I was very happy and excited to find Sheepshead Minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus), several Inland Silversides (Menidia beryllina), dozens of Sailfin Mollies, and even a few Gambusia. But the real prize was several smallish Fat Sleepers (Dormitator maculatus)! No, none of these are necessarily out of the ordinary, but they were new for me. And to get them all with just a few swipes of the Perfect Dipnet, standing in the same spot, was just heavenly! The only tricky id on the bunch were the Inland Silversides, but they were definitely silversides of some sort, and I believe the only silverside with a swim bladder to extend significantly past the front of the anal fin is beryllina.
Pictures for proof, no artistic quality claimed whatsoever...
Inland Silverside. This picture shows the swim bladder best. I have others (almost as good as this one) that show the nearly unmistakable silverside body shape much better.
![DSCN0438.JPG](https://forum.nanfa.org/uploads/monthly_08_2015/post-4567-0-06682300-1439431585.jpg)
Fat Sleepers! I was really taken with these bad boys and girls. So would love to have the resources for a big ol' tank for one.
![DSCN0439.JPG](https://forum.nanfa.org/uploads/monthly_08_2015/post-4567-0-07380500-1439431656.jpg)
![DSCN0441.JPG](https://forum.nanfa.org/uploads/monthly_08_2015/post-4567-0-29849200-1439431719.jpg)
Sheepsheads, and Sailfins, and yes the water really was that brown this time! (Usually dark, but not like this!)
![DSCN0445.JPG](https://forum.nanfa.org/uploads/monthly_08_2015/post-4567-0-84237800-1439431868.jpg)
![DSCN0446.JPG](https://forum.nanfa.org/uploads/monthly_08_2015/post-4567-0-08679800-1439431933.jpg)
![DSCN0447.JPG](https://forum.nanfa.org/uploads/monthly_08_2015/post-4567-0-09698600-1439432014.jpg)
Mitchellville "primitive" Beach turned up two new lifers for me, too. Tons of Striped Killifish (Fundulus majalis), including some really nice, big sized mamas my daughter Kerry dipnetted. The coolest find, maybe of the whole trip, was a small (~ 3/4 inch) Blackcheek Tonguefish (Symphurus plagiusa). I sooo wish I had pictures for proof, because I worked hard on that last id and am pretty darn certain of it. Alas, no photo evidence. But after working through every page and description of flatfish in Kells and Carpenter's "A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes from Maine to Texas" and working over the internet, I'm sure of it. I'll borrow one of Mr. Tessler's gallery photos to illustrate. http://gallery.nanfa...ageViewsIndex=1It was very small, but it was identical to this fish.
Fwiw, if you need/want a good east coast coastal guide, I'd recommend Kells and Carpenter's book...