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Panther and Rooks Creek, IL Trip Report.

Started by Guest_blakemarkwell_* , Aug 04 2008 06:55 PM

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#1 Guest_blakemarkwell_*

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Posted 04 August 2008 - 06:55 PM

On Sunday, August 03, 2008 me and Lance (natureman187) went to one of our favorite spots to sample (Panther Creek), it is a tributary of the Mackinaw River. We caught mainly the same fish as we usually do, except for far less Southern Redbelly Daces, its a riffle/run configuration with occasional pools. Later on we took a little trip about 15 minutes northeast of Panther to a creek called Rooks Creek in Livington County. It had a riffle/run configuration as well, and the riffles were much more abundant and bigger, over all good size riffles (for Illinois that is)... Surprisingly not many darters were found these riffles, but instead good size northern hog suckers and stonecat madtoms. Overall a great trip, even though I take a lot of the species sampled for granted at the end of the day I just really appreciate getting out and playing in the creeks. I kind of feel inferior because there has been some great trip reports of KY and TN but this was just a little outing, so don't expect much!

Anyways heres a list of some of the species caught at both creeks (didn't really pay to much attention, so here goes a rough list from memory)

Rock Bass
Bluntnose Minnow
Redfin Shiner
Northern Hog Sucker
Orangetail Darter
Rainbow Dater
Fantail Darter
Banded Darter
Central Stoneroller
Striped Shiner
Creek Chub
Hornyhead Chub
Blackstripe Topminnow
Southern Redbelly Dace
Johnny Darter
Tadpole Madtom
Stonecat Madtom

And here are a few pictures I took from the trip, I think Lance will have some more to add...

Edited by teleost, 04 August 2008 - 10:05 PM.

#2 Guest_octavio_*

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Posted 04 August 2008 - 08:05 PM

Great pictures, thank's for sharing. what was the size of the Northern Hog Suckers? Don't feel inferior, thats a great list of fish and most of all looks and sounds like you guys had a great time!

Edited by octavio, 04 August 2008 - 08:07 PM.

#3 Guest_blakemarkwell_*

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Posted 04 August 2008 - 08:39 PM

Thanks, it was my first time ever taking pictures, I just listened to what a lot of others on the forum have been saying, built a photo tank and such, purchased a camera and away I went, they really are not that great, but Lance will post some pictures soon that looked good. I think the biggest H. nigricans we caught was around 7 inches, I could be wrong though.

#4 Guest_natureman187_*

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Posted 04 August 2008 - 08:59 PM

Largemouth bass
longear sunfish
rosyface shiner?

Attached Images

#5 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 04 August 2008 - 09:10 PM

What's the shiner in the last set of photos that's between the creek view and the rainbow darter?

#6 Guest_natureman187_*

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Posted 05 August 2008 - 12:42 AM

What's the shiner in the last set of photos that's between the creek view and the rainbow darter?

I said rosyface but I truthfully have no idea. It had some faint reds and yellows at the bases of the fins that the camera didn't pick up and the black bar down the middle is only visible through the camera if that helps any.

We got a hognose that went a foot or so but what really impressed me was the stonecats. We got a half dozen between a couple riffles that all went over 5 inches. I've never seen them that big.

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#7 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 05 August 2008 - 09:22 AM

Great photos guys! Nice list of fish as well. Maybe Mark and I can come down your way (or meet half way) and we can get four people in the water. Looks like we'd have a hoot :smile2:

If I were to catch the Notropis you have I would lean towards Notropis atherinoides (Emerald Shiner) based on the head/body shape. Notropis percobromus Carmine Shiner (formerly rosyface) tend to have a more acute head and snout shape. It's hard without having the little bugger in my hands, so it's only speculation on my part.

#8 Guest_NateTessler13_*

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Posted 05 August 2008 - 10:04 AM

Great report guys! I'd have to agree with teleost about your shiner being an Emerald Shiner. The head shape (and that eye) are tell-tale of an Emerald.

#9 Guest_natureman187_*

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Posted 05 August 2008 - 11:11 AM

Great photos guys! Nice list of fish as well. Maybe Mark and I can come down your way (or meet half way) and we can get four people in the water. Looks like we'd have a hoot

We'd love that. Next two weekends are open before school starts. We should get something together before then.

Great report guys! I'd have to agree with teleost about your shiner being an Emerald Shiner. The head shape (and that eye) are tell-tale of an Emerald.

Thanks Nate! That fish was taken from the vermilion watershed though. I based my id on this link. How up to date are these distributions? http://www.inhs.uiuc.../no_atherin.gif

#10 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 05 August 2008 - 12:32 PM

Lance,

Both are in the watershed and I must admit the photo looks a lot more like rosyface/carmine shiner size water but the fish looks like an emerald.

BTW...where do Carmine end and Rosyface begin? I still don't know which rivers have what fish.

#11 Guest_blakemarkwell_*

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Posted 06 August 2008 - 03:13 PM

I know next time we will be bringing our own clear photo water! It had rained a couple of hours prior to seining and its really made the water darker, but with that being said we still managed to salvage a few pictures.

#12 Guest_dsmith73_*

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Posted 06 August 2008 - 04:00 PM

I know next time we will be bringing our own clear photo water! It had rained a couple of hours prior to seining and its really made the water darker, but with that being said we still managed to salvage a few pictures.

The photos were very nice Blake. The water didn't seem to detract from the fish. WHat type of phototank and paddle are you using?

#13 Guest_blakemarkwell_*

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Posted 06 August 2008 - 05:17 PM

I have a 12" x 8" glass photo tank, I just went to a local glass store gave them the dimensions and they cut all of it and charged me $ 40.00 (really good quality glass, no waves or anything, I was shocked), though there is cons to glass of course, this thing is heavy, fragile, and you have to use that ugly silicon to weld it, and the paddle I use is just a 1/8" acrylic sheet with a tab copied off of Uland's paddles. Then I just slope a piece of black foamcore at the back of the tank, and this was my first time taking pictures and I really know nothing about photography, I just hit auto, macro, focus in and use a little remote for a shutter release... And since it seems like I spend my life on the computer, editing does not bother me. Ok, I am sure that is more than you asked for,

! I look forward to seining with some of you guys in the near future and really learning how to take pictures and collect fish!

#14 Guest_natureman187_*

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Posted 06 August 2008 - 08:46 PM

Lance,

Both are in the watershed and I must admit the photo looks a lot more like rosyface/carmine shiner size water but the fish looks like an emerald.

BTW...where do Carmine end and Rosyface begin? I still don't know which rivers have what fish.

I'll go with it Uland.

I didn't know anything about the carmine till you mentioned it and I just googled it to not much info. Is this a split or just a name change?

And we can't have a good trip report without a puzzled look, rocks in your boots and swamp milkweed to go with it. :cool: