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The Black Redhorse

Black Redhorse is a slender native sucker of flowing rivers, with fine scales and grayish fins. Its small bottom-dwelling prey and need for suitable spawning habitat tie it closely to river conditions.

Black Redhorse fishing guide

Identification

Black Redhorse can resemble Golden Redhorse. Scale counts, body proportions and lip details help separate them; it generally has a slender form and finer scales. Its name does not imply a bright red tail.

Size and Weight

Canadian assessments report maximum length of 65.8 cm total length and weight of 3.2 kg, about 25.9 inches and 7.1 pounds. These exceed older short summaries and are separate published limits. Many adults are substantially smaller.

Habitat and Natural Food

It feeds near the bottom of river pools and runs, taking small crustaceans and insect larvae. Sand, gravel and rock with limited silt provide characteristic habitat. Excess sediment can alter both feeding areas and spawning conditions.

Fishing and Conservation Context

Status varies geographically, with protected populations in parts of its range. Accurate identification matters before treating a sucker as a legal target or bait fish. The verified material does not establish a species-specific best bait.

The River Must Connect Its Habitats

Seasonal movement links everyday feeding reaches with suitable spawning areas. Dams and changes to river flow can affect that connection, making the condition of an entire river reach relevant to this fish’s life cycle.

All Lakes With Black Redhorse

Browse lakes and reservoirs with documented Black Redhorse records, listed alphabetically. Records do not establish current abundance or public access. Check the evidence and managing authority for the water you choose.

Showing 1–24 of 35 lakes · Page 1 of 2

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