Author: (Mitchill, 1814)
FBname: Rainbow smelt
Comments: Nerito-pelagic (Ref. 58426).  Inhabits cool clear lakes, medium to large rivers, and coastal waters (Ref. 86798).  A schooling species that occurs in midwater of lakes or inshore coastal waters (Ref. 1998); at temperatures ranging from 7.2-15.6°C.  Coastal population are anadromous (Ref, 86798).  Migrates up to 1,000 km upstream in rivers (Ref. 6793).  Occurs possibly to 425 m (Ref. 2851).  Feeds on invertebrates such as amphipods, ostracods, aquatic insect larvae and aquatic worms (Ref. 1998); food also include copepods, euphausiids, mysids and small fishes (silversides, mummichogs and herring) (Ref. 5951, 10294).  Headed, gutted, sold fresh, frozen and precooked.  Eaten sautéed and fried (Ref. 9988).