Some darters...

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Jason B
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Location: KY: Woodford Co.

Some darters...

Post by Jason B »

I enjoy searching for darters almost as much as salamanders - both hunts involve exploring unique and tranquil settings. In Kentucky few activities beat snorkeling a cold, clear riffle and observing the native assemblage. Shiners and dace flicker like jewels in the water column, smallmouth bass devour invertebrates dislodged by my search and quirky darters play hide and seek between boulders and beneath cobble. Here's a few darter portraits from this year:

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Etheostoma variatum – Variegate darter

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Percina stictogaster - Freckle-bellied darter

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Percina caprodes - Logperch

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Etheostoma baileyi – Emerald darter

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Etheostoma cinerum – Ashy darter

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Etheostoma sanguifluum – Bloodfin darter

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Etheostoma flabellare – Fantailed darter

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Etheostoma nigrum – Johnny darter

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Etheostoma blenoides – Greenside darter

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Etheostoma saggita – Arrow darter

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Percina maculata - Blackside darter

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Etheostoma simoterum – Snubnose darter

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Etheostoma caeruleum – Rainbow darter



As a bonus can you find all the sculpin among the pebbles? There’s ten…
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Cottus bairdi
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Tim Borski
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Re: Some darters...

Post by Tim Borski »

Nice. As a kid there were "Johnnies" and Rainbows where I lived...is "Johnny Darter" a generic term? Cool pic of the sculpins.

I've got a very funny story regarding a giant (relative word) Brook trout, my Dad's Jiffy, power ice auger, a large under cut bank along a small stream and a Sculpin (Muddler) for bait. I got the Brookie but completely ruined the auger. Maybe I'll tell it sometime... :mrgreen:
Tim

PS: I think Darters were sometimes called "stone rollers?"
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Jason B
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Re: Some darters...

Post by Jason B »

Thanks Tim. Johnny darter refers to Etheostoma nigrum - a small, delicate darter common in small to mid-sized streams with a large distribution in eastern North America from Canada to Alabama.

Is 'Muddler' a common name for sculpin where you're from? I've heard locals call them Mollygogs here and in Tennessee.

'Stoneroller' is the common name for minnows of the Genus Campostoma. During spawning season a male stoneroller constructs a nest by piling pebbles with his snout and mouth. Female stonerollers - and other minnow species - spawn on the nests. The structure provides protection for the eggs and larvae without the parents having to guard them.
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Jason B
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Re: Some darters...

Post by Jason B »

Here's a few habitat shots:

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Tim Borski
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Re: Some darters...

Post by Tim Borski »

Jason, great hab shots! Yes, Sculpins are generally referred to as "Muddlers" where I grew up in central WI. There is even an extremely famous fishing fly called the "Muddler minnow." It has probably "spawned" thousands of variations over the years do to it's effectiveness.
Tim
Kanus
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Re: Some darters...

Post by Kanus »

Wow, awesome. Congrats on the cinerum. I've heard they are hard to find. I can't wait to head west to TN or KY and see all those darter species...
millside
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Re: Some darters...

Post by millside »

okay, you blew my mind,
very nice finds and pics of all
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pete
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Re: Some darters...

Post by pete »

WAY COOL!! :thumb:
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Jason B
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Re: Some darters...

Post by Jason B »

I'm glad you guys enjoyed the post.

Kanus - The ashy was completely unexpected. I was very lucky with that find.

Jb
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BillMcGighan
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Re: Some darters...

Post by BillMcGighan »

Very, very nice post.

Jason B
I enjoy searching for darters almost as much as salamanders - both hunts involve exploring unique and tranquil settings.
That's a really good point, Jason. I think that has been one of the major factors for why I prefer wild trout fishing to all other fishing.
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Dell Despain
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Location: Montana

Re: Some darters...

Post by Dell Despain »

Very interesting post, I usually don't think about darters at all, other then wondering if trout are eating streamers today or not. I'd love to see you do a post on Mottled Sculpin if you could. I might even try and do a small one myself as I get to seine for insect life in rivers quite a bit and kick up Sculpin all the time in the seine.
Thanks for the post.

-Dell
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Andy Avram
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Re: Some darters...

Post by Andy Avram »

I enjoy searching for darters almost as much as salamanders
You should. You live in the darter epicenter. Very cool post of some very cool fish. I keep a large aquarium full of darters and other Ohio stream fish.

Andy
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Russ_Jones
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Re: Some darters...

Post by Russ_Jones »

i love this thread :) Darters are fantastic, I have spend many fond hours netting and trapping them, only to be released after being ID'd. Great photography, thanks for posting this.

Cheers!

R~
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Jason B
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Re: Some darters...

Post by Jason B »

Bill - Thanks. I love your avatar, BTW. I saw a Gyrinophilus in a cave in south central TN back in July - it escaped before I could make a proper ID. I told myself that it wasn't a big deal, probably just G. porphyriticus. A couple weeks ago a buddy told me he found two G. palleucus in that same cave...

Dell - I don't have many Sculpin pictures, but I'll try and nab some more. They're voracious little fish; I look forward to seeing your post.

Russ, Andy - Thanks. I've enjoyed 'photo and release', but I could see the appeal of having a 'native fishes' tank.
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Steve Atkins
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Re: Some darters...

Post by Steve Atkins »

I'm a little late to this party, I just found the thread, I love it :thumb:

Are you taking those pics with an underwater camera or are you putting them in holding containers for the shots?

I'm planning a large native fish aquarium for a children's museum in Asheville, this thread has really peaked my interest.
VICtort
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Re: Some darters...

Post by VICtort »

That is really cool, like yourself, I often put on a mask, snorkel and fins and go fish watching. Despite the amazing biological diversity in California, our native freshwater fishes are now quite limited. We are dominated with imports, including Log Perch, which were probably accidentally introduced with small mouth or other game fish stocking efforts. Thanks for posting, underwater shots of fresh water fish are a seldom seen treat.

Vic
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Jason B
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Re: Some darters...

Post by Jason B »

Steve - Thanks, many of the shots were taken underwater with a pentax PNS. Occasionally I'll take the time to build a set in the field with a small aquarium and use my DSLR. The really crisp shots were taken with the aquarium method. I saw some gorgeous rainbow darters today - they are really coming into their breeding coloration here.

Vic - thanks. Kentucky has more miles of stream than any state except Alaska. This part of the county is blessed with incredible fish and aquatic invertebrate diversity. A new crayfish was recently described from western Kentucky / Tn, adults are the size of small lobster!
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