Golden Shiners

Another excellent food source for growing large trophy bass:  Many Missouri ponds/lakes have few trophy largemouth bass simply because they do not have enough food items of the right size to eat.

Different sizes of bass require different sizes and types of food for optimum growth.  Bass consume 6-10 pounds of prey fish to gain one pound of flesh.  In ponds where food is minimal, bass  get enough food to stay alive but they grow slowly, never reaching their size potential.

Golden shiners are excellent prey for small bass and they also grow large enough (10 inches) to satisfy the appetite of large bass.  In addition to the recommended stocking rate of bluegill sunfish and fathead minnows, golden shiners stocked at 200 - 300 per surface acre in new ponds/lakes can greatly enhance the food chain for trophy bass.  Golden shiners should be restocked every two to three years. 

Golden shiners become sexually mature at the age of 1 year and a length of about 3 inches.  They start spawning when the water temperatures reach 70 degrees F, usually in May, and continue spawning through June.  Some females lay as many as 10,000 eggs.  Eggs are emitted indiscriminately in areas covered with vegetation.   Living plants seem to be preferred spawning substrates, but if they are not available, the fish spawn on debris or plant roots. The eggs are adhesive and cling to the surface of plants, debris and rocks; they hatch in 4 - 8 days at water temperatures of 75 - 80 degrees F.  No protection or care is given to eggs or fry by the adults.

The golden shiner is omnivorous and eats plants and aquatic animals that are small enough for it to digest.  Commercial fish feed is readily accepted.

Golden shiners are delicate and easily damaged and are particularly sensitive to handling in hot weather. 

We sell two sizes of golden shiners, large which are 2-4 inches for initial stocking and X-large, 4”+, for restocking.