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How to catch Mummichog

Fundulus heteroclitus (Linnaeus, 1766)

About Mummichog fishing

The mummichog is a small, robust killifish belonging to the family Fundulidae, featuring an elongate yet thick body with a deep caudal peduncle, an upturned mouth, and rounded pectoral and caudal fins. Reaching a common length around nine centimetres and a maximum of fifteen centimetres, males develop striking dark olive-green backs, steel-blue sides adorned with silvery vertical bars, and yellowish bellies during the breeding season, while females remain paler and uniform. This benthopelagic resident inhabits shallow coastal waters, saltwater marshes, tidal creeks, and brackish estuaries down to five metres depth, demonstrating extraordinary tolerance for wide temperature and salinity ranges. Operating primarily as an omnivorous scavenger and micro-predator feeding on small invertebrates, insects, and plant matter, it forms dense schools and exhibits strong site fidelity within intertidal zones. Although widely valued as an extremely hardy live bait for larger predatory game fish, its aggressive adaptability has also led to concerns regarding introduction outside its native range.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    8.9 cm TL

  • Habitat

    Freshwater, Brackish, Saltwater

  • Season

    Spring, Summer, Autumn

  • Also known as

    Killifish

Mummichog

Dark Bars

Dark vertical bars alternating with silvery interspaces identify this male mummichog.

Dorsal Ocellus

Small ocellus spot at rear of dorsal fin distinguishes male from similar species.

Convex Profile

Distinctly convex upper profile separates this species from Fundulus grandis.

Mummichog fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    8.9 cm TL (max 15 cm TL )

  • Typical weight

    0.2 kg (max 0 kg )

  • Preferred temperature

    6.1–23.7 °C

  • Depth

    0–5 m

  • Longevity

    4 years

  • Body shape

    Fusiform / Normal

  • Vulnerability score

    18.8

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Low

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Peak

  • Midday

    High sun

    Active

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Peak

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Low

  • Night

    After dark

    Low

When to fish for Mummichog

01
January
02
February
03
March
04
April
05
May
06
June
07
July
08
August
09
September
10 Now
October
11
November
12
December

How to catch Mummichog

Tips for catching Mummichog

Target this hardy intertidal species around shallow muddy creeks, salt marshes, and sheltered estuarine margins where shoals congregate over soft bottoms. Float fishing with a light tackle setup using small pieces of garden worm or tiny marine shrimp suspended just above the substrate yields consistent results. Approach shallow zones quietly during rising tides when these active foragers move closer to the banks in search of small invertebrates and detritus. Keep terminal tackle extremely delicate with micro hooks to match the small upturned mouth of the fish.

Other names for Mummichog

Local and alternate names anglers use for Mummichog.

  • Mummichog
  • Killifish

Best equipment to catch Mummichog

Compare fishing methods for Mummichog — sized kit for each technique.

Note: Typical fish is 0.2 kg Our algorithm will suggest the best equipment for you based on this weight.

Best lures and baits for Mummichog

Ranked lures and natural baits from every method, best first.

Where Mummichog spends the year — Non-migratory

Stays in the same waters year-round. Look for it on the same grounds rather than timing a run.

Where Mummichog spends the year — Non-migratory 1. Eggs: Laid on the home grounds. 2. Juveniles: Grow up close by. 3. Adults: Keep to a small home range. 4. Spawners: Spawn on the same grounds, with only short moves.
Same water all year

1 Eggs

Same water all year

Laid on the home grounds.

2 Juveniles

Same water all year

Grow up close by.

3 Adults

Same water all year

Keep to a small home range.

4 Spawners

Same water all year

Spawn on the same grounds, with only short moves.

Hover or tap a number to read each stage.

Diet and behavior of Mummichog

  • Diet

    Carnivore

  • Feeds by

    Mixed feeder

  • Hunts

    Morning · Afternoon

  • Feeds over

    Intertidal

Prey and predators of Mummichog

Prey is what Mummichog eats. Predators are the animals that eat it.

That is how it feeds, and how it is hunted.

Prey

What it eats

Other prey

  • fish eggs eggs

Predators

What hunts it

Fish

  • Carcharhinus plumbeus juv./adults
  • Morone saxatilis juv./adults
  • Mustelus canis juv./adults
  • Pomatomus saltator juv./adults

Where Mummichog lives

Lives near the bottom but swims in the water just above it. Cover the lower column, not only the mud.

Habitats
Freshwater, Brackish, Saltwater
Depth zone
Sublittoral
Continental shelf · 0–5 m
Water column
Benthopelagic
Just above the bed

Where this species lives