be a pain in the butt sometimes..The trouts ugly cousin. :) Tight Lines.
Caught a creek chub not a hour ago on the small stream by the house. If you let your flies get out of the main current there's always a chub or dace willing to tug your line. Nice.
ReplyDeleteSteve Z,
DeleteThanks man. The chub is a curious species for sure. Kind of like the bluegill of the stream. Tight Lines.
I have never caught one of those before so I don't know much about them...but the dealing with the new job thing...Yeah, been there. Thank goodness for fishing!
ReplyDeleteKiwi,
DeleteYOur lucky ;) The chub can really be a nuisance sometimes. The job is pretty much always a nuisance ;) More fishing less work the perfect equation it think :) Tight LInes.
Trout
ReplyDeleteThe Chub is a new one on me. It actually looks like what we call down South as a sucker. They can steal bait off your hook without you knowing it. Again the sucker looks just like the Chub. Thanks for sharing a great piece of information!!!
Bill T,
DeleteYeah the creek chub is not the most famous of fish. Up here we call suckers fish with huge lips and they bottom feed on the depths of the creek. Little uglier than the chubs :) Tight Lines.
They are strange fish for sure, but there's no denying they are fighters.
ReplyDeleteBrk Trt,
DeleteYou know it. They tend to go for my darker colored flies more and are always willing to bite on a hot sunny afternoon :) Tight Lines.
The creek chub...definitely a face only a mother could love!!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the recent lack of time on the water , I really hate it when that 4-letter word WORK gets in the way of more important things. Looking forward to some more of those beautiful Driftless browns and brookies.
HPFF,
DeleteYou said it man :) To much work and not enough play damn near brings a man to his knees :) I will get out there sooner or later I hope :) Tight Lines
Work has a way of slowing the best of us down...hopefully you can get some more time on the water as things settle down.
ReplyDeleteThose chubs are a small price to pay for a healthy stream...fun to catch as well (within reason).
Cheers
Sanders,
DeleteJust got done working a 13.5 hr day and was daydreaming about fish more than once today :) Gotta love the creek chub....Sometimes :) Tight lines.
I catch so many of those fishing that my middle name should be Chub. Sorry to hear that you have to work!
ReplyDeleteChub,
DeleteThose dace are always willing to bite when the trout aren't ;) Work sucks but I can't wait to get back out there and enjoy the hell out of the stream :) Tight Lines.
looking for a place i can go to catch some chubs for bait near Deadwood. can you point me in the right direction? E-mail me at jimolson1976@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThese things rock as bait you want a good day on the water have some of these guys handy lol
ReplyDeleteThese things rock as bait you want a good day on the water have some of these guys handy lol
ReplyDeleteHave you ever had a horn dace make strange noise out of the water . My brother and I remember catching one in the Niagara river when we were yong and it made a strange honking noise
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantabulous post this has been. Never seen this kind of useful post. I am grateful to you and expect more number of posts like these. Thank you very much.
ReplyDeletefishing tackle
You have pictures of two different fish species. The River chub(Creek) and the hornyhead chub. The Hornyhead has the red dot behind the eye and has the horns also on it's head not just in front of the eyes.
ReplyDelete