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Fishes of Massachusetts


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#21 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 02 June 2009 - 04:21 PM

Sorry I didn't respond sooner.
I don't have any personal experience with any of those streams.
I know Cold Stream Brook is classed as a cold water fishery sustaining wild trout. Some of the others on your list may be as well.
Gotta get in the water. Wade upstream in those clear streams and watch for darters and minnows flushing in front of you. They're out there!

#22 Guest_bumpylemon_*

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Posted 02 June 2009 - 04:27 PM

To be honest I'm not even sure it was cold brook. It flows into this private pond in sutton5 5 min from my house. I could actually find the brook anywhere from road access. There is a sign on 146 by the econ lodge that says cold stream brook. But its a pond. So I need a better access point

#23 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

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Posted 03 June 2009 - 12:52 AM

cold brook stream is the only place good so far for me. im looking for common shiners as of right now and spottails.



in my experience sampling small common shiners are often found either in (or near) the slower current areas of sand or mud bottomed streams, or hanging near fallen trees in them. Though i have found larger (hookable) ones in pools with stronger current too while fishing.

the "near comment" is their because i few times I seen schools of commons in current but close to slower areas too.

#24 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 03 June 2009 - 02:18 PM

Here's a FREE book on Connecticut River ecology & mussels. Not a fish book, but tons of good info & photos on habitats and mussels. Streams with good mussel diversity will probably have the best fish diversity too.

http://forum.nanfa.o...?showtopic=7009

Freshwater Mussels and the Connecticut River Watershed
http://www.ctriver.org/shop/index.html

Edited by gerald, 03 June 2009 - 02:21 PM.


#25 Guest_bumpylemon_*

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Posted 03 June 2009 - 03:49 PM

Here's a FREE book on Connecticut River ecology & mussels. Not a fish book, but tons of good info & photos on habitats and mussels. Streams with good mussel diversity will probably have the best fish diversity too.

http://forum.nanfa.o...?showtopic=7009

Freshwater Mussels and the Connecticut River Watershed
http://www.ctriver.org/shop/index.html



thanks for the link.


just to le people know some good news....i have finally found a place locally that has tesselated darters and common shiners nad baby brook trout. some now im happy. just had to get in the water "real good like"

#26 Guest_bumpylemon_*

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Posted 04 June 2009 - 10:16 AM

Lol I just read over my last post. My blackberry keys must get stuck.

Anyway I am going back that spot today. More prepared than before DCR rangers questioned me yesterday. I didn't know I needed to have something covering exposed skin. Although I knew the river drains into a drinking resevoir. I did ask masswildlife and DCR before if it was ok to net and go in the water. Which they said yes. Anyway now I have knee high boots. I will bring the good camera today. Yesterday I saw 4 or 5 good size salmon jumping out of the water.

#27 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 04 June 2009 - 01:52 PM

Ahh, I know where you're talking about.
Be careful of handling trout fry. There is some [un]natural reproduction of landlocked salmon there. Although they are an introduced species in that watershed, the state is really hot to protect those salmon. They might frown on seeing any salmonoids in your bucket.

#28 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 04 June 2009 - 04:59 PM

Ahh, I know where you're talking about.
Be careful of handling trout fry. There is some [un]natural reproduction of landlocked salmon there. Although they are an introduced species in that watershed, the state is really hot to protect those salmon. They might frown on seeing any salmonoids in your bucket.

Yeah, I've had tense conversations with Mass. wildlife police about the desirability of introduced salmonids in fresh water. They feel very strongly that they're on an important mission to improve fishing and the environment with such introductions. I would guess that they'd be happy to roust you about bothering the precious brown trout, chinook, etc.

#29 Guest_bumpylemon_*

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Posted 04 June 2009 - 05:05 PM

well i learned today that what i thought were tesselated darters swimming on the rocks were infact the brook trout...i swear they looked like hogsuckers or darters....but when i finally got one i was suprised that it wasnt a darter... there were 1000s of trout fry...fry that were so young i couldnt even identify. brook trout are sure pretty

#30 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

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Posted 05 June 2009 - 01:53 AM

congradulations on finding your commons.

As for brook trout they are very pretty, especially when you find wild ones (as opposed to state farmed livestock ones).

I also have finding darters as a goal, when my 55 gets cycled and clean I plan on getting a new "puppy darter" (i swear my old one acted like a dog, swimming to greet me when i enter the room).

Though I haven't sampled yet this week *i will on the weekend, hopefully)< i keep reaching an odd snag when seeking tesselated darter habitat. The books keep saying "shallow, slow water of rivers witha sand or mud bottom". But those are the areas which with few exceptions (mostly small common shiners) tend to be fishless. And streams like the one where i found them in new york that are both muddy and have rocks in them seem hard to find. (most muddy or sandy streams here are mostly rockless, as if sediment buried any hiding rocks).

#31 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 05 June 2009 - 10:40 AM

...fry that were so young i couldnt even identify.


Yah, that's what I mean about not handling the fry. The native brookies are precious in their own right and the warden is pretty protctive of the introduced browns and landlocks as well. Best look elsewhere.
I'm PMing a spot on the Cape with sure thing, easily collected tesselated. They're closer to you [Blackstone drainage] than that but it's my only sure thing spot.

I don't know about New Hampshire. You may not have tesselated close to you. For some reason they are absent in north east and north central Ma. I assume that extends north of there. Connecticut drainage may be closest for you, unless you head to south east Ma.
Edit to add: just noticed you're in SW NH, so you are in the CT drainage.

Edited by mikez, 05 June 2009 - 10:43 AM.


#32 Guest_bumpylemon_*

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Posted 05 June 2009 - 10:43 AM

Yah, that's what I mean about not handling the fry. The native brookies are precious in their own right and the warden is pretty protctive of the introduced browns and landlocks as well. Best look elsewhere.
I'm PMing a spot on the Cape with sure thing, easily collected tesselated. They're closer to you [Blackstone drainage] than that but it's my only sure thing spot.

I don't know about New Hampshire. You may not have tesselated close to you. For some reason they are absent in north east and north central Ma. I assume that extends north of there. Connecticut drainage may be closest for you, unless you head to south east Ma.


im having difficulty in the blackstone drainage. but the fish and game didnt have any issues with me collect shiners. they were even telling me some other spots to check out lol...thanks for the the PM

#33 Guest_bumpylemon_*

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Posted 05 June 2009 - 01:23 PM

i did encounter this eastern milk snake yesterday though


Posted Image

#34 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

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Posted 06 June 2009 - 05:53 PM

I don't know about New Hampshire. You may not have tesselated close to you. For some reason they are absent in north east and north central Ma. I assume that extends north of there. Connecticut drainage may be closest for you, unless you head to south east Ma.
Edit to add: just noticed you're in SW NH, so you are in the CT drainage.


I just found tesselates today, once I have my big tank set up and cycled I'll be all set.

#35 Guest_diburning_*

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Posted 16 July 2009 - 01:48 AM

You need the Hartel book - it's a must. I paid $40.00 a few years ago.
Creek chubs are in the Ct river drainage. Fallfish fill that niche in all the eastern drainages.

You live near lots of good water. Find the clean tribs to the blackstone for dace, fallfish and tesselated darters etc. Try searching online for trout streams.
The French river has the only madtoms in Ma.
Just to get you started...


There IS one pond in my area that does have (tadpole?) madtoms. However, the pond is small and I don't see any physical drainages so taking any of them might have a negative impact on their survival. All of the inlets and outlets are underground.



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