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curious on how members here collect certain fish


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#21 Guest_joia2181_*

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Posted 03 April 2007 - 11:04 AM

Can darters be caught from shore with a dipnet or minow trap? Or will I have to wade. The reason I'm asking is because Me and some friends might go bullhead fishing soon, and I might wanna set up my minow trap or get a dipnet.


I just caught a bunch of swamp darters, baby gillies, and tons insect criters from a boat dock with a dipnet just by scooping and sorting through the leaf/weeds that were covering the bottom. I was limited by how far I could reach. Up here in MA water temp is still hovering around 47-53 degrees

#22 Guest_Zephead4747_*

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Posted 03 April 2007 - 05:15 PM

Just scoop up the gunk on the tottom of the lake/river?. Heh, I can do that without a dipnet.

#23 Guest_sandtiger_*

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Posted 03 April 2007 - 05:23 PM

I tend to mostly use a dipnet. I collect alone and it's the best tool for a lone collecter. How I use it depends on the habitat. In creeks I hold the net against the bottom, lift rocks and swoop underneath them. In still water habitats with plant growth I simply run the net through the weeds.

#24 Guest_Zephead4747_*

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Posted 03 April 2007 - 05:31 PM

I'll be sure to try that :)

#25 Guest_bearskookums_*

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Posted 04 April 2007 - 01:08 PM

Went collecting this past week and water was 60 degrees. I waded in the creek...in shorts and ending up with one leech on my ankle. It was hanging on and I put some salt to it and it fell off but there was no blood. So maybe it didnt bite through.
Anyway I collecting using a make shift net. I had a an extra fishing net with big holes in it so I took off screws and frame and all. I then added a cheap $1 laundry bag(the soft netting type, in green color) and tied it to the frame with galvanized wire. Worked pretty good. I'd definitely say wading would be the way to go. Unless you are looking for species hiding in vegetation. Could also try shallow 1-2inch riffles for darters, madtoms etc.
Regarding net sizes and traps, what are your state regulations on the sizes?

#26 Guest_Zephead4747_*

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Posted 04 April 2007 - 05:10 PM

I was gonna look that up if/when I actually get a net. I bought my trap from fleet farm around here so I assume it's legal.

#27 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 04 April 2007 - 09:25 PM

I was gonna look that up if/when I actually get a net. I bought my trap from fleet farm around here so I assume it's legal.


Never assume that. My first net was a 30' x 4' I bought from a local bait shop as a teen. This net was 10' over the legal limit. Thank goodness I never was confronted by the DNR. I'm sure they would have been understanding but this net was against the law. Chain stores buy from their parent company which might have headquarters in another state. They usually have no clue about local regulations.

Please take the time to read the regulations for your state and specifically the body of water you plan on sampling.

#28 Guest_Zephead4747_*

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Posted 04 April 2007 - 09:27 PM

Ok can do. I'll look in that forum with the regulations.

#29 Guest_wolfie8000_*

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Posted 04 April 2007 - 11:32 PM

I know its a little late but,
I usually take my kids fishing and they use small bits of worms, they have caught greens, bluegills, and longear's that start from 3" and go up. I have recently tried some small flies that resemble ants or beetles which have caught me even smaller fish. Just make sure you pinch the barb like teleost said earlier.

#30 Guest_bearskookums_*

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Posted 05 April 2007 - 12:27 AM

I forgot to add I have a fishing book that shows a way you can collect madtoms. According to the book you take regular used soda cans and string them together at the tab with fishing line and submerge them in the creek and over night the madtoms would swim into the holes for cover. Just collect the cans the next morning. Never tried it myself but it might work. The book also shows a way to make a minnow trap using a coffee can with a plastic lid with a hole cut in it and a funnel made from hardware cloth is attached to it.
I have seen some crayfish trap that looks like a rectangular box with a ramp leading into the front with a small opening at the top of the ramp. I am thinking of making one myself with smaller mesh and use them in riffles for darters and madtoms.

#31 Guest_Zephead4747_*

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Posted 06 April 2007 - 10:13 AM

Me and some of my friends have caught green sunfish by dipping a hook in the water with the end of the worm dangling off the hook. The fish grab the little dangling part and hang on when you just flip them out of the water. It takes a while but eventually it works.

#32 Guest_Zephead4747_*

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Posted 06 April 2007 - 10:14 AM

I forgot to add I have a fishing book that shows a way you can collect madtoms. According to the book you take regular used soda cans and string them together at the tab with fishing line and submerge them in the creek and over night the madtoms would swim into the holes for cover. Just collect the cans the next morning. Never tried it myself but it might work. The book also shows a way to make a minnow trap using a coffee can with a plastic lid with a hole cut in it and a funnel made from hardware cloth is attached to it.
I have seen some crayfish trap that looks like a rectangular box with a ramp leading into the front with a small opening at the top of the ramp. I am thinking of making one myself with smaller mesh and use them in riffles for darters and madtoms.



How many soda cans does it suggest? Me and my friends have a nice slow stretch of river we like to do this sort of stuff at. How fat into the middle should we throw it?

#33 Guest_madtom15_*

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Posted 06 April 2007 - 10:32 AM

I forgot to add I have a fishing book that shows a way you can collect madtoms. According to the book you take regular used soda cans and string them together at the tab with fishing line and submerge them in the creek and over night the madtoms would swim into the holes for cover. Just collect the cans the next morning. Never tried it myself but it might work. The book also shows a way to make a minnow trap using a coffee can with a plastic lid with a hole cut in it and a funnel made from hardware cloth is attached to it.
I have seen some crayfish trap that looks like a rectangular box with a ramp leading into the front with a small opening at the top of the ramp. I am thinking of making one myself with smaller mesh and use them in riffles for darters and madtoms.


bearskookums, what's the name of the book?

#34 Guest_bearskookums_*

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Posted 06 April 2007 - 10:55 AM

I really don't remember the exact name...the book in somewhere in the boxes in my garage still haven't unpacked yet.
Its a hardcover book, you know the ones you see at walmart fishing section where they have Largemouth Bass, Panfish, etc.
The one that I talked about is called Fishing with Live Bait I think. I don't think you have to string a lot of cans together...but its personaly preference.
Oh hey I looked in amazon.com and its this one:
http://www.amazon.co...i...4680&sr=1-1

The other largemouth bass one is this: http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/0865731284

#35 Guest_harryknaub_*

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Posted 07 April 2007 - 12:56 PM

Fish that go under 3" such as crappies, basses, panfish. madtoms, bullheads, pikes, mudminnows, ect

Nets or what size hooks do you use? What types of baits? What kind of areas do you look for to catch small fish like these?

Here in PA we're limited to only 4' seines, but if you attach a 4'x 1" dowel to each side, they are exellent for collecting in small streams.

Harry Knaub

#36 Guest_KoiGuy_*

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Posted 17 April 2007 - 09:34 AM

The Fishing net, if you secure the laundry bag to the original net, without taking
off the original fish net, would that make it really messy during collecting time
when you have all that debri & plants in there?

#37 Guest_nativecajun_*

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Posted 14 June 2007 - 08:15 PM

In many states, crappie, bass, pan fish, pikes, and all other game fish can NOT be kept if caught with a seine. In many states, the ONLY legal method to take these fish is by hook-and-line (or pole-and-line; check your state's regs), regardless of their size.

You can buy tiny hooks if you like, meant for fly fishing. You can either bait these with tiny worms, etc., or you can use small fly fishing flies and float them on the surface (or work them slowly if they are wet flies). I've also seen little lures meant for catching things like very small sunfish for use as cut bait.

Dipnets and seins are perfect for non-game species, but can not be recommended for game fish on this board.



I am with this person. I believe in most states the fish you listed are game fish. I have caught a largemouth bass believe it or not on a number ten hook with a cricket. Oh ya the size. Less than one inch long. They have large mouths. Now in some states you have size regs so you have to watch out for that to. It is my recomondation you read the rules and then read them over three more times. Some things are hard to catch and look gray but believe me the Warden knows what is black and white. Read Carefully before taking crappie, bass, catfish etc etc with any sort of trap or net or seine.

#38 Guest_iturnrocks_*

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Posted 23 July 2007 - 11:11 PM

Ive always found it to be more sportsman-like to catch baby bass on tiny crankbaits. I have caught a 3 inch largemouth on a tiny crankbait. But to get the really small fish I had a dip net made with 1/8" mesh.

This Largemouth Bass was caught in a relatives private pond.

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