Shorthead Redhorse Sucker
A chrome-and-brass riffle sucker with a vivid red tail, the shorthead redhorse runs clean rivers across most of the eastern and central US — from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence basins through the Mississippi drainage and down the Atlantic Slope.
Its presence is a sign of decent water quality, and in spring the spawning push concentrates hundreds of fish in shallow gravel riffles where bowfishers and a small but devoted crowd of fly anglers go after them.
Scientific Name: Moxostoma macrolepidotum
Also known as Redfin Sucker, Des Moines Plunger, Bigscale Sucker, Northern Redhorse, Common Redhorse, Redhorse Mullet, Common Mullet
- Bright red to orange forked tail and paired fins are the giveaway — no other sucker across most of its range shares that lipstick-red caudal fin.
- Conspicuously short head (only about 17–19% of total length) with a pointed snout; the head goes more than 4.5 times into the standard length, which separates it from the river redhorse.
- Concave (emarginated) dorsal fin edge with 12–13 rays distinguishes it from silver redhorse, whose dorsal margin is rounded; upper lip often shows a small pea-shaped swelling for grubbing food from gravel.
- Typical fish run 12–16 inches and 1–4 pounds; a 20-incher is a real one, and the IGFA all-tackle record stands at 5 lbs 6 oz.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native across a huge swath of the country — the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence, Hudson Bay, and Mississippi basins, plus Atlantic Slope drainages from the Hudson south to South Carolina.
- A warmwater-to-cool river fish that wants silt-free sand, gravel, and rubble bottoms with medium-to-strong current; tolerates clear and lightly stained water but disappears from heavily turbid reaches.
- Considered a habitat generalist near the core of its range and more pollution-tolerant than its river redhorse and golden redhorse cousins, though biologists still treat its presence as a marker of reasonably clean water.
- Most abundant in medium to large rivers; in smaller streams it shows up in pools as well as moving water.
Specific Spots
- Riffles and riffle margins in larger rivers — these are feeding stations where fish vacuum invertebrates from gaps between rocks.
- Just downstream of shoals and gravel bars where current dumps drift over a hard substrate; areas of bedrock-and-gravel below shoals hold concentrations.
- Sandy flats and the edges of gravel runs are where sight-fishing actually works — fish are visible working the bottom and easier to target than blind-fishing rocky water.
- Tributary mouths and shallow gravel runs in spring, when spawning fish stack up in groups that can number in the hundreds to thousands.
Shorthead Redhorse Sucker FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Shorthead Redhorse Sucker?
Nightcrawlers and garden worms on a small hook are the dominant bait across the range, fished on bottom or under a slip float through current. Canned shrimp and clams are a workable alternative when worms aren't available.
What flies work for Shorthead Redhorse Sucker?
Small beadhead nymphs in sizes 8–12 are the bread and butter, Hare's Ear and Pheasant Tail (which imitate mayfly and caddis nymphs), black stonefly nymphs, caddis larvae, and flashback variations all match the invertebrates these fish actually eat.
What do Shorthead Redhorse Sucker eat?
Aquatic insect nymphs are the core forage, midges, mayflies, caddis, and stoneflies, plus scuds, small mollusks, and worms, which is why small beadhead nymphs in sizes 8–12 (Hare's Ear, Pheasant Tail, black stonefly nymphs, caddis larvae) are the standard fly choice.
Where do Shorthead Redhorse Sucker live?
Native across a huge swath of the country, the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence, Hudson Bay, and Mississippi basins, plus Atlantic Slope drainages from the Hudson south to South Carolina.
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