The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

This may be a silly question but is there a easy way to identify a dace? Iv had many in the past that I could clearly say where dace. Slim, long, dark fins, but looking back through some photos of roach I started to question there identity. They could be hybrids? I just don't know and would really like to. They seem much to fat but could they just be a good size?

does'nt a Dace's mouth point up for surface feeding ?

you shouldn't be able to mix up Dace and roach ( roach have red fins ) could be bleak your looking at ?

But slightly pink fins but a yellow eye?

I don't think I've ever heard of a dace hybrid, although I maybe wrong? dace are similar to chub, but with a smaller mouth, similar to roach, not pointing up, the fins are a yellowish orange (although quite pale). The best way I would describe them would be a hybrid between a roach and chub (but obviously not!). They are however in my opinion a beautiful fish and underated.

I'm pretty sure that's a dace and a lovely one too!

Ow good, I'm not going mad I hadn't given it much thought at the time after a few trout and roach that day it was just a photo as proof to my dad that I had been catching. On looking back my thoughts turned to it possibly being my PB dace. Nice to know and glad I got a picture.
Thanks for the help

I found that looking at and studying photos of the fish in books really helped me!

That is certainly a fine dace. I don't think I've ever seen a dace hybrid whereas roach/rudd/bream seem to cavort together a lot and produce hybrids that can be confusing.

For Robbi - if its slim and silvery with an upturned mouth then it will be a bleak, they also have a long anal fin when compared to dace, roach or rudd.

River Roach wrote:

Morning River Roach,

......now that's a cracker!

They're typically at their best towards the end of the season, especially after a "good drop of water" and a cold spell.
Quite often the coral colouration in the fins causes some doubt. Some are as rough as sandpaper and ready to spawn..... lovely..... like great big herrings! (I'm off again after them tomorrow morning.....can't wait!).