7 replies to this topic

[loopsnj64]

So yesterday I returned to Lake Horicon for one strong reason, Blackbanded Sunfish...before you ask, yes, I have a Scientific Collecting Permit for them. That aside, both  dipnet and seine proved fruitful, yielding the following.
-Blackbanded Sunfish (Both adults and tiny juveniles, 10 of these were kept)
-Bluespotted Sunfish (released)
-Banded Sunfish (released)
-Mud Sunfish (released, two individuals were caught, one massive adult turned up in a seine haul, a smaller juvenile was hiding in weeds along the shore)
-Creek Chubsuckers (Juveniles released, 5 healthy adults were kept when a seine haul caught at least 20 of them!)
-Redfin Pike (Released, caught in seine hauls away from the weeds)
-Swamp Darter (released)
-Pirate Perch (released)

Along the way we met a fellow fishkeeper who had caught a BIG Pirate Perch in a trap he had set under a bridge (I later tried dipnetting there... with no luck), we chatted for a while and he pointed out another collecting site called "Bamber Lake" as well Sweet Pepperbush... which you can use the ripe flowers as a sort of soap

On the way out, my parents and I stumbled upon a beautiful Black snake, I think its a Pinesnake, but I dont know









The swamp in the above photo seems to have many of the same fish as Lake Horicon, but I have yet to find a way of entering it...









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And heres some pictures of the Sunfish in their tank








 

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Edited by loopsnj64, 18 July 2016 - 01:55 PM.

[gerald]

I think the snake is probably a black racer.  Pine snakes are thicker, and usually not solid black like that guy.  I love mud sunfish!

[loopsnj64]

...then that would be a first!

(with the black racer)

[dsuperman]

That was a good day you had,with nice weather it seems. What is the name of that swamp? Is it near the lake?

[loopsnj64]

That was a good day you had,with nice weather it seems. What is the name of that swamp? Is it near the lake?

I dont think it has a name, to get there, just follow the main road (In the lake horicon park), until the very end, on your right is Lake Horicon, directly on front of you is a somewhat-neglected trail, and on your left is another trail entrance, follow that one to get a stunning view of the swamp

Edited by loopsnj64, 22 July 2016 - 08:28 AM.

[Matt DeLaVega]

Tail is too long and it is not heavy bodied enough for a Pitouphis. Also a bit too sleek and shiny. Bull snakes, pine snakes, and gopher snakes have pretty strongly keeled scales, making them look much less sleek. I would go with racer, but that tail is long. Is there a black form of eastern coachwhip in your area? Either way you were lucky to get a photo. Neither of those species usually stick around long enough for a photo op.

[keepnatives]

I've tried fishing there as well but it's so thick with plants sticks, logs and debris it's nearly impossible.  I did catch a fish here and there but not worth the effort with the same species in the lake.

[loopsnj64]

Still though... the inaccessibility of that swamp makes it very mysterious to me (as well as the fact that it seems that the darn thing swallowed a section of forest when it formed)