Freshwater · Spring to fall; best in late spring and summer

Fallfish

Semotilus corporalis

The fallfish is the east's biggest chub — the 'poor man's salmon' of Quebec, New Brunswick and New England rivers. In Canada it is common in Quebec and the Maritimes, where it takes spinners and flies willingly in flowing water.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Fallfish — Photo: Alexander Y. Suvorov, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Large, silvery minnow with big scales and a slightly down-turned mouth
No spot at the dorsal-fin base; fins often pinkish in breeding males
Dark-edged scales give a cross-hatched look on the back
Forked tail and a complete lateral line
Breeding males develop tubercles and a rosy-gold flush

Habits

Lives in rivers and large streams, larger water than creek chub prefers
Feeds on insects, larvae, small fish and crayfish at the surface and mid-water
Builds pebble mound nests in spring, used later by other minnows
Rises to dry flies and strikes small spinners like a small trout
Schools in pools and runs through summer

Distribution

Québec City, QC · Quebec★ Primary

Saint John, NB · New Brunswick★ Primary

Portland, ME · Maine★ Primary

Boston, MA · New England★ Primary

Sudbury, ON · OntarioCommon

Halifax, NS · Nova ScotiaCommon

Charlottetown, PE · Prince Edward IslandCommon

New York, NY · New YorkCommon

Where to find them

Pool tails and rocky runs in Quebec and New Brunswick rivers
Below riffles and bridges on Maritime streams
Stream mouths and current seams entering lakes

Where they live

Rivers and large streams with riffles and poolsRocky runs and pool tailsStream mouths entering lakes

How to catch them

Small spinner in runs River

Rig: Light spinning rod, small spinners and spoons cast across riffles and pool tails

Bait/lure: Small spinners, spoons

Key tip: Retrieve steadily through the current seam — fallfish hit like trout and fight well on light tackle.

Fly fishing — dry and wet River

Rig: Light fly rod, dry flies and wet flies drifted through pools and runs

Bait/lure: Dry flies, wet flies

Key tip: Present a dry fly over a pool tail at dusk; fallfish rise freely and are a fine training trout substitute.

Best baits & lures

Small spinners and spoonsDry flies and wet fliesWorms on small hooks

Techniques for Fallfish →

Baseline setup

Rod: Light 6 ft spinning rod or light fly rod
Line: 4-6 lb mono
Terminal: Small spinners, dry and wet flies, size 8-12 hooks

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

9' 5-weight fly rod outfit

≈ US$180-260

Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.

Flies · Budget

Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)

≈ US$25-40

Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.

Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.

Typical size

Common 7-11 in; large fish to about 17 in

On the table

Fair — soft and bony like other chubs; best smoked or released.

Similar species

Creek ChubCreek chub is smaller and stouter with a dark spot at the dorsal-fin base; fallfish is larger, more silvery and spotless at the dorsal base

Common ShinerCommon shiner is a much smaller, deep-bodied creek fish rarely over 6 in; fallfish is a large river fish reaching well over a foot

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

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