Native Species to try and Catch

[Johnsfolly]

These are fish that get me excited and willing to travel to find and catch. So many natives and so little time 😉

https://blog.nature.org/science/2021/06/07/9-cool-freshwater-fish-youve-never-heard-of/

[Ham]

Fun read. 

[tjm]

what fly for the algae eaters?

[Quillback]

Don't believe I have ever seen a chiselmouth despite fishing in the area where they live.  In fact, never heard of them until reading that article.

[Johnsfolly]

20 minutes ago, Quillback said:

Don't believe I have ever seen a chiselmouth despite fishing in the area where they live.  In fact, never heard of them until reading that article.

I've  been seeing a bunch of life listers going after those guys. Seems like there is a location that most folks go to catch one. I tabled looking at them to focus on east coast lifers.

[jdmidwest]

I have caught Horny Heads on the fly.  I have caught Buffalo on spin gear.

[Ham]

So, it seems like a lot of fish that predominately eat algae or detritus aren’t opposed to a little protein to the diet. It can be scuds or insect larvae or tiny crawfish. In theory, if you pick some tiny buggy looking thing and present it appropriately some oddball fish are going to eat it occasionally.

now, I’m I going t be patient enough to do the right thing for a couple hours without a bite? Sadly, not likely. I probably lack the patience to grind out Pygmy sunfish because you have to drop tiny baits into small holes in vegetation over and over and over again until the stars align. 

I also believe that during certain times of year you get  reaction strikes that are way outside the normal behavior of that fish. I wish I knew how to take advantage of that better, but I’m always trying.

for example, I caught a Striped mullet on a Spinnerbait. He smacked the crap out of it and the hook was way down his gullet. Only time that’s ever happen for me and I used to fish around mullet a lot.

Gizzard Shad are normally pretty shy about hitting baits, but there are windows when they will. I think it tends to be either when plankton numbers are super low and they get hungry or related to spawning

ive seen Gizzard Shad following spawning White Bass around enough to make me think they maybe feeding on the eggs. I think I’ve seen common carp feeding on crappie eggs that were being deposited in a brush pile. Carp are a lot more aggressive towards baits in early spring. They seem really hangry. 

[Quillback]

I have caught a couple of carp on jerk baits in the winter, they grab it when it is paused.  I have to think they see an easy meal and go for it.

[JestersHK]

Hey I caught me one of those lumpy headed bait ones.   I've been up to bear lake as well on the Utah Idaho border and it's beautiful for sure.  Looks fake it's so blue.  

[Johnsfolly]

1 hour ago, JestersHK said:

Hey I caught me one of those lumpy headed bait ones.   I've been up to bear lake as well on the Utah Idaho border and it's beautiful for sure.  Looks fake it's so blue.  

Hey DJ got any photos? You know that @snagged in outlet 3 loves photos😅