Spikes on Fallfish?

[Andrew Chaney]

I spent the morning on Saturday exploring the North Fork of the Thornton River. Fishing wasn't bad and I hooked into a handful of brookies and a single fallfish. The fallfish had a very strange looking half-dozen spikes on its head, which I had never seen before. They were symmetrical, so I doubt it was a disease or blight. Anyone here know if spikes like that are normal or not? (Sorry in advance for the crappy photo quality.)

[TurbineBlade]

My first guess was tubercles, but I have to admit I haven't seen ones like that before.  Interesting catch ;).  Do you have a side pic?

We had very good fishing in the park this weekend, though the water was low at one stream so the fish were quite spooky. 

On Monday, April 4, 2016 at 10:50:45 AM UTC-4, Andrew Chaney wrote:

[Rob Snowhite]

Like Gene said, growths most likely related to mating and nest building. 

Sent from my iPhone

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[Andrew Chaney]

Thanks for the info! I don't. I just snapped a quick pic and put it back in the water. SNP's been really productive for me this spring as well!

[TurbineBlade]

I ran out of frogs fanny while out there this weekend and decided to tie on a foam beetle just for kicks, and it worked just as well as what I was using before ;).  No need to wait until June or July to anyone reading this -- these fish don't care so long as your drift is good and you try to keep your profile low.  I figured I'd add that since RSW popped up and it's his beetle that accounts for 90% of my SNP brookies. 

Gene

[Ashley Frohwein]

I've caught a ton of them with the bumps on their heads, but I have no idea what the bumps are from/what they indicate.

[TurbineBlade]

Sexual virility -- you know, like growing a beard and wearing an Iron Maiden t-shirt. 

[TurbineBlade]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_sex_characteristic

[Andrew Chaney]

I haven't had much luck with topwater flies so far. Most of the trout I've caught this spring have been with bead-head prince nymphs, bead-head green weenies, or just about anything size #14-18 with a bead-head now that I think about it, haha.

[Andrew Sarcinello]

Your fallfish may actually have been a creek chub, fwiw. Can't tell from that pic and they are very similar anyway. I know creek chubs get the bumps on the head for sure, but I don't know about fallfish. As others have said, the bumps on the head have something to do with spawning. I used to fish for them as a kid with a 3 foot line attached to a stick and a caddis pupa for bait. The spawning run was a blast, lol.

[TurbineBlade]

+1,  that's why I was asking for a side pic ;).  Many cyprinids get them, and they all serve the same purpose.  I caught a very pretty creek chub recently, and that pic looks to have a fish with a fair bit of color. 

In the stream feeding out of Dalecarlia reservoir in DC we used to shock up a lot of fathead minnows that had tons of tubercles from what I recall. 

[Bob R]

Google "Horny Head Chub"  basically just a type of male creek chub that get the horns during mating season.  Should get several pictures from google.

On Monday, April 4, 2016 at 10:50:45 AM UTC-4, Andrew Chaney wrote:

[D. Walker]

.... just don't Google that when you're at work....

[Melser Bonilla]

Lol!

[TurbineBlade]

Oh, I have a worse one.  I enjoy archery in addition to fly fishing and was looking for some small game heads for my bow for rabbits, squirrels, etc. 

One company makes a good head they call "bunny bangers".  Do not under any circumstance look this up at work. 

Gene

On Monday, April 4, 2016 at 10:31:07 PM UTC-4, Melser Bonilla wrote:

Lol!

[Carl Z.]

On Tue, Apr 5, 2016 at 6:36 AM, TurbineBlade <doubl...@gmail.com> wrote:

For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

Oh, I have a worse one.  I enjoy archery in addition to fly fishing and was looking for some small game heads for my bow for rabbits, squirrels, etc. 

One company makes a good head they call "bunny bangers".  Do not under any circumstance look this up at work. 

This is taking a turn for the worse.

• I lost one of those plugs that fits into the butt section of the reel seat and was looking for a replacement.   (Just don't google it at all)
• And don't try to find the local Dicks sporting goods with a quick google search.

[namfos]

At least it's not an Iron Butterfly shirt. ;-)

Mark

[namfos]

ROFLMAO!

[Melser Bonilla]

Hahaha! I'm literally lol'ing!

[Andrew Chaney]

I did your search (at home, haha) and my unscientific conclusion is that it was probably a horny head chub. Thanks for the info!

On Monday, April 4, 2016 at 3:38:27 PM UTC-4, Bob R wrote: