Taylor Blake Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Who all on here has done a fish collecting trip? I used to collect sunfish and other natives back when I was legally aloud to do so but now I can't do it alone because of local laws. How many of you have your own collection story's and pictures. I also want to here about if you have gotten fish from out of the country like a Amazon or Africa trip. Again I would love pictures and for you to talk about your experience. Here is a photo of some of my natives that I had to buy 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 I collect fish and plants in Eastern North Carolina from time to time. During my most recent outing in October I found a ditch just on the Kinston NC city limits located both the highway and Duke Power right of way, so I felt free to collect aquatic plants from the ditch. The ditch was not a pretty sight. But it had good stuff. Bacopa, Ludwigia, Parrot feather and more. The parrot feather was especially nice in places Bladderwort was abundant Also netted a couple of Blue Spotted Sunfish and lots of grass shrimp. I usually go further east to get pygmy sunfish (Elassoma sp). 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Great question! Haven’t done a native or wild-caught trip yet, but am keeping darters and rainbow shiners like you! Also got a grumpy Apistogramma from the Peruvian Amazon. Project Amazonas is what many of the folks in our fish club have traveled with. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalita Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Wow! I think I'd end up with trout, perch or minnows if I tried this. Or leeches. Definitely leeches. 😄 I also caught a catfish once while fishing... is it hypocritical to go fish and keep fish? 🤔 I usually catch and release... 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Another US native species we just got... Floridae Jordanelle (Florida Flagfish) are about the size of Platys now... pretty shy, and not being photogenic today... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Got the binomial name wrong: it's Jordanella floridae. And here's a 2 min clip of the Rainbow Shiners and Florida Flagfish. Flaggies are excellent algae eaters! If you watch, they emerge from the lower right-hand side at about 30 seconds in, and move across to the back to graze on some algae growing on the wood. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy's Fish Den Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 I have not gone collecting for natives yet, unless you call fishing for walleye and yellow perch on Lake Erie collecting 🙂 But, my local fish club is planning to do a collecting trip this spring in a local stream or two. Ohio has a weekend in May or June that any resident can fish in the state for free, you don't need a fishing license. They do it then to help bring out the people who probably wouldn't come at another time because you need to have a fishing license to collect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Peru and Florida for me! I can't wait to do more collecting whether it is domestic in the USA or overseas. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, Randy said: Peru and Florida for me! I can't wait to do more collecting whether it is domestic in the USA or overseas. @Randy Your interviews with Devon Graham and Michael Barber were great! Thanks for making those, Randy. For anyone interested in a really deep dive into collecting in the Peruvian Amazon, kick back and listen to these two interviews from the Aquarist Podcast archives. The grumpy Apistogramma bitaeniata, photographed above, was collected on this trip! Edited March 31, 2021 by Fish Folk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 I would love to collect fish form our local river but I have no idea where to start. The local college has a professor who studies the local ecology though, so I bet I can get some tips from her or tag along if she ever goes collecting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 47 minutes ago, Hobbit said: I would love to collect fish form our local river but I have no idea where to start. The local college has a professor who studies the local ecology though, so I bet I can get some tips from her or tag along if she ever goes collecting. Ask if there’s any native Darters. They’re really adorable! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 17 minutes ago, Fish Folk said: Ask if there’s any native Darters. They’re really adorable! I have collected very colorful native darters in Scotland County, NC but since I didn't have a way to identify them in the field I put them back. But whew! They sure were pretty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 15 minutes ago, Daniel said: I have collected very colorful native darters in Scotland County, NC but since I didn't have a way to identify them in the field I put them back. But whew! They sure were pretty. Nothing so beautiful as native darters from cool swift waters! NANFA has some neat archived articles posted on aquarium keeping and breeding. They do like _flow_ down low in the tank! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Yeah, I was poking around in a creek that was flowing from a field and then under the highway. The creek was unexpectedly cold with a very brisk bold flow. It taught where to look if you want to find darters. I definitely didn't expect to find them in Scotland County. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 This is a NANFA hosted photo... no exaggeration! I’d say North American Natives have a lot of potential! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Here is a photo of a pinewoods darter (caught on hook and line) from near where I netted my darters: 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 Here’s the endangered Vermillion Darter from Turkey Creek that got me fascinated with the species... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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