Went out today to a local I visited yesterday. I saw some of what I thought were madtoms yesterday so I returned today with my net to try my hand at fish collecting for the first time since I was a kid.
Scenery on the way there, with the destinations creek in between those rolling hills

The creek/riffle

Most of the entire riffle is in this shot. Fairly big compared to spots ive found so far. My hope today was to scare up a slender madtom and a stonecat and maybe see if I could spot some darters for future attempts with a seine. My plan is to make a 55g stream tank eventually but figured I would start my collecting now. Eventually I would like it to reflect my local Kansas river drainage riffle and would include Slender Madtoms, Stonecats, Orangetroat Darters, Johnny Darters, and maybe a Logpearch and maybe some minnows or something. Getting that first catch was harder than I expected with the first one actually slipping right through the net arggg! But eventually I got one in hand. A slender madtom im pretty sure.

After that they came easy and I ended up netting about ten or twelve but took home 6, 4 adults and 2 young. Darters were no where to be seen. Maybe I wasnt looking hard enough or they might just not be at that particular riffle but they are next on my list.



Took some rocks from that creek but after getting home realized I should of took more rocks and fewer fish. Also snagged a couple shoreline plants ( the only thing appearing to grow out there) and put them in there but am worried the leafy growth might be meant for above water only. O well ill wait and see.

Nice tank! I wish I could find madtoms as easily as you did. I wouldn't try to keep a stonecat with darters, the darters will end up being stonecat snacks. You need another tank to keep the stonecat in.

I wish I could find Madtoms that easy. I've found a few but I don't know how to distinguish a madtom from a stonecat, and I don't want to accidentally bring home a stonecat.

I wish I could find Madtoms that easy. I've found a few but I don't know how to distinguish a madtom from a stonecat, and I don't want to accidentally bring home a stonecat.

That's how I got my stonecat. And how I found out they eat darters (and other fish.) It is currently sharing a tank with a longear sunfish and a grass pickerel.

Thanks for the replies, it took a while to find this riffle and this was the first one I found to have madtoms and lots of them. But I do feel blessed. I had pictured this big diverse tank in my mind but I guess it is going to be a couple stonecats short, im glad ya mentioned that schambers cause I would hate to lose a darter like that. Thanks. After all this talk about stonecats and what you said jblaylock I starting to wonder if I got my id right, I may have gotten it wrong Ill put it up in the ID section.

nice tank. so you brought home 6 madtoms? I hope they are slenders for your own sake! 6 stonecats could be a pot of trouble. Best of luck getting darters, I am after some myself this weekend.

Thanks for the advice Burbot, im thinking two of those stonecats(the biggest ones) are going to go to a friend. I dont want them causing any trouble with my darter(s). Thanks for the luck on the darters...it worked lol http://forum.nanfa.o...ers-luck-again/ Good luck to you too hope you didnt give me all of it(the luck)

Nice work!