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I bought a fishing license

Started by Guest_EricaWieser_* , Jan 05 2012 08:37 PM

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35 replies to this topic

#21 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 08 January 2012 - 04:21 PM

The second park we went to, which was a less desirable backup due to its fountain and manmade banks, had zero fish life visible except for three large goldfish.

Now I'm stuck with red worms, which my fish (Elassoma gilberti, guppies) can't eat and I don't know what to do with.

Edit:
Oh, and how random is it that the parks in North Carolina apparently close in the winter? Our parks back in Ohio didn't close for the winter and there was actual snow on the ground. Here in NC it hit 70 degrees yesterday, on January 7th. There is absolutely no reason to close down the parks.

Oh, Erica, I am sorry. That's really a bummer. I hate getting all excited about something only to have it fall through. Sometimes the theme for the day seems to be "Thwarted at the moat".

Not sure about all parks in NC, but I'm sure there is somewhere you can go. Gerald might be able to suggest a good spot for you to try.

For the "red worms", are they red wigglers? If so, you can use the to set up an indoor compost bin. Google red worm compost, and you'll see a million websites. You probably don't have enough to start of full-running bin, but use the concept to start up a little container and you'll at least be able to keep them alive until you can use them. And they will most likely reproduce so perhaps eventually you'll have enough for a full compost setup.

#22 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 08 January 2012 - 05:47 PM

For the "red worms", are they red wigglers? If so, you can use the to set up an indoor compost bin. Google red worm compost, and you'll see a million websites. You probably don't have enough to start of full-running bin, but use the concept to start up a little container and you'll at least be able to keep them alive until you can use them. And they will most likely reproduce so perhaps eventually you'll have enough for a full compost setup.

That's an interesting thought, but unfortunately I am not a homeowner. I'm afraid the smell would be overwhelmingly unpleasant in my tiny apartment.

Is there any disease that could be accidentally imparted to the local earthworms if I just took these worms and dumped them in the leaf litter outside? Is there an earthworm version of disease like chytrid for frogs that I should worry about?

Edited by EricaWieser, 08 January 2012 - 05:48 PM.

#23 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 08 January 2012 - 06:17 PM

That's really the neat thing about red wiggler composting. When done correctly, there is little to no odor. You keep them in a bin under the sink. It's sort of like culturing grindal worms, only a touch larger.

#24 Guest_smilingfrog_*

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Posted 08 January 2012 - 09:36 PM

Just how closed is the park? What I mean is, do they care if you park your car outside the gate and walk in? I was visiting family in Iowa over Christmas and a nearby state park closes for the winter, but people are allowed to walk in, they just can't drive in. We went out to it and hiked around and ran into several other people doing the same. Basically I think they just close it so they don't have to maintain the roads over the winter. North Carolina may be different but it would be worth looking into. Of course if it's a big park and you need to go several miles into it to get to the water you may not want to even if you can.

#25 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 08 January 2012 - 09:49 PM

Just how closed is the park? What I mean is, do they care if you park your car outside the gate and walk in? I was visiting family in Iowa over Christmas and a nearby state park closes for the winter, but people are allowed to walk in, they just can't drive in. We went out to it and hiked around and ran into several other people doing the same. Basically I think they just close it so they don't have to maintain the roads over the winter. North Carolina may be different but it would be worth looking into. Of course if it's a big park and you need to go several miles into it to get to the water you may not want to even if you can.

We wondered the same thing, so we called the department in charge of the park. They weren't open on Sundays, so we decided not to hop the gate without their permission. I really can't afford to pay any fines right now.

#26 Guest_frigginchi_*

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Posted 08 January 2012 - 10:12 PM

If a ranger rolls up use the "don't you know who I am" line.

We wondered the same thing, so we called the department in charge of the park. They weren't open on Sundays, so we decided not to hop the gate without their permission. I really can't afford to pay any fines right now.

#27 Guest_smilingfrog_*

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Posted 08 January 2012 - 10:21 PM

Forgot to add that I second the idea of keeping your worms. I tried the compost idea several years ago, just buying a few from the pet store as a starter. I just kept them in an icecream bucket and sealed the lid, opening it to add food every few days allowed plenty of air exchange. It never had any bad odor, just a kind of earthy smell that you had to practically stick your head in the bucket to even notice. You won't be able to add large amounts of kitchen scraps with so few worms, but I found that throwing a used tea bag in once or twice a week kept them going, they also liked coffee grounds and ground up eggshells. You should be able to keep your bait supply going for quite a while this way.

#28 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 09 January 2012 - 11:46 AM

Cost of staffing it may be the reason. NC State Parks are open year round, although certain trails might close in winter or after hurricanes. If that was a city or county park, they may not have the budget for year-round operation, especilly if there's little public demand for winter use. Rhodes Pond NE of Fayetteville is accessible anytime (in the Cape Fear River basin).

There is absolutely no reason to close down the parks.

#29 Guest_Kanus_*

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Posted 10 January 2012 - 05:46 PM

Sorry to hear your park was closed Erica. It must just be certain ones though, because I went to a park in Charlotte on saturday to collect redlip shiners.

#30 Guest_jetajockey_*

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Posted 16 March 2012 - 02:07 AM

On the subject of microfishing, I've found that if you are just looking for something that'll work in a pinch, look in the saltwater fishing section for 'sabiki' rigs. It's a length of line with small offshoots and flies attached to it. They come in different sizes, and tipped with a piece of worm they work great for shiners. I've only used them a few times, but it seemed like a good method to sample an area that you either had poor visibility or didn't want to really get into.

Something like this http://www.edgeangli...ding Sabiki Rig , they are found here at walmart and basically anywhere that has saltwater gear, might be a little harder to find inland.

#31 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 16 March 2012 - 10:24 AM

Thank you for the suggestion. That sabiki line has lots of little hooks. It's a neat idea.

#32 Guest_Auban_*

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Posted 14 April 2012 - 01:11 AM

i have spent a LOT of time staring underwater at both blackbanded sunfish and bluespotted sunfish. both species are in nearly every creek, stream, and lake around my location. one thing i have noticed is that they dart after grass shrimp as soon as they see them. i often catch severel of them(shrimp) and keep them in a net near a fish that i am watching until the fish comes back out. when it does i slowly let the shrimp go, and the fish have a field day. i have tried it with a small hook in the past, and i know of at LEAST one time where a two inch blackbanded sunfish bit(yes, i was fishing with my face in the water and the hook two feet away), but the hook didnt set. i am still trying to figure the hook situation out, but i know that Enneacanthus species will go after grass shrimp if they are present in the same water, which they are in most lakes.

#33 Guest_don212_*

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Posted 29 April 2012 - 09:32 PM

flyfishing stores often sell tiny plastic artificial worms that can easily be cut and threaded on small hooks, a fly tippet( leader) is extremely sensitive and almost invisible, you can tie this onto a light weight fiberglass crappie pole, no reel, you want a tiny float, or maybe a flyfishermans dropper rig, a dressed dry fly, with your bait tied below it, use as little wt as possible.