Hi I'm curious if its worth it to sample freshwater fish in Florida region especially West Palm Beach area as its my destination for vacation and was trying to weight in the options of the possiblity of bringing my collecting gear as I'm hearing that the Lake O, is dry as a bone and that is unusual as I was thinking about trying to catch a pleco or some non-native exotic species for fun.

If you have any favorite sites in southern Florida or any better suggestions that would make my trip worthwhile to collect plecos or some non-native species like tetras something like that would be nice as I know this supports the native fish of US, however I have tanks full of Illydon fucridens and black-lined minnows and johnny darters and tadpole madoms

I like to collect different species thats at least up to 4 inches long if you have any suggestion on fun collecting trip in Florida area and especially with the drought as I'm game for any fun trips especially with a trusty net.

I'm leaving within a week or so depending on how much things I get done at work and around home.

Howdy,

I was in the Panhandle in early May, and while it's very simple to catch the fish to look as they're quite corralled into remaining pools, this is a catastrophic drying event, and I can only imagine disease has further sunk its grip into the remaining fish. I have been fighting with some big nasty I brought home and the temps weren't even that hot yet. So I'd encourage you to take your equipment... But be warned about bothering to bring stuff home. You're going to have a lot of mortality and quarantine isn't a question... It's a rule.

Have a great trip, either way!

Todd

Howdy,

I was in the Panhandle in early May, and while it's very simple to catch the fish to look as they're quite corralled into remaining pools, this is a catastrophic drying event, and I can only imagine disease has further sunk its grip into the remaining fish. I have been fighting with some big nasty I brought home and the temps weren't even that hot yet. So I'd encourage you to take your equipment... But be warned about bothering to bring stuff home. You're going to have a lot of mortality and quarantine isn't a question... It's a rule.

Have a great trip, either way!

Todd

Thanks! Will try to take pictures and notes of what I catch, will probably release the majority of my catches and keep what is legal

Hi I'm curious if its worth it to sample freshwater fish in Florida region especially West Palm Beach area as its my destination for vacation and was trying to weight in the options of the possiblity of bringing my collecting gear as I'm hearing that the Lake O, is dry as a bone and that is unusual as I was thinking about trying to catch a pleco or some non-native exotic species for fun.

If you have any favorite sites in southern Florida or any better suggestions that would make my trip worthwhile to collect plecos or some non-native species like tetras something like that would be nice as I know this supports the native fish of US, however I have tanks full of Illydon fucridens and black-lined minnows and johnny darters and tadpole madoms

I like to collect different species thats at least up to 4 inches long if you have any suggestion on fun collecting trip in Florida area and especially with the drought as I'm game for any fun trips especially with a trusty net.

I'm leaving within a week or so depending on how much things I get done at work and around home.

invasives in florida are every where for tetras look in apartment ponds and road side ditches for everything else theres good old poluted swamps.
for mortaitys to be keept down keep buckets dark and in the shade or by the air condisioner

invasives in florida are every where for tetras look in apartment ponds and road side ditches for everything else theres good old poluted swamps.
for mortaitys to be keept down keep buckets dark and in the shade or by the air condisioner

Keep the water aerated. Change it if possible to keep it from getting too warm. Salt it with 1 tablespoon kosher (no anti-caking agent, just pure sodium chloride) salt unless you have fish that can't take the salt. And take Robert's advice. This should minimize your mortality. It probably won't eliminate it. Take home a few more fish than you want, knowing you will probably lose some. If you don't lose any, and you have too many fish, you can always offer the extras to others on the forum.

I'm not fond of salt/brackish species myself,


ordered cummings 8ft long net as I didn't want to risk getting my arms bit off by a gator (haha)

Hi I'm curious if its worth it to sample freshwater fish in Florida region especially West Palm Beach area as its my destination for vacation and was trying to weight in the options of the possiblity of bringing my collecting gear as I'm hearing that the Lake O, is dry as a bone and that is unusual as I was thinking about trying to catch a pleco or some non-native exotic species for fun.

If you have any favorite sites in southern Florida or any better suggestions that would make my trip worthwhile to collect plecos or some non-native species like tetras something like that would be nice as I know this supports the native fish of US, however I have tanks full of Illydon fucridens and black-lined minnows and johnny darters and tadpole madoms

I like to collect different species thats at least up to 4 inches long if you have any suggestion on fun collecting trip in Florida area and especially with the drought as I'm game for any fun trips especially with a trusty net.

I'm leaving within a week or so depending on how much things I get done at work and around home.

As others have said the drought makes it easier to catch the fish that are left. Your best bets in the West Palm area will be the canals, with a mix of exotics and natives in the urban/suburban areas. If you go west near Loxahatchee national Wildlife refuge or out by Lake O you should see a greater amount of native species. The canals are full of Pterogoplichthys multiradiatus (like a pleco) down there. I was just down there in March and in the St. Lucie canal locks in Martin County there was pretty much one catfish every square meter of bottom. To catch these however I would recommend a castnet over a dipnet. As far as I know there are no established populations of tetras down there however there are several species of cichlids, but most get pretty big with the exception of Hemichromis and Black Acaras. If you want some interesting natives there are several species of sleepers down there as well as a population of redface topminnows (Fundulus rubifrons) which are in pineland marshes near the Loxahatchee River. Good Luck and Happy Fishing!! In those canals you never know what you are gonna get!

Marcus

I'm not fond of salt/brackish species myself,
ordered cummings 8ft long net as I didn't want to risk getting my arms bit off by a gator (haha)

No worries on the gator part. I know they have been in the news latley but in the true wild they go away from you faster than you can approach them, I was born and raised in south louisiana and fished in the water with short pants and running shoes with gators around and water mocasins. Both are no problem I say unless you are in an urban area where they have corraled them in with construction and they are hungry. Now if you go to the everglades the crocs are a different story. Aggressive creatures they can be. The only place on earth that you have crocs and gators in the same area.

Try the canal at 100th Ave and Griffin Road. Lots of cichlasoma salvini and a few ugly plecos. Also fat sleepers and other natives.

Hi I'm curious if its worth it to sample freshwater fish in Florida region especially West Palm Beach area as its my destination for vacation and was trying to weight in the options of the possiblity of bringing my collecting gear as I'm hearing that the Lake O, is dry as a bone and that is unusual as I was thinking about trying to catch a pleco or some non-native exotic species for fun.

If you have any favorite sites in southern Florida or any better suggestions that would make my trip worthwhile to collect plecos or some non-native species like tetras something like that would be nice as I know this supports the native fish of US, however I have tanks full of Illydon fucridens and black-lined minnows and johnny darters and tadpole madoms

I like to collect different species thats at least up to 4 inches long if you have any suggestion on fun collecting trip in Florida area and especially with the drought as I'm game for any fun trips especially with a trusty net.

I'm leaving within a week or so depending on how much things I get done at work and around home.