longnose dace
Rhinichthys cataractae
Small river fish of fast water, which forms schools, reaches 22.5 cm and is widely used as bait in the United States.
Also called: carpa-de-focinho-longo, carpita rinconera, longnose dace
- maximum
- 22 cm
who is the longnose dace
Freshwater fish of the family Leuciscidae, reaching 22.5 cm. It lives in gravel and stone riffles of fast streams and small to medium rivers, and also along rocky lake margins. Adults form schools and eat insects, such as mayflies, black flies and small midges. They spawn over stones and gravel. In fishing, it is widely used as bait in the United States. It occurs in North America, north of 40 degrees north latitude, and in northern Mexico, in the Rio Grande basin.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the longnose dace.
fun facts
- Juveniles are pelagic for up to four months before they begin living on the bottom.
identification
Elongated fish with a long snout that overhangs the mouth. There is no groove between the upper lip and the tip of the snout, and there is a barbel near the mouth. It forms schools in currents and tends to stay near the bottom, among rocks and gravel of fast rivers. To tell it apart from other small carps, look at the long snout and the barbel.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Native to North America and, in Latin America, to northern Mexico, in the Rio Grande basin. It is not recorded in Brazil.
Habitat: Gravel and stone riffles in fast streams and small to medium rivers.
rules for the longnose dace
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
A small, harmless fish. When returning it, hold it with a wet hand and release it promptly into the water.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00724, b = 3.15; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Rhinichthys cataractae (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Rhinichthys cataractaeNames by country and language.