Spawining redhorse!

Awesome! Nice sharp photos as well. Thems some hefty shortheads.

Going redhorsin' tomorrow

Love those tubed up nose shots. Very cool.

If you haven't already, you might want to go to my website (in my sig, below) and download the ID cheat sheets. Not so much for doing ID in the field, but to give you a reference for what to get good photos of for later ID. A clear shot of the lips (closed) and a clear shot of each fish laying flat on its side with the dorsal fin up and nothing covering part of the lateral line scales would be useful.

A 3.5 lb shorthead is a hell of a fish. Is that with a scale or an estimate? The Illinois record is 3.75 lbs. Minnesota's is bigger, but I can't remember how much.

Nice mix of fish = good day of fishing!

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Ken- Interesting about the horns.  I've seen it in hornyhead chubs all of the time, but never in a red horse so I was stunned when I saw it.  Again I am fairly new to targeting an ID'ing redhorse but that makes me like this species even more!

DNR is in the process of removing that spurious shorthead record.  It was a mis-identified Greater Redhorse.  The new record will be around 3 pounds, 19 5/8 inches.

I thought that was probably a misidentification, but couldn't remember if it had come up in any of the threads about mis-IDs of record redhorse. I've got a hunch someone here will break the record once there's a legit one to break. I'm pretty sure the IL shorthead record can be broken, too. I know I've caught fish close to it. Gotta get a better scale.

The new record will be around 3 pounds, 19 5/8 inches.

That record will fall, but catching a shorthead over 20" is not easy.  Didn't Andy spend years looking for one over 20"? 

I recomend carrying some sort of ID sheet in the field. If you can look at the fish and the key at the same time you know what to look for. 

As far as pictures, you can't beat laying the fish flat on the ground. Choose a soft or damp place to lay the fish down so that the picture shows the profile and the fins. 

Male goldens really get the tubes on their nose, it really gets the females going. 

Andy and I both have been measuring the huge shortheads we catch for years.  Of the thousands we've caught only two that I know of were legitimately 19 inches, but I've seen a few guys post them up to 21 inches.  Reason being, because of the goofed-up state record, shortheads have to be 19 inches for the Master Angler award, same size as silvers have to be.

Master Angler Program also has their species screwed up, since the "River Redhorse" from the St. Francis River are obviously shortheads.  Of course, they're still 21 inch shortheads, which is a LOT more impressive than a 21 inch river.  A lot of people just assume that if they catch a redhorse out of a river, it must be a river redhorse. 

I seem to recall that you caught an honest 20 inch Shorthead last June, and I was there to witness it...

On a certain lovely stretch of river near the Cities. The same eve that I went in after that Greater!

Ah, good memories...

You're right, of course ... I was pretty happy about that, too!

If you guys say so then I beleive it was a case of mistaken identity and was most likley a greater red horse.  If not, then this pool holds a potential state record shorthead.  Like I said again, I am no red horse expert by any means

Beautiful pictures!

I'm pumped to get back out for redhorse in May. 

I've weighed one shorthead redhorse (because I had to keep it anyway), and it was 3 lbs, 7 oz. at 21 inches in length for reference. 

There are lots of biggie shorties up here. My first of the year was over 20 inches.

They are bigger in the north

2 Shorties caught today on the croix 19 inches. One could technially be 18 and 15/16ths because it was missing some of it's tail but both were solid shorties. I would love to see that record become legit but I think there will be a 20 plus caught the first year.

nice fish.

who's we? it wasn't that big. no need to bring it up again.

I love the pics man.. good stuff.

Does that top one look like a Black to anyone else? To be honest I just got home from the bar, and am too lazy to do a scale count..

I've measured Shortheads up to 23", and caught some bigger. The Erie Tribs have massive suckers, and there were a couple good years where fish like that weren't uncommon. They didn't have much girth, but either way a 23"+ Shorthead.. maybe not a world record(PA just has a state record "Sucker") but it makes me wish I woulda weighed and measured all of them.

Scales are way too big for a black.

RF29 good to see you yesterday and that is funny! "Who is we?" Looks like a nice shortie though.

@ J Dunfee,

I thought the same, but counted the lateral line scale a couple of times...and I counted 42...too few to be a Blackie.

I don't know about WAY too big for a Black.. I mean dude got a count of 42, higher end for a Golden, if I recall correctly..

Like I said, I was a lil drunk, just checkin ol' roughfish.com, and didn't feel like doin a scale count. Scales still seem on the small side for a Golden, and the color seems like it could be a Black.

But it's not. Either way man, cool looking Golden.

And once again, great pics. Keep em comin!

Doc's style is general look......scale count as last resort and the F'er is right all the damn time and I have picked up some of his eyeballing. The more Blacks you see in pics the easier thy are to spot. The fish is also way to tall. Blacks are more cigar shaped.

And there are no Black Redhorse in this section of river...