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Redfin Pickerel in Virginia

Started by Guest_fishtanker_* , Apr 20 2008 04:14 PM

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22 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_fishtanker_*

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Posted 20 April 2008 - 04:14 PM

Does anyone have a confirmed location to collect redfin in southeast Virginia? Amy prefered method to collect?

Thanks,

#2 Guest_drewish_*

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Posted 20 April 2008 - 09:52 PM

I don't have any specific spots as I have yet to sample that far southeast. Are you near the Great Dismal Swamp?

#3 Guest_mette_*

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Posted 20 April 2008 - 10:33 PM

I don't have any specific spots as I have yet to sample that far southeast. Are you near the Great Dismal Swamp?

I have caught them in several millponds in northeastern NC, south of the GDS. I prefer to dip for them, but at least in this state you can only keep ones you take by angling.

#4 Guest_drewish_*

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Posted 20 April 2008 - 10:56 PM

I have caught them in several millponds in northeastern NC, south of the GDS. I prefer to dip for them, but at least in this state you can only keep ones you take by angling.

They are considered non-game fish in VA so they can be taken with a dipnet. Just about everywhere I get them, you end up getting a little muddy going after them. Look for swampy backwaters, millponds, and slow tannin stained rivers and dip in vegetation such as lily pads or water hyacinth.

#5 Guest_nativecollector_*

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Posted 21 April 2008 - 07:18 AM

Not to go against the rules, but
in NC if you ask the local game warden if you may take some via a dip net they normally will not have a problem with it. Second if you have or own land including the water in which they live then you can also take via dip net, but it must be a private location.

With that said, where in Va are you, and how close to the NC line are you.

Pat (NC)

edit: never mind about where you are from just saw it in another post. I work in Portsmouth, in the Coast Guard, so if you get some time and want to try collecting in NC sometime shoot me a pm. As far as a place in Va to collect there are some really nice lakes around the Suffolk area that when I was a kid I used to go fishing in with my Uncle. I know there are red fins in there as well as some of the other fish that were on your wish list.

Edited by nativecollector, 21 April 2008 - 07:24 AM.

#6 Guest_dmarkley_*

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Posted 21 April 2008 - 07:43 AM

Not to go against the rules, but
in NC if you ask the local game warden if you may take some via a dip net they normally will not have a problem with it. Second if you have or own land including the water in which they live then you can also take via dip net, but it must be a private location.

With that said, where in Va are you, and how close to the NC line are you.

Pat (NC)

edit: never mind about where you are from just saw it in another post. I work in Portsmouth, in the Coast Guard, so if you get some time and want to try collecting in NC sometime shoot me a pm. As far as a place in Va to collect there are some really nice lakes around the Suffolk area that when I was a kid I used to go fishing in with my Uncle. I know there are red fins in there as well as some of the other fish that were on your wish list.

Hey Pat, the pickerel you got me last June are doing great! I have to post some pics of them.

Dean

#7 Guest_fishtanker_*

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Posted 22 April 2008 - 06:57 PM

thanks for the info. I am in Newport News, close enough to the GDS because I drive right next to the expressway everyday. I just have never been. Not afraid to get muddy, just want to collect legally and not upset anything I go around. Does anyone collect by angling? By minnow traps? Or just dipping, I don't have a net yet because I don't know if I would buy the right one.

Thanks again

#8 Guest_nativecollector_*

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Posted 22 April 2008 - 07:58 PM

Hey Pat, the pickerel you got me last June are doing great! I have to post some pics of them.

Dean

That would be great to see how big they have gotten. Did any more of them eat each other :laugh:

fishtanker
I sent you a pm about a collecting trip, let me know

Pat (NC)

#9 Guest_drewish_*

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Posted 22 April 2008 - 08:02 PM

There are some threads regarding dipnets. The two popular ones are Jonah's perfect dipnet and cumings dipnet.

In VA, in general, you can collect non-game fish with a seine/dipnet, just check the local regulations. Just don't get caught with game fish in a dipnet or seine. For game fish, you will have to angle for them and respect the size limits.

#10 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 23 April 2008 - 02:52 PM

thanks for the info. I am in Newport News, close enough to the GDS because I drive right next to the expressway everyday. I just have never been. Not afraid to get muddy, just want to collect legally and not upset anything I go around. Does anyone collect by angling? By minnow traps? Or just dipping, I don't have a net yet because I don't know if I would buy the right one.

Thanks again

OK Fishtanker,
I work on Diligence Drive and live all of 6 minutes from the other side of the James River Bridge. I have two dipnets. Let's coordinate.

I'm pretty sure we can't collect in the GDS National Wildlife Refuge, but there is the adjacent NC Dismal Swamp State Park. Still haven't figured out if collecting there is OK or not, but haven't spent too much time. I do know that it doesn't seem to have its own website like the other NC state parks.

#11 Guest_jase_*

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Posted 23 April 2008 - 04:59 PM

I don't have a net yet because I don't know if I would buy the right one.

The "Perfect Dipnet" from Jonah's Aquarium (16.5", 1/8" Ace netting), is more-or-less the standard among regulars here: http://www.jonahsaqu...e/netdipnet.htm

I bought just the head and cut a sapling for my pole. Works great for me, and if I need to ditch the pole, no big deal.

#12 Guest_dmarkley_*

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Posted 24 April 2008 - 10:13 AM

Pat, you had given me 8, 4 mediums and 4 small redfins. My friend up here and I divided them evenly. His two mediums and my two mediums cannibalized the small redfins. However, all four survivors are now apparently full grown at about 8 inches long. I'll see if I can get some pics and post them.

Dean

#13 Guest_nativecollector_*

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Posted 24 April 2008 - 06:09 PM

OK Fishtanker,
I work on Diligence Drive and live all of 6 minutes from the other side of the James River Bridge. I have two dipnets. Let's coordinate.

I'm pretty sure we can't collect in the GDS National Wildlife Refuge, but there is the adjacent NC Dismal Swamp State Park. Still haven't figured out if collecting there is OK or not, but haven't spent too much time. I do know that it doesn't seem to have its own website like the other NC state parks.

I live just south of the NC Dismal Swamp, only about 15 miles or so. I will see if I can find out about collecting there. I know you will not be able to collect redfins there with a dipnet. NC list them as a game fish and must be caught on a hook, unless it is private property. But as far as collecting other things I will have to see if they allow you to catch your own bait. That seems to be the key to collecting in NC. I went to Merchants Mill Pond State Park and you can not collect your own bait in that park therefore no dipnets or seins. I will see if I can't come up with some info on the Dismal Swamp.

If they do not allow collecting there I know that there are three different river basins that you can try out. There are also several larger canal areas that you can try but some are a little futher than the rivers.

If anyone wants to try and put together a weekend trip or just a day trip that lives close enough let me know. I will be busy for the next two weekends with soccer games (both kids) but after that I can put together a trip if anyone wants to try to make it.

I will also try to get a list together of what species you will or might find in the area.

Mr. Markley, can you make a thread about those redfins when you get some pics. I would like to know some info about how you raised them over the last year and how they have changed.

#14 Guest_fishtanker_*

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Posted 27 April 2008 - 07:54 PM

Thanks, let us know what you find out about the redfin collecting. Seems like everyone wants one of these now. I thought about it last year, but I was keeping duckweed in the tank for shade and the divider I had to keep it away from my filters would have probably gotten in the way of the fish. Thanks again to everyone, maybe we should all get together.

#15 Guest_fishtanker_*

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Posted 27 April 2008 - 08:25 PM

Are redfin usually found where chain pickerel are? I ask because I caught one at lee hall today and have had them at harwood mills before. They are very close to home.

#16 Guest_ScarySouthernMan_*

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Posted 18 February 2009 - 06:52 PM

I dug this thread up out of antiquity...

This is a species that I am VERY interested in collecting.

I live within a moments drive of the North Anna/Pamunkey/York drainage where they are listed as native. This comes as news to me guys, I'm a Virginian of 27 years and actually had no earthly clue that they even lived here. I am new to my location here just south of Fredericksburg and grew up in the Roanoke and James river areas so it makes sense that I never knew about them. We've caught a ton of them in the midwest (Nebraska to be specific) and I just assumed they weren't from around here.

The VDGIF site makes no mention of them anywhere in the fishing regulations so it was hard for me to understand. I had no idea that we had a 4th species of Pike here in VA and that the Redfin (or Grass as we always called 'em) was indeed a for-real native.

Does anyone have any experience with these in the Pamunkey drainage?

Thanks guys!

- Scary

#17 Guest_Drew_*

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Posted 18 February 2009 - 07:01 PM

They are less than 10 mins from you. As I said in my other post, if you want them, be prepared to get a tad bit muddy and we can get them for you.

#18 Guest_ScarySouthernMan_*

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Posted 18 February 2009 - 07:05 PM

Drew,

Consider me excited.

Mud, no sweat. I'm a duck hunter in the winter so mud is my middle name... even cold mud at that...lol.

Thanks so much.

Are they easy to keep?

#19 Guest_Drew_*

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Posted 18 February 2009 - 07:18 PM

Once you get them off of live food, yeah. I prefer to keep them in a species only tank to make it easier. They like lots of vegetation. You can get a lot of Gambusia down by you which you could collect for food. They adapt to floating pellets and raw market shrimp once around the 4-5" size.

#20 Guest_ScarySouthernMan_*

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Posted 18 February 2009 - 09:01 PM

Ok stupid question...

What is a basic setup for a pair of Redfins?

All that remains of my aquaria stuff is a 30 gal. Is that enough or would it be unfair to the fish?

Is there a specific substrate they like?

I've been out of the game for so long, I made need to completely revamp the filtration and gear. What are your recommendations?

Edited by ScarySouthernMan, 18 February 2009 - 09:02 PM.