Johnny Darter fishing in Canada

Etheostoma nigrum

Documented at

2,037 waters

Primary species at

0 waters

Ideal water temp

15°C

Active range

8–21°C

Best johnny darter waters today

Scored for 2026-09-14 from live weather, water temperature and this species’ own thermal range.

1. Sims CreekRiver73
2. Vista Lake (Fort Frances)Lake72
3. Lake of the Woods (lac des Bois)Lake71
4. Victoria Lake (Ignace)Lake70
5. Bluffpoint Lake (Fort Frances)Lake70
6. Cliff Lake (Vermilion Bay)Lake70
7. Hawk Lake (Kenora)Lake70
8. Longbow Lake (Kenora)Lake70
9. Caviar Lake (Vermilion Bay)Lake70
10. Big Trout LakeLake70

How to fish for johnny darter

Johnny darter are a common, widespread little darter of sandy and gravelly pools and runs in streams, rivers, and lake shallows, one of the most adaptable and frequently-encountered of their group. They dart along the bottom feeding on tiny invertebrates, and males guard eggs under stones. They aren't an angling target - they're a forage fish, prey for bass and other predators. On a location page, Johnny darter are context about a water's bottom-dwelling forage base rather than a species to fish for.

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