Who knows their minnows?

[E J]

Last year I stocked my newly built pond with fathead, crappie and perch. Today my kids caught a bunch of fathead minnows and this strange looking minnow in the shallows. Does anyone know what the heck it is. I don't think it is any of the varieties I stocked but could be wrong.

[airedale]

Looks like a Stickleback

Al

[Pygmy]

Al's correct, it is a stickleback....Perhaps when you stocked the other fish ( perhaps the fatheads) there were a few sticklebacks in with them...No problem..They don't usually become a problem in the pond and the perch and crappies will eat them along with the fatheads..

[E J]

I agree I just found a picture online. Thanks.

[E J]

Upon further questioning it turns out they caught it out of the ditch that my swamp drains into not out of the pond.

[airedale]

I have not seen a Stickleback in many years, like your kids I used to catch them in drainage ditches when I was a kid, brought back some good old memories.

Al

Edited April 2, 2020 by airedale

[E J]

They caught two. I was informed their names are Preston and Brianna. Of course being brothers they are now arguing over who's is who's. Aaahhhh brotherly love!

[The_Real_TCIII]

Looks like a bluefish lol


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[G-Man]

I use to catch them in the drainage ditch in the spring.. sickleback. Small never get to big

[Pygmy]

I never have seen them locally..

I  went up walleye fishing near Cochrane, Ontario a couple of  different years...My host was a local guy from Cochrane, and he would set minnow traps in local small streams to catch minnows for the trip...They were mostly chubs and shiners, but there were always some sticklebacks mixed in...  I used a few for bait, and they seemed to work as well for walleyes as the chubs and shiners..

[turkeyfeathers]

SS Minnow


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[Pygmy]

Where's Mary Ann ?

[Lawdwaz]

2 hours ago, E J said:

Upon further questioning it turns out they caught it out of the ditch that my swamp drains into not out of the pond.

I love that!!

Good for them......