Minnow

A tiny fish that’s very good at hiding. An important part of the river food chain, the minnow provides food for perch, chub, barbel and kingfishers.

Minnow facts

Scientific name	Phoxinus phoxinus
Family	Cyprinidae
Diet	Shrimp, caddis and stonefly larvae
Predators	Larger cyprinids, perch, pike and zander
Size	Up to 9cm
Weight	Typically 2-10g
Record weight	13.5dms
Lifespan	2-4 years

Minnow and our canals

Minnows are a widespread fish common across freshwater streams, rivers, canals and some lakes in the UK. This diminutive fish forms large shoals on the waters they reside in.

How to identify a minnow

With a green/dark olive colouring along their sides and striped banding similar to the perch, minnows are distinctive fish. They’re small fish, rarely exceeding 8cm, and have a short, rounded dorsal fin and an upturned mouth.

Female minnows have a shiny white belly. Males have a red belly with red pelvic fins and can sometimes be confused with a three-spined stickleback.

Lifecycle of a minnow

From June to July, minnows gather in large spawning shoals. They spawn several times, migrating upstream to shallow gravel beds where they deposit clumps of eggs between stones. These hatch after 5-10 days. Minnows mature at one year when they grow to about 35-40mm.

Where to find minnow

They are widespread in England and Wales, present in the margins and backwaters of most rivers.

How to catch a minnow

Minnows will eat most baits, but due to their size, small baits and hooks are a must.

Carl Nicholls, fisheries & angling manager

Not usually targeted by anglers, minnow can be found in most slack waters and back eddies in rivers. Aware that they’re a primary food source for many predators, they stick to anywhere shallow, with low flows and cover.

Minnows will eat most baits, but due to their size, small baits and hooks are a must. Squatts, pinkies and maggots are all good to attract and catch minnows on.