Spottail Shiner
The spottail shiner is a small, schooling minnow native to much of eastern and central Canada. It's not a sport fish in the traditional sense — anglers target it as live or cut bait for walleye, northern pike, and perch.
In waters like the Great Lakes basin and Ontario's larger river systems, it's one of the most abundant forage minnows around, which makes it worth knowing.
Also known as Spottail minnow, Notropis hudsonius
- Silvery overall with a pale olive-green back; sides are bright and reflective with large, loose scales that shed easily when handled.
- The defining mark: a bold black spot at the base of the tail fin, visible even on small fish — the quickest way to separate it from other shiners.
- Slightly protruding snout with a subterminal mouth (the snout extends past the lip); body is moderately deep and slab-sided.
- Most fish run 2–4 inches; occasional individuals reach close to 6 inches, though anything over 4 inches is a big one.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native across eastern and central Canada, from the Maritime provinces through Quebec, Ontario, and into Manitoba — closely tied to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence drainage systems.
- Also present in British Columbia and the Yukon, where it has been documented in field surveys.
- A big-water minnow: most at home in large lakes, wide river mainstems, and reservoir shorelines. Avoids fast current and small, rocky headwater streams.
- Prefers sandy or gravelly shallows along shorelines, where it schools in open water near the bottom or mid-column.
Key Locations
- Great Lakes basin (Ontario) — Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario shorelines support dense populations; documented near Port Elgin and other nearshore areas.
- St. Lawrence River system (Quebec and Ontario) — abundant in the larger mainstem and connected lakes.
- Lake Winnipeg watershed (Manitoba) — present in the larger lake and river systems of the central Canadian interior.
Specific Spots
- Sandy and gravelly shoreline shallows in large lakes — spottails hug the nearshore zone, which puts them in the same water as the predators that eat them.
- Tributary mouths and the lower reaches of feeder streams, especially during spawning periods when fish concentrate in these transition zones.
- Slower backwater areas and protected bays off main river channels, where current is minimal and schools can hold without fighting flow.
Spottail Shiner FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Spottail Shiner?
The spottail itself is the bait, hook a live one through the back on a plain hook or a slip-bobber rig when targeting walleye, perch, or pike in Ontario and Quebec lakes. Small silver spinners and spoons (1/16–1/8 oz) imitate the flash and profile of a spottail shiner and work well when live bait isn't available.
When is the best time to fish for Spottail Shiner?
Spring and early summer, schools concentrate near tributary mouths during spawning, making them easy to collect for bait. Summer, abundant along sandy lake shorelines and in large river backwaters throughout the open-water season.
How do you catch Spottail Shiner?
Anglers in Canada pursue spottail shiners primarily to use as live bait, collecting them with dip nets or seines from sandy shorelines, or purchasing them from licensed bait dealers. They're then fished under a slip-bobber or on a live-bait rig for walleye, northern pike, and yellow perch.
What do Spottail Shiner eat?
Feeds on zooplankton, aquatic insect larvae, and some plant material, a mix of water-column and bottom-level foraging that keeps schools moving through the shallows.
Where do Spottail Shiner live?
Native across eastern and central Canada, from the Maritime provinces through Quebec, Ontario, and into Manitoba, closely tied to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence drainage systems. Also present in British Columbia and the Yukon, where it has been documented in field surveys.
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