I only fished for a short while since I quickly caught what I was after, but I only caught o-spots. I'd like to give it another try to see what else I could find though.
Micro-fishing
Started by
Guest_Skipjack_*
, May 10 2013 11:17 PM
52 replies to this topic
#22
Guest_BenCantrell_*
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Posted 07 June 2013 - 03:25 PM
This thread needs some photos! As a few people have mentioned, microfishing can be an effective way to sample streams. I think it's pretty cool that you can approach the water, look for individual fish, target them, and then catch them without ever turning over a rock or stepping in the stream. Here are the darters I've microfished:
Central Greenside Darter (Etheostoma blennioides pholidotum) - eastern Illinois
Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum) - southeastern Wisconsin
Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum) - southern Missouri
Striped Fantail Darter (Etheostoma flabellare lineolatum) - southern Illinois
Johnny Darter (Etheostoma nigrum) - south central Wisconsin
Orangethroat Darter (Etheostoma spectabile) - southern Illinois
Orangethroat Darter (Etheostoma spectabile) - central Illinois
Central Greenside Darter (Etheostoma blennioides pholidotum) - eastern Illinois
Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum) - southeastern Wisconsin
Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum) - southern Missouri
Striped Fantail Darter (Etheostoma flabellare lineolatum) - southern Illinois
Johnny Darter (Etheostoma nigrum) - south central Wisconsin
Orangethroat Darter (Etheostoma spectabile) - southern Illinois
Orangethroat Darter (Etheostoma spectabile) - central Illinois
#23
Guest_BenCantrell_*
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Posted 07 June 2013 - 03:30 PM
Oops, forgot about the logperch.
Northern Logperch (Percina caprodes semifasciata) - southeastern Wisconsin
Ozark Logperch (Percina caprodes fulvitaenia) - probably an intergrade with other logperch subspecies, southern Illinois
Northern Logperch (Percina caprodes semifasciata) - southeastern Wisconsin
Ozark Logperch (Percina caprodes fulvitaenia) - probably an intergrade with other logperch subspecies, southern Illinois
#25
Guest_AMcCaleb_*
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Posted 11 July 2013 - 09:43 AM
Quick question, is a tiny bit of waxworm the best thing to use for catching darters? Also, what kind of area should I be looking for to find a good spot to microfish? I live in farm country and most all of the creeks and streams by me are farm runoff and really muddy but I was just wondering if there are any specific things I should be looking for?
#27
Guest_BenCantrell_*
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Posted 11 July 2013 - 08:15 PM
Yeah, waxworms mush up too much if you try to break them apart. I use pieces of nightcrawler as bait. Pinch off the tail of the nightcrawler, and then pinch off a very thin cross section of the worm. It should look like a tiny calamari ring. Tear the ring into a strip the right length for the micro hook, and thread it on at least twice.
Here's my 20 second paint rendition. The line is red, hook is black, and strip of nightcrawler is pink. Make sure to leave the tip of the hook exposed. You can catch fish that wouldn't actually be able to get the bait in their mouth when they nip at it.
Maggots and scuds make excellent micro bait as well. I've even used a bit of rubber off an artificial lure, and it worked fine.
Here's my 20 second paint rendition. The line is red, hook is black, and strip of nightcrawler is pink. Make sure to leave the tip of the hook exposed. You can catch fish that wouldn't actually be able to get the bait in their mouth when they nip at it.
Maggots and scuds make excellent micro bait as well. I've even used a bit of rubber off an artificial lure, and it worked fine.
#28
Guest_BenCantrell_*
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Posted 11 July 2013 - 08:26 PM
You'll have to seek out clear water to really enjoy microfishing. Sometimes you can find fish in muddy water, but it's usually not worth the effort. Open google maps, zoom out a bit, and look for forested areas. Then look for streams. Maybe there will be something near you that's not a field drainage ditch.
Also, look at the IL distribution maps for species that live in clear, clean water. The data is old, but should still be useful. You could start with orangethroat darter and rainbow darter, since they're usually found in clear water. The locations that have rare species sampled are usually the gems of the state (the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River is a good example).
http://wwx.inhs.illi...hyology/ilfish/
Also, look at the IL distribution maps for species that live in clear, clean water. The data is old, but should still be useful. You could start with orangethroat darter and rainbow darter, since they're usually found in clear water. The locations that have rare species sampled are usually the gems of the state (the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River is a good example).
http://wwx.inhs.illi...hyology/ilfish/
#30
Guest_Bob_*
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Posted 16 July 2013 - 12:09 PM
One of the local club members and I microfished the C&O Canal in Montgomery County, Maryland. We were going for longear sunfish. But the canal was really low, with only a foot or two of water in it. Not only did we catch lots of longears and other sunnies but we also got a few minnows I couldn't identify as well as a river chub (I think).
Next time I'll have to remember to bring along my Peterson's guide.
Next time I'll have to remember to bring along my Peterson's guide.
#34
Guest_Outdoors4life_*
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Posted 08 August 2013 - 08:49 AM
I will say that CM Stewart made a lot of catches possible by providing us with better hooks. He is great at customer service and if you want to be serious about micro-fishing you should get those hooks. He is the only place I found to get them.
I have found many positives about micro-fishing that help me when fishing other fish also. I have fished for minnows for quite some time and got fed up with getting teased about it. The name Micro-Fishing is now making it popular. I was a little suprised to see this topic over here but I think it is pretty neat. It is great that Catfishcain is writing that book too.
I suggest a good sharp pair of scissors for getting your bait small enough for fish. I usually hook on a small piece of worm skin and then cut it to size with a pair of scissors meant for fly tying. The other thing you can use for bait is a peice of thread. Different colors seem to work better than others. Sometimes even a plain hook works well in clear water and sunny skies. I like the challenge of finding fish and ways to entice them on my own. There is a sense of accomplishment that comes with that.
These are the 2 hooks I use for my micros.
I have found many positives about micro-fishing that help me when fishing other fish also. I have fished for minnows for quite some time and got fed up with getting teased about it. The name Micro-Fishing is now making it popular. I was a little suprised to see this topic over here but I think it is pretty neat. It is great that Catfishcain is writing that book too.
I suggest a good sharp pair of scissors for getting your bait small enough for fish. I usually hook on a small piece of worm skin and then cut it to size with a pair of scissors meant for fly tying. The other thing you can use for bait is a peice of thread. Different colors seem to work better than others. Sometimes even a plain hook works well in clear water and sunny skies. I like the challenge of finding fish and ways to entice them on my own. There is a sense of accomplishment that comes with that.
These are the 2 hooks I use for my micros.
#35
Guest_Stickbow_*
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Posted 19 June 2014 - 02:36 PM
This is for some of the more hardcore micro-fishers out there. Do you guys only micro-fish in smaller and/or clear streams? Would it be possible to catch very small fish in rather fast water that is very murky? I know that there are fish there, im just not sure if they would be able to find the bait or not
I fish in the muddy streams (and the Flint River) here in SW GA. Stinky bait (worm pieces) work - I am thinking of using some of the scent 'dunks', since I have a tiny catfish obsession....
#36
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 21 June 2014 - 02:25 PM
I am surprised more of you guys don't use flies. You can certainly get midges that are small enough for micro fishing. They would not be ideal in muddy streams or for madtoms, but I do pretty well with them for shiners, minnows, and chubs. I just dabble in micro-fishing, and I just use flies, because that's what I have on hand.
#37
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Posted 22 June 2014 - 09:40 AM
If i'm not fishing for food, I usually don't like to kill things (even earthworms), so I started using bits of Berkely powerbait when I microfish. It has worked pretty well for shiners anyway. I have not caught darters yet, but I have not fished in a stream with many darters either.
#38
Guest_BenCantrell_*
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Posted 22 June 2014 - 09:55 AM
I am surprised more of you guys don't use flies. You can certainly get midges that are small enough for micro fishing. They would not be ideal in muddy streams or for madtoms, but I do pretty well with them for shiners, minnows, and chubs. I just dabble in micro-fishing, and I just use flies, because that's what I have on hand.
Matt I plan to learn how to tie and use flies in the future. Artificial only streams (out west for example) with potential new lifers would be good motivation! If I lived in a state that had a lot of artificial only streams, I'd probably already be using them, but it's hard to get motivated when live bait works so well.
#39
Guest_Stickbow_*
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Posted 22 June 2014 - 10:35 AM
You don't have to tie these tiny things, Ben. Super glue and tiny colored yarn globs will get bites. These days, my eyes are too bad to 'tie' anything much smaller than a size 18 hook, even with a magnifying lens of some sort.
Maybe I'll try some single filaments of feather like that, come to think of it...that would look like wings...
Edited to add...and I'll try to take photos.
Maybe I'll try some single filaments of feather like that, come to think of it...that would look like wings...
Edited to add...and I'll try to take photos.
Edited by Stickbow, 22 June 2014 - 10:36 AM.
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