The Golden Redhorse is a small, stout sucker with brassy golden sides and orange or pinkish fins. Goldens have 12 or 13 rays in the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin is concave in shape. Goldens tend to be small (12-20 inches and 2-3 pounds).

Golden Redhorse are another very common redhorse, possibly the most common in our area. While often found in reasonably fast water, goldens also frequent still pools and slow-moving sections of water. Goldens are somewhat intolerant of poluution, so heavily silted or overfertile water will not hold goldens. Goldens feed mainly on aquatic insects and crustaceans.

 Golden Redhorse are usually fished with live bait on the bottom, either with a stationary presentation or one that moves slowly with the current. Circle hooks in size 4-8 may be used. Goldens respond well to flies imitating mayfly and stonefly nymphs, as well as scud patterns and caddis pupae. Golden redhorse may be found in a variety of habitats, from trout streams to barge channels. Smoking a fine cigar while riverside may or may not increase your success with this elusive species.

Identification

Here is a side-by-side comparison of a golden redhorse and a silver redhorse.  The golden redhorse is on the bottom. 

The golden redhorse has a gray tail and a concave dorsal fin.  Color ranges from silvery to a buttery yellow-gold.  The fins are invariably orange as opposed to bright red.  The dorsal fin has 12 rays.  Goldens are most often confused with the Silver Redhorse and the Black Redhorse.  Silvers can be distinguished by their convex, fan-shaped dorsal fin with 15 rays.  Black redhorse can be distinguished by their slender body and smaller scales.

Spawning

The golden redhorse spawns at a water temperature of approximately 60 degrees.  This usually occurs around the third weekend in May in the midwest. It spawns in shallow riffles from 1-3 feet in depth, covered with large gravel.  Goldens occasionally migrate into small tributaries to spawn, but usually spawn in the main stream they call home.