Roger's Angling Pages
The Minnow Phoxinus phoxinus		Carp family Cyprinidae

The Minnow inhabits cold, running or still, yet well oxygenated, waters throughout Europe. It can be found in those parts of streams where the water current is sluggish and leaves deposits of fine mud and sand. It lives in small or large groups according to the extent of its environment and quite often in the company of Alburnoides bipunctatus or the Stone Loach. In body shape it is ranked with those slim fishes which have an elongated body and long tail-ends. Its scales are only numerous on its sides. Its back is an olive-green shade and from there a row of transverse flecks of differing length spread down its body.

During breeding in May, it is easy to distinguish the male from the female. The male's coloration at this time is much brighter; it has a white spawning rash on its head which resembles semolina, whilst the belly, pectoral and ventral fins turn a blood red and the olive-green of the back changes to black. The female's sides and belly are a mixture of grey-brown tones and the red colour is missing; the belly is considerably enlarged before spawning.

The Minnow does not reach a large size or an old age in any of its localities. It measures 10 to 12 cm and does not live longer than 4 to 5 years. Sometimes it is deliberately put into Trout waters, especially lakes and larger streams, because it is the staple food of large Trout. If it enters a pond, it can multiply very quickly. Anglers consider it excellent bait when fishing for members of the Salmon family. They catch it in small nets and also with small hooks using various insects or small pieces of worm.