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Silver Redhorse

Silver Redhorse

The Silver Redhorse is one of Alabama's largest redhorse species and serves as excellent water quality indicators, as they cannot tolerate murky or polluted waters.

Scientific Name: Moxostoma anisurum

Physical Characteristics:

Reaching 12-28 inches and weighing 2-10 pounds. During spawning season, males develop prominent tubercles on anal and caudal fins and display orange coloration on pectoral and pelvic fins.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

Found primarily in the Tennessee River drainage system, marking the southern extent of their range. Medium to large streams with moderate to fast currents over silt, sand, gravel, and bedrock substrates.

Key Locations

Tennessee River drainage system, Tennessee River proper, Flint River in Madison County (20-25 mile section receives heavy angler use), Flint River (a Wheeler Reservoir tributary), upper Paint Rock River, Pickwick Lake

Specific Spots

Target areas near Wheeler Reservoir where mature fish stage before spawning. Focus on gravel shoal areas, undercut banks, protruding tree roots, and deep pools with little current over sand substrates.

Silver Redhorse FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

When is the best time to fish for Silver Redhorse in Alabama?

Most productive from February through April during their pre-spawn migration into rivers, with peak activity in March to mid-April. Target water temperatures around 50-58°F when males are ripe and beginning to move into spawning areas.

How do you catch Silver Redhorse in Alabama?

Use hook-and-line tactics, drift fishing, still fishing, and bait casting. Present baits on or near the bottom where these fish naturally feed.

What do Silver Redhorse eat?

Bottom feeders with specialized sucker mouths, primarily consuming Asian clams (Corbicula), aquatic insect larvae, mollusks, algae, detritus, and small invertebrates.

Where do Silver Redhorse live in Alabama?

Found primarily in the Tennessee River drainage system, marking the southern extent of their range. Medium to large streams with moderate to fast currents over silt, sand, gravel, and bedrock substrates.

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