The Shoal Chub is found throughout central North America from Texas to Minnesota in the Great Lakes, Gulf Coast, and Mississippi River drainages, including the Tennessee and Cumberland river drainages. As the common name suggests, Shoal Chubs live in shallow and fast-flowing water over gravel in small to large rivers. Like other members of the genus Macrhybopsis, Shoal Chubs have a large rounded snout and barbels with taste buds at the corners of their mouth.