Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) Identification: olive to dark gray above, sides lighter with dark spots or bars; upper 1/2 of cheeks and opercle lightly scaled, lower 1/2 of both scale less; six to eight pores on each side of the lower jaw. Distribution: Brushy Creek, Hawthorn Lake, Pleasant Creek, Big Creek, Three Mile, Clear Lake, West Okoboji, and Big Spirit. Also in East Okoboji, Upper Gar, Lower Gar, and Lake Minnewashta.

Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) Habitat: Lakes and reservoirs: prefers cool water with lots of vegetation. Diet: Fish Reproduction: up to 265,000 eggs deposited over dead vegetation in early spring; negligible in Iowa Joe Foy

Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) Conservation Status: rare; stocked since 1996 Economic/recreation: trophy fish; Spirit Lake hatchery stocks 9-10 in fish Ecological Importance: large predator, top of the food chain Other: “Fish of 10,000 casts”

References Iowa Department of Natural Resources Iowa DNR Fish and Fishing Available at August 2004http://

Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) Kelly Andersen Identification: terminal mouth, no spines, no barbels, incomplete lateral line, dorsal fin origin over pelvic fin origin, peritoneum gray or black. Genus Pimephales: bluntnose minnow, bullhead minnow, slim minnow, and fathead minnow. Characteristics: much smaller scales on nape than everywhere else on body, 1 rudimentary dorsal ray Color: Dark olive on back and sides, yellow to white belly, dusky or diffused lateral band, dusky to black blotch or bar midway up on the dorsal fin. Breeding male: Dark with white or gold vertical bars, large gray fleshy pad on nape, tubercles in rows on snout. Iowa DNR

Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) Distribution: Native to Northwestern Canada (just east of the Rockies) to Maine and south to the gulf states. Sub-species in New Mexico. Generally absent in mountain areas, they have been introduce all over. Are considered most abundant and widespread fish in Iowa by DNR. Iowa DNR

Fathead Minnow (Pimephales pormelas) Reproduction: Spawn from early May to August. Eggs are laid on the under surface of floating object and guarded by male. Hatch in 5-6 days. Konrad Schmidt Habitat: Muddy pools of creeks and steams as well as ponds. Tolerant of turbid, hot, and poorly oxygenated water not tolerated by most fish. Diet: Microscopic plants, small insects, insect larvae, and small crustaceans.

Fathead Minnow (Pimephales pormelas) William Roston Conservation Status: N/A Considered common over much of their range. Economic/Recreational importance: Most common bait fish sold in Iowa. Ecological importance: Important forage fish, very tolerant. Other: Special Strain developed for the pet trade called “Rosy-red” Minnow. Red-orange body and fins.

References: Pimephales pormelas Eddy, S. and J.C. Underhill How to Know the Freshwater Fishes. 3 rd Edition. McGraw-Hill, Boston. Page, L. M. and B. M. Burr Freshwater Fishes of North America North of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. Iowa Department of Natural Resources.1994.IowaDNR Fish and Fishing. Available at October

The Emerald Shiner Notropis atherinoides By David Jaeggi

Emerald Shiner Physical Characteristics of the Emerald Shiner –Small laterally compressed (2-3.5in) –Their mouth is large, terminal, oblique, and has no barbel. –Silver back with blue to green sides

Distribution Mostly found in Mississippi and Missouri Rivers; also found in large interior rivers in Iowa The Shiner is also found in other areas in the United States not only in Iowa

Habitat The Shiner lives mid-depth to surface waters of the main channel and chutes in large streams often in schools. Young fish feed exclusively on algae. Adults forage on terrestrial and aquatic insects at the surface.

Diet and Reproduction Young fish feed exclusively on algae. Adults forage on terrestrial and aquatic insects at the surface. Maturing in about 2 years, spawning occurs late May to early August in water 20-23°C · Fecundity is 888-5,443 eggs per female

Status and Importance The Emerald Shiner is not under any protection in Iowa Commercial Fisherman do not have any sort of real need for them due mostly to their size They are used as a bait fish for yellow perch, white perch, white bass and freshwater drum

In Summary The Emerald Shiner is abundant in many areas mostly the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers in Iowa With capabilities of producing a lot of young, they can be abundant in some years. Eating mostly small organisms and algae they are a staple for many fish.

References Ohio Department of Natural Resources 2004 ODNR Division of Wildlife Virginia Fish and Wildlife Information Service October Iowa DNR Fish and Fishing 2004 Iowa Department of Natural Resources Canadian Biodiversity < Earl J.S. Rook, The Natural History of the Northwoods

Sand Shiner (Notropis ludibundus) Dan Rosauer Identification Small slender minnow Large eye for fish size “mouse tracks” along lateral line 7-8 anal rays Habitat Most common in small streams with a sandy bottom. Sometimes found in sandy areas of lakes. Common throughout Iowa

Sand Shiner (Notropis ludibundus) Diet Small immature aquatic insects, bottom ooze, small amount of adult insects and plant material. Reproduction Spawns throughout the summer April-August. Females lay several hundred to several thousand eggs in depressions in riffles. pg

Sand Shiner (Notropis ludibundus) Recreational Value Rarely caught on hook and line. Commonly used on hook and line to catch other fish species. Ecological Importance Common prey species for most predators in at least some stage of their life. pg

References Notropis ludibundus Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr Freshwater Fishes of North America North of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. Pflieger, W The Fishes of Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, MO.

Quillback Carpiodes cyprinus white carp, silver carp, plains carpsucker, lake quillback, coldwater carp, quillback sucker, mullet, long-finned sucker Jessa Franck

Identification brown back with silvery reflections sides tinged golden yellow with dark edged scales belly white scales large adults are commonly l2 to l7 inches long and weigh from l to 3 pounds Iowa DNR the first ray of the dorsal fin is very long, forming an elevated filament distinguished from other carpsuckers by lack of a nipple-like projection on bottom lip the mouth is situated on the underside of the head and the snout extends forward beyond the jaws

Distribution & Habitat clearer streams small streams occasionally prefer moderately clear, highly productive streams that contain large, deep pools adjacent to stable gravel or rubble bottoms less tolerant of turbidity than the other carpsuckers adapts readily to other habitats and often inhabit slow flowing streams, natural lakes range extends from the Great Border Rivers into the large interior rivers

Diet & Reproduction bottom ooze plant materials aquatic insect larvae filamentous algae, single-celled algae, protozoans small crustaceans spawn in early spring water temperature of 55 to 70 degrees F females may produce from 15,000 to 360,000 eggs apiece eggs are spread over large area and left unattended Great Lakes Enviro. Research Lab

Importance & Conservation Status abundant in larger streams in Iowa not important to anglers, usually only caught in early springtime flesh is bony not commercially important important food fish when young to other game fish Deep-Fried Quillback Strips of meat from 3 or 4 quillbacks Salt, fresh-ground black pepper 1 cup flour 1 cup Bisquick baking mix 1 cup cornmeal 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder Peanut oil for deep frying Season the fish strips with salt and pepper. Combine flour, Bisquick, cornmeal, and seasonings. Dredge the strips in this mixture and fry quickly in peanut oil heated to 375 degrees. Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

Other long lifespan, averaging 11 years hybridize with highfin and river carpsuckers River carpsucker X quillback; the hybrid has the quillback body form, but the river carpsucker mouth.

References Fish Identification Database. Identify your fish. mName=Quillback&sfName=Carpiodes%C2%A0cyprinus&fam=sucke rs&GID=138. October mName=Quillback&sfName=Carpiodes%C2%A0cyprinus&fam=sucke rs&GID=138 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Suckers. October October 2004 Mayhew, J Iowa Fish and Fishing. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa, pp 323. Ohio Department of Natural Resources Life History Notes: Quillback. fishid/quilback.htm. October fishid/quilback.htm

Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes Velifer) By Josh Otten Jay T. Hatch

Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes Velifer) Identification: resembles common carp lack barbels lack dorsal and anal fin spines first ray or dorsal fin long small knob-like structure at middle of lower lip deep bodied/compressed max of inches/ 1-3 pounds back is brown-olive, the sides are silvery, the belly is whitish and the fins nearly colorless

Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes Velifer) Distribution: found primarily in the large interior rivers, oxbows, and ponds over sand or gravel bottom prefer moderate to swift current or in quiet water adjacent to river channels prefer clean waters and firm bottoms, intolerant of turbidity and siltation may migrate to shallow areas and to overflow pond of streams to spawn

Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes Velifer) Distribution

Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes Velifer) Diet: Herbivore/Invertivore primarily eats algae and insects from the bottom Reproduction: Breeding schools migrate to shallows and overflow ponds to spawn spawns in late spring (water temp ) sexually mature in third year 40 to 60 thousand eggs per female, spread over clean gravel substrate

Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes Velifer) Conservation: none Economic Importance harvested as commercial fish/good to eat Ecological Importance small individuals provide food for game fish

Refrences Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr Atlas of North American Freshwater Fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History. 867 pp. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp. Robins, C. R., et al Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publishing pp. Smith, G. R Phylogeny and biogeography of the Catostomidae, freshwater fishes of North America and Asia. Pages in Mayden, R. L., editor. Systematics, historical ecology, and North American freshwater fishes. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, California. 969 pp. Vanicek, C. D Life history of the quillback and highfin carpsuckers in the Des Moines River. Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci. 68:

Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma Macrolepidotum) Dan Rosauer Distribution: Throughout Iowa; most common in north and east. Habitat: Rocky pools, runs and riffles in small to large streams; commonly found in relatively fast water.

Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma Macrolepidotum Other common Species Red Tailed Species Greater Redhorse River Redhorse Black Tailed Species Golden Redhose Black Redhorse Silver Redhorse Identification Bright red tail Sucker mouth Uniform scales along body Relatively small head Lateral Line Scales Caudal Peduncle Scales

Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma Macrolepidotum) Joe Foy

Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma Macrolepidotum) Food Mainly aquatic insects e.g. midges, mayflies and caddisflys Reproduction Spawn over gravel depressions in spring. 2 males per female 18” female can produce 20,000 eggs Recreational Ocassionally cought on hook and line. More common to snag or spear. Ecological Importance Small shorthead prey for large preditor species Can affect aquatic insect population

References: Moxostoma Macrolepidotum Iowa Department of Natural Resources/ IowaDNR Fish and Fishing. Available at October Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr Freshwater Fishes of North America North of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. Pflieger, W The Fishes of Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, MO.