Had a good time yesterday checking out some places with two of our newest members Sam and Andrew as well as a friend they brought along. The first couple places didn't give us anything but a few small minnows. The last place we checked Otter Creek turned up a few nice fish. The fish were in a bit deeper water and I couldn't believe when I saw these guys taking off their shoes and rolling up their pant legs to jump right in and do some collecting. Mind you though we've had a mild winter the water is still COLD.... But check out Alec in shorts! This is how the younger guys roll in February up in Iowa! I was able to get Andrew to wear my chestwaders after awhile.The bigger darters were in breeding color already which I really didn't expect but I usually don't go collecting this early in the year. And while these guys took a few fish home I got what I wanted also quite a few nice gammarus and larvae . Some of the pics I post were in an inpromto photo box made of a collectind cup I purchased from a fish store with some aquarium backing taped to it so they didn't come out as well as I'd have liked them to.

Edited by Ken, 21 February 2012 - 11:04 AM.

More pics.....

Beautiful Rainbow...

Nice find on the Rainbow, all I ever seem to snare are E. nigrum and the odd E. exile when it comes to darters. (This did take place in Iowa right?) What drainage was this in? There are a lot of "Otter Creeks" scattered around this state...

yes it was in iowa, it was in toddville im not too sure what drainage but google maps will tell you

Otter Creek drains into the Wapsipinicon River.

OS if you're ever around Cedar Rapids let me know and I can take you there.