6 replies to this topic

[FishyJackson]

I didnt expect to need any help with this ID, but as always...I do.  

 

I caught this Pickerel saturday on a micro hook at the Basher Kill (Delaware River watershed), it was at the tail end of the marsh where it was really more like a river, there was no vegetation all over the surface of the water like in the actual Marsh.  It's about 4 inches long.  

 

I put it in the ID tank, saw red on the fins, and was certain I caught a Redfin.  I did a fist pump celebration and everything bros. 

 

I brought the fish home to my Pop's 90 gallon fish tank, was pretty devastated to find out it perished in the tank overnight.  Was really looking forward to observing it in the tank.  I went over there to check out how it looked after death, then noticed the line through the eye was not slanted backward like it should be if it's a Redfin, it was slanted forward if anything.  I have the fish here with me but of course I can't just do a simple fin ray count which I now know how to do...I have to do a branchiostegal ray count.  Which is not happening, I can barely see them and I lost my magnifying glass.  

 

I'm hoping someone here may be able to tell by looking at these pics.  I know the snout should also tell the story, but I'm confused about what constitutes as the posterior edge of the gill cover.  I found old threads on this site about Redfin/Chain juveniles, and it really just left me more confused lol.  Why can't a Pickerel with red on the fin just simply be a Redfin Pickerel?  Can never just be easy.  

 

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[Matt DeLaVega]

The snout length in the last photo leads me to believe this is a chain pickerel.

[FishyJackson]

thanks Matt, I'm pretty much resigned to the fact it's a Chain now.  So disappointing, the second I saw red on the fins I had no doubts I had a Redfin.  So after already adding 3 new fish to my NY Tally this year based on pictures of previously caught fish that I didnt realize were new fish at the time, I now have the opposite happen to me here.  The Fishing Gods keeping me honest lol.

 

This trip was at least still somewhat salvaged by catching a Bluespotted Sunfish, rare in NY, but the fish did not live up to the name at all.  No blue spots, and with the tail bitten off and not obviously rounded, I nearly threw it back without realizing what it was. 

 

Some real irony there.....I caught a Pickerel with a red fin, that wasn't a Redfin Pickerel....and I caught a Sunfish with no blue spots, that is a Bluespotted Sunfish.  Go figure

 

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[Matt DeLaVega]

I am not real familiar with Enneacanthus, but could this be obesus rather than gloriosus? That might explain the lack of blue spots?

[FishyJackson]

Matt- Can't be a Banded Sunny, they're extremely endangered in NY.  Really only found on Eastern Long Island in a few remote Ponds in Peconic River watershed. 

 

I believe the female Bluespotted Sunnies have quite drab coloring. 

[Matt DeLaVega]

Ok, They look surprisingly similar. Thought it was worth mentioning.

[FishyJackson]

agreed, before satuday I thought all Bluespotted Sunnies were dark colored with those blue/yellowish spots