Fathead Minnow fishing
Pimephales promelas. Blunt head with a small, upturned mouth and an ovoid, egg-shaped body in cross-section, thick through the back.
Fathead Minnow fishing uses a jig tipped with a live fathead minnow or live fathead minnow on 6 to 8 lb line. Fathead minnows are stocked as forage, not as a catch anglers target.
Published by Fishypedia · Sources last checked September 23, 2026
Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.
- Active times
- –
- Line
- 6–8 lb
- Hook sizes
- Size 6 to 10, often a long-shank Aberdeen-style hook
- Stocked in
- 5 states
Identification
- Blunt head with a small, upturned mouth and an ovoid, egg-shaped body in cross-section, thick through the back.
- Most easily confused with the bluntnose minnow, which has a rounded, underslung snout and a rounder body in cross-section.
- Dusky stripe along the midside with a faint, poorly defined spot at the base of the tail fin.
- Breeding males turn almost black with pale yellowish bars and grow a spongy gray pad on top of the head.
- Small: typically 2 to 3 inches long as adults, rarely reaching about 4 inches.
Sources: dnr.wisconsin.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , portal.ct.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , portal.ct.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , mdc.mo.gov, accessed September 23, 2026
Top lures
Sources: dnr.state.mn.us, accessed September 23, 2026 , dnr.state.mn.us, accessed September 23, 2026 , dec.ny.gov, accessed September 23, 2026
Top baits
Hooked through the upper and lower lips, point up, so it swims naturally when cast, retrieved, or trolled slowly for walleye, bass, and panfish.
Sources: pa.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , dec.ny.gov, accessed September 23, 2026
Line & tackle
- Line
- 6–8 lb
- Rod power
- Hook sizes
- Size 6 to 10, often a long-shank Aberdeen-style hook
Stocked behavior
Fathead minnows are stocked as forage, not as a catch anglers target. Agencies add them to build a food base for bass, walleye, and panfish.
Common mistakes
- Hooking a live minnow through the spine; when back-hooking it for a float-and-sinker rig, avoid the spine so as not to paralyze the baitfish.
Where it's stocked
27 locations shown. Tap a pin for details. · Open this area in Google Maps
Minnesota
Montana
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Common questions
What lures work for Fathead Minnow?
Jig tipped with a live fathead minnow, a jig. Ice jig tipped with a live fathead minnow, a jig.
What bait works for Fathead Minnow?
Live fathead minnow, lip-hooked: Hooked through the upper and lower lips, point up, so it swims naturally when cast, retrieved, or trolled slowly for walleye, bass, and panfish. Live fathead minnow under a bobber.