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BAITFISH AND SMELT INFORMATION
TIPS ON IDENTIFYING COMMON LEGAL BAITFISH AND SMELT
LATERAL LINE DORSAL FIN
PECTORAL FIN
VENTRAL( PELVIC) FIN
ANAL FIN CAUDAL FIN female
ADIPOSE FIN male
Rainbow Smelt
• Long, slender, and silvery
• Adipose fin present
Fathead Minnow
• First dorsal fin ray is short and thick
• Distinctive fat / flattened head shape
• Generally 2 – 2.5 " in length
Creek Chub
• Similar to Lake Chub but with a dark spot at base of dorsal fin
• Upper jaw extends at least to below front of eye female male
Sucker( White and Longnose)
• Mouth points downward with thick lips
• Large scales
• Adults can be over 22 " in length
Northern Redbelly Dace
• Two black lateral bands down body
• Males may exhibit bright red coloration on bellies
• Similar legal species include blacknose, longnose, pearl, and finescale dace
Golden Shiner
• Deep flattened body with a strongly downward curving lateral line
• Large scales
• Sickle-shaped anal fin
• Fleshy“ keel”( lacks scales) between the pelvic fins and anal fin
Eastern Silvery Minnow
• Silvery sides with some olive coloration on back
• Lower jaw is crescent or banana shaped
• Somewhat similar in appearance to rainbow smelt, but adipose fin absent
Common Shiner
• Deep bodies with a slightly downward curving lateral line( curved less deeply than the golden shiner)
• Scales on sides near the front of the body are obviously taller than they are wide
• Mature individuals may have red fins( also known as the“ Redfin Shiner”)
Lake Chub
• Similar in appearance to Creek Chub, but lacks a dot at the base of the dorsal fin
• Mature adults may have bright orange / red spots where the pectoral fins meet the body
2026 STATE OF MAINE LAWS & RULES FISHING