Golden shiners are most often targeted by anglers who want to use them as baitfish. They are found in eastern U.S. and Canada and tend to stick to ponds, lakes, and ditches. To catch them, try chumming, first then following up with bait casting, cast, and retrieve, and top water fishing.
Habitat: Lake, River
How to identify Golden Shiner
As part of the minnow family, golden shiners have a deep body and soft rays in their dorsal and anal regions. Their little mouths look like an upside-down smile. They have a prominent, downward-facing curve in their lateral line. The coloring on their sides is metallic silver or gold, while their backs are dark green with a dark midline marking. Golden shiners can grow more than eight inches long and weigh a quarter of a pound.
Where to catch Golden Shiner
Golden shiners are found in the eastern half of the U.S. and parts of Canada. Although they prefer peaceful, weedy waters in ponds, lakes, and ditches, they have been found in larger bodies of water, such as the St. Lawrence River, the Great Lakes, and Lake Winnipeg.
The following are habitats where you can catch Golden Shiner:
- Freshwater Lakes and Ponds
- Freshwater Weed Beds
- Ripples, Currents, Swirls and Sprays
- Rivers and Streams
How to catch Golden Shiner
Golden shiners are typically produced in ponds, although their native range is in eastern North America. They are most often used as baitfish. Anglers rely on drawing these fish in with oatmeal. One method of catching them is chumming over shallow water in vegetation-dense flats. Sometimes, anglers affix oats or bread balls to very small hooks or treble hook tines. Anglers will often complete the rig with a few split shots or tiny bits of earthworms. Other methods that can be successful include bait casting, cast, and retrieve, and top water fishing.
The following are effective fishing methods and techniques for catching Golden Shiner:
Best Lures, Bait & Tackle to catch Golden Shiner
Golden shiners can be caught with oatmeal, worms, and bread balls. Little crappie jigs can also be effective.
The following are fishing lures, bait and tackle that can be used to catch Golden Shiner:
