Here's something important to know about golden shiner spawning habits. They start somewhere near 68 degrees, F. Even though spawning may continue for several weeks, it doesn't necessarily mean it happens that way all the time, in every pond. Individual females spawn one set of eggs each year, as they mature, based on available males and available spawning substrate. If the spawn does drag out over several months, it's because something is missing. Not all eggs mature at the same time, so she may lay the mature ones, wait a few days, lay some more, and so on, until finished. While fathead minnows and threadfin shad females develop more eggs in their ovaries, and spawn several times because of that, shiners don't. Shiners go until done, in the spring. Commercial growers use artificial substrate for broodfish to spawn, then move the eggs to grow out ponds, where they hatch and are fed and/or kept in fertile water.
One more important factoid. Commercial producers change broodfish yearly, using young broodfish, because of an ovarian parasite common in golden shiner females.


Teach a man to grow fish...
He can teach to catch fish...