Down The Home Stretch

[Ham]

Photo tanks don’t last long when I take em creeking.

[Ham]

84) Western Blacktail Shiner

Sorry John

[Ham]

85) Mississippi Silverside

 I figured out how to catch Brook Silversides a few years ago. They are plentiful in Bill Shoals and Lake Norfork as well as the creeks and rivers. They are speed freaks. They require a moving target.

So, fast forward to last fall. I talked to a couple of older guys in a tiny cluttered boat that had to show me the pile of fish they had caught. Blues, Channel Cats, White Bass, etc. it didn’t seem like they released much. They had a cast net piled in with everything else and they gathered their bait locally. Laying around the bottom of the boat where scattered pieces of bait they had dropped. There was so much clutter that I don’t think the guys could move from where they sat. There were threadfin and/ or small gizzard Shad  sprinkled about, but also some big Silversides that were not Brook Silversides so of course I had to figure out how to catch them. Eventually. I stayed focused on the temperate basses and gamefish for the moment.

Fast forward to April this year, I went to Dardenelle to catch everything. One of my main targets was those Silversides which I had determined were Mississippi Silversides. I could see one every now and again, but I could not get their interest. I assumed there weren’t many on the rocks right then, but a local arrived and threw his cast net right where I had been fishing and he caught a pile of Silversides. I do occasionally know when to cut my losses. I decided I would have to try again some other day. 
Yesterday, the bill came due for the Mississippi Silversides.

Still, it wasn’t easy. I got lots of looks from those little turds and even hooked a couple in the first few minutes, but I kept swapping flys changing size and colors until I managed  to get one to hand. Much much smaller than the big ones that swim there. I assume the larger ones hang deeper maybe. Silversides have a fascinating life cycle that is very brief. They grow very quickly, but most don’t live long. I would love to have caught a hold over that was 5 inches long instead of the 1/2 grown ones that I was dealing with.

I had to catch four to get one that the fly stayed in it’s mouth long enough for a picture. Hopefully, I’m done screwing around with these guys. Pretty frustrating little fish. 
on a positive note, They don’t immediately die on you like the Brook Silversides do. 

[Terrierman]

Good Luck Ham.  This has been a fun thread to follow.

[Terrierman]

I'm starting to self identify as a vicarious micro fish life lister.

[jdmidwest]

2 hours ago, Terrierman said:

I'm starting to self identify as a vicarious micro fish life lister.

Male, female, or Non Binary?

[Johnsfolly]

3 hours ago, Terrierman said:

I'm starting to self identify as a vicarious micro fish life lister.

Keep that up Rick and I may have to send you a headlamp and Tanago hooks😉😁

[Terrierman]

1 hour ago, jdmidwest said:

Male, female, or Non Binary?

That doesn't seem to be a gender sensitive matter.  I have it on good authority that the rolls are open to all.

[Terrierman]

1 hour ago, Johnsfolly said:

Keep that up Rick and I may have to send you a headlamp and Tanago hooks😉😁

Vicarious John.  Vicarious.

[FishnDave]

11 hours ago, jdmidwest said:

Male, female, or Non Binary?

  I read that if you like both men AND women, but they don't like you...you should identify as "bi-yourself".

 

And that's how threads get derailed. 😁

Back to Ham's quest!!