What kind of fish is this?

[albacized]

So the fish in the pic was caught back in April. But I caught another one yesterday. Wasn’t sure if it was a fall fish, or something different (but not a white perch…lol). Any idea?

[bob_G]

2 mins ago, albacized said:

So the fish in the pic was caught back in April. But I caught another one yesterday. Wasn’t sure if it was a fall fish, or something different (but not a white perch…lol). Any idea?

A fallfish. They actually can get much larger than that.

[albacized]

17 mins ago, bob_G said:

A fallfish. They actually can get much larger than that.

Thanks a lot. I’ve caught them from time to time in the cooler months, and in smaller, cooler rivers/creeks where I trout fish. I’ve never caught them in places where I fish exclusively for warm water species

[KidDkivahh]

9 hours ago, albacized said:

Thanks a lot. I’ve caught them from time to time in the cooler months, and in smaller, cooler rivers/creeks where I trout fish. I’ve never caught them in places where I fish exclusively for warm water species

I believe they're more of a river or stream fish. 

[unskunk]

13 hours ago, bob_G said:

A fallfish. They actually can get much larger than that.

they edible ?

[skinnywater]

38 mins ago, unskunk said:

they edible ?

 

[mikez2]

5 hours ago, KidDkivahh said:

I believe they're more of a river or stream fish. 

They are for the most part but they do turn up in lakes with streams feeding in or out. Ice fishermen get them occasionally and don't recognize them. 

[Fitzy]

They get all lit up with pink and red faces when the spawn.  I used to get a lot of them growing up in New Hampshire, fishing little streams.  Some of them were up to about 16-18”.

[Niveker]

They do color up nicely in the fall. They give a decent fight at first but  give up pretty quickly. 

 

[Intrepid95]

Fallfish for sure. The bigger ones can be fun, though average size is usually under 10" or so. Smaller ones are A+ bait for big bass. They tend to prefer rocky streams with a good amount of flow.

 

Also, if you've ever fished one in late summer when the water is low and come across a random pile of small rocks and pebbles a few feet wide... that's a fallfish nest. They can be pretty impressive considering the average size of the fish itself.

[albacized]

46 mins ago, Intrepid95 said:

Fallfish for sure. The bigger ones can be fun, though average size is usually under 10" or so. Smaller ones are A+ bait for big bass. They tend to prefer rocky streams with a good amount of flow.

 

Also, if you've ever fished one in late summer when the water is low and come across a random pile of small rocks and pebbles a few feet wide... that's a fallfish nest. They can be pretty impressive considering the average size of the fish itself.

Just to further that point - last spring, I was fishing a freshwater herring spot that's also known for stripers at that time of year (I think you may know where I'm referring to). For several days, I was catching stripers from high schoolie to slot size fish on a small size 8, 'ghost' x rap. At first I was a bit surprised that I was getting hit so often on that lure with all the herring in the water. Eventually, I foul hooked several fallfish that were the same size as the x rap, and that answered that question...lol. Also caught large and small mouth on the same lure, fishing from the very same spot. Guess those little fallfish never stood a chance

 

I haven't hit that spot as much this season. After catching a couple of stripers early on, it slowed down a bit, then started getting crowded (almost looked like a poaching operation, but couldn't prove it since no one was catching). So I started focusing elsewhere

Edited May 28 by albacized

[The Riddler]

19 hours ago, bob_G said:

A fallfish. They actually can get much larger than that.

Long Pond in Plymouth. I would see spawners in the 5lb class. Maybe bigger. 

[Intrepid95]

11 hours ago, albacized said:

Just to further that point - last spring, I was fishing a freshwater herring spot that's also known for stripers at that time of year (I think you may know where I'm referring to). For several days, I was catching stripers from high schoolie to slot size fish on a small size 8, 'ghost' x rap. At first I was a bit surprised that I was getting hit so often on that lure with all the herring in the water. Eventually, I foul hooked several fallfish that were the same size as the x rap, and that answered that question...lol. Also caught large and small mouth on the same lure, fishing from the very same spot. Guess those little fallfish never stood a chance

 

 

I'm pretty sure I do know the spot, and if I'm right, they were unlikely to be fallfish. I'm actually not aware of any locations where they intermingle with river-run stripers (not saying it doesn't happen, just not in any of the locations I'm aware of). The furthest East I've regularly found them are some spots in the Acton/Concord area. There is another type of chub/minnow in the spot in question that does start their spawn in the early spring, right around the same time as the yellow perch do, and overlaps with the start of the herring run. I'll bet that's what you were seeing. Not sure about the exact species, but they don't attain the same size and are less aggressive than fallfish. Though of course... still really great bait!

[Intrepid95]

11 hours ago, The Riddler said:

Long Pond in Plymouth. I would see spawners in the 5lb class. Maybe bigger. 

 

Are you sure they weren't something else? Maybe white suckers? They do look similar. The record size for fallfish in MA was 19 inches, and they are basically non-existent in the Eastern/Cape parts of the state.

[bob_G]

I caught a beautie a few years ago in the Ware River.  I was casting a black roostertail and just getting ready to quit.  I made one more long cast, right across the river, and began a slow retrieve.  I got a vicious hit, and thought for sure I hooked a huge trout. It put up a hell of a fight, and when I brought it to my feet, I had a "what the hell" moment.

Nice Fallfish, bigger than any trout I'd caught that day. Lip hook, released, and off he went.