FishnDave

Congratulations on your Anniversary tomorrow!

Longear Sunfish: Smallmouth Bass: Spotted Bass: The horizontal lower flank stripes suggest a Spotted x Smallmouth hybrid: Disjunct Studfish: a Striped Shiner with some breeding coloration:

Another stellar outing. 13 species day. Here's some of the better stuff. Shortnose Gar on a Gamechanger! Rock Bass: Warmouth: Redear Sunfish: Bluegill: Hybrid Sunfish:

Awesome! I feel like Bowfin are finally starting to get the respect they deserve as a bonafide gamefish.

This one, unfortunately, was foul-hooked... in the eye socket of an already messed-up eye on the far side. But it was a massive fish, and fought like one. Ancient, could be older than me! 36.5" long. Very heavy fish. I've ran some depth vs standard length calculations to try and determine whether this is a Black Buffalo or Smallmouth Buffalo. The calcs didn't work out to be in the range of either fish. I saw this : "Black Buffalo often hybridize with other buffalofish, which further complicates positive identification." Opinions are welcome.

Caught a number of Freshwater Drum. Biggest was this 25" fattie: Caught some Bigmouth Buffalo and Black Buffalo while flyfishing. A few were foul-hooked, but several of each species also ate the fly. This one measured 31":

Got my first White Bass of the year. And Yellow Bass: And Channel Catfish And Spotted Gar: Some repeat species as well... Green Sunfish, Bluegill.....White Crappie: Black Crappie: Bowfin:

Spotted Bass 3 Grass Carp Four Deer Raccoon

Some Green Sunfish Shortnose Gar: A couple Bowfin: 30.25" Shortnose Gar: Tiny crappie! Bluegill:

With big ol' sunfish like those on patrol... I can see why the bowfin were spooky. And those sunfish and small gar probably had the bass all scared and pinned into a corner somewhere.

After getting skunked by Bowfin after too many tries this year at my usual swamp, I went to another spot to try for them. I was hoping to not have to resort to it....it doesn't always pay off either, and I've gotten Lone Star ticks several times there. But I went. And finally scored! Probably lost 5 or 6, but landed 3! And a half dozen crappies.... although two of the crappies were recaptures on the day! The recaptures happened 9 minutes and 15 minutes after the first capture... so I guess I didn't treat them too poorly the first time.

Happy Birthday and Retirement!