Having recently moved my river setup into a bigger tank, I had a 30 long available to set up a New England swamp tank. I knew I had to act quick before the ice covers the ponds. Banded sunnies and swamp darters were my intended targets.
First grab I got a ~ 6 inch pickeral. This was an ugly bugger, covered with blackspot. Took a portrait for the heck of it.

For some reason bandeds were being stuburn. I had to break skim ice away from the big square blocks of granite that usually have a few banded under them. I was blind grabbing by dragging the dipnet along the base of the rocks. It was mighty chilly clawing through all the wet leaves and plants and mud with my barehands. Plenty of these guys turned up.
YOY bluegill.

I went over to check around a beaver lodge and surprised a raccoon digging in an old turtle nest. Don't know why he was out in the daytime. Got me kinda worried because I had cut off his retreat. He looked healthy though and decided to jump in the water and swim across to the other side. First time I've seen one swim. I snapped a few pics of him in the water but the camera had decided to change its settings and they all came out blurry.
I started scooping in the mud and leaves at the base of the beaver lodge and turned up this guy. He must have hatched recently, maybe from the nest the coon was digging in.


I pulled pounds and pounds of wet leaves and mud out with my net. Saw lots of cool inverts, plenty little bluegills, the tiniest pickeral I've ever seen, the turtle, a frog but no banded sunnies. My hands were pretty much numb at that point. My net would freeze if left out of the water too long. Then I stepped on a block of granite which shiffted and dumped me knee deep into the water.
Well that put a damper on the day. I had been planning to visit a second pond where the swamp darters are found. The thought of a hike of close to a mile in my ice cold wet boots took my enthusiasm away.
Instead I started working my way back toward the car, stopping here and there to sweep the net. Finally, just before giving up, I bagged a dime sized banded. That perked me up. I've always found they congregate, where's there's one, there's more. Sure enough, I pulled up several more the same size. I was happy now but I had been hoping for an adult. I made one more grab and got my wish.

Now I've got the beginnings of a swamp tank. I'll be in Maine for Thanksgiving. I plan on bring my nets and a bucket or two. My Dad's pond usually gives up some golden shiners and maybe a little perch or two. If there's no ice.

I really like the snapper. I love my fish, but herps will always be #1.

Thanks for the report.

Tom

Is this at the Charles River? Thats the only place that I am aware of that has darters AND Banded sunfish...

We should go collecting together sometime