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NC Collecting in March / April

Started by Guest_Jan_* , Nov 29 2009 07:59 PM

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#1 Guest_Jan_*

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Posted 29 November 2009 - 07:59 PM

I'm planning on visiting relatives in the Raliegh Durham (Apex) North Carolina Area in late March / Early April. Can any of you Southern NANFA members tell
me what I might find in that area, at that time of year? What type of habitats I might look in?
Also, if anyone lives in that area and would like to team up to do some fish collecting and observing, please get in touch.

Thanks,

Jan

#2 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 30 November 2009 - 10:58 AM

Apex is on the watershed divide betewwn the Cape Fear River to the west and Neuse River to the east. Loads of purty fish within an hour drive, both Piedmont and Coastal Plain species. Some of my favorites in the area include swallowtail, pinewoods, satinfin, whitefin, highfin, crescent shiners; roanoke, piedmont, tesselated, glassy darters; rosyside, mtn redbelly dace; bluehead chub; margined madtom; snail bullhead; bluespotted, blackbanded sunfish; banded pygmy sunfish; lined, speckled kilifish; eastern mudminnow; creek chubsucker; blacktip jumprock. We can probably get a few local NANFAns and Raleigh Aquarium Society folks together for a trip. Let us know the dates.

#3 Guest_Jan_*

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Posted 30 November 2009 - 06:05 PM

WOW!

I'm gonna need a bigger tank.

That sounds amazing, you have a lot of diversity in your area.
Well, I'm clueless as to where to look, so some local guides would be great.

I'll be visiting my sister (with my family in tow)the week of March 29th through April 3rd or so.
I'm a school teacher from Long Island NY, and that is our spring break, so I'm locked into that
time frame.
I will need to be socializing with family of course, but will be able to get out to explore.

So that's the plan -

Jan

PS.I like to game fish as well.

#4 Guest_Kanus_*

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Posted 30 November 2009 - 07:24 PM

I will probably be available and would not turn down a trip to the area if I could at all help it...

#5 Guest_Jan_*

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Posted 30 November 2009 - 09:17 PM

That's great - definitely stay in touch regarding the outing. Do you know the area at all? I'm coming from Long Island NY, so its definitely new territory for me.
I'm excited about all the potential species that can be seen in there.
= Jan

#6 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 01 December 2009 - 02:34 PM

I will probably be available and would not turn down a trip to the area if I could at all help it...

Ditto. And maybe, just maybe, I'll have a tank set up by then too!

#7 Guest_Jan_*

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Posted 01 December 2009 - 08:01 PM

Ditto. And maybe, just maybe, I'll have a tank set up by then too!

Excellent! Sounds like we're getting a good group together. Are you able to go out during the week or only the weekend in that timeframe?
I'm looking forward to the trip!
- Jan

#8 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 02 December 2009 - 01:24 PM

Alas, I am restricted to weekends.

#9 Guest_Jan_*

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Posted 02 December 2009 - 04:59 PM

We'll make it work!

#10 Guest_Jan_*

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Posted 16 January 2010 - 08:10 PM

Apex is on the watershed divide betewwn the Cape Fear River to the west and Neuse River to the east. Loads of purty fish within an hour drive, both Piedmont and Coastal Plain species. Some of my favorites in the area include swallowtail, pinewoods, satinfin, whitefin, highfin, crescent shiners; roanoke, piedmont, tesselated, glassy darters; rosyside, mtn redbelly dace; bluehead chub; margined madtom; snail bullhead; bluespotted, blackbanded sunfish; banded pygmy sunfish; lined, speckled kilifish; eastern mudminnow; creek chubsucker; blacktip jumprock. We can probably get a few local NANFAns and Raleigh Aquarium Society folks together for a trip. Let us know the dates.

Hi,

My trip to NC will take place March 29 through Sunday April 4. I'm not sure what availability people have timewise - since I'm on vacation I'm not limited to the weekend. Some people who contacted me are, however. Let me know what you think.

All the best -
Jan

#11 Guest_killier_*

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Posted 19 January 2010 - 12:43 AM

Hi,

My trip to NC will take place March 29 through Sunday April 4. I'm not sure what availability people have timewise - since I'm on vacation I'm not limited to the weekend. Some people who contacted me are, however. Let me know what you think.

All the best -
Jan

Okay well that's springbreak for me so if we can hammer out some details before February I should be able to make it.

#12 Guest_Jan_*

Guests

Posted 19 January 2010 - 08:12 PM

Apex is on the watershed divide betewwn the Cape Fear River to the west and Neuse River to the east. Loads of purty fish within an hour drive, both Piedmont and Coastal Plain species. Some of my favorites in the area include swallowtail, pinewoods, satinfin, whitefin, highfin, crescent shiners; roanoke, piedmont, tesselated, glassy darters; rosyside, mtn redbelly dace; bluehead chub; margined madtom; snail bullhead; bluespotted, blackbanded sunfish; banded pygmy sunfish; lined, speckled kilifish; eastern mudminnow; creek chubsucker; blacktip jumprock. We can probably get a few local NANFAns and Raleigh Aquarium Society folks together for a trip. Let us know the dates.

HI Gerald -
I'm visiting my sister and her kids in the
Apex North Carolina area (Raliegh Durham region). I will have my kids in tow, but will to do
various fishing activities during the week.
I'm hoping some local residents familiar with the area can show me some good spots for some of your interesting native fish.

I'm not sure specifically which days I'll be meeting up with people, but Saturday the 3rd of April is probably good for those
limited to weekends. I will be headed back to NY on April 5.

Thanks for your interest!

#13 Guest_gerald_*

Guests

Posted 12 March 2010 - 01:22 PM

Our current plan for Saturday April 3, assuming we dont get too much rain, is to sample in the Roanoke, Neuse, and Cape Fear tributaries between Durham and Burlington. Likely fish species include darters (roanoke, chainback, piedmont, tesselated/johnny, glassy, fantail), shiners (swallowtail, satinfin, whitefin, white, crescent, highfin, spottail, pinewoods, rosefin, comely, sandbar), rosyside & mtn redbelly dace, bluehead chub, margined madtom, flat/snail bullhead, speckled killie, blacktip jumprock, northern hogsucker, ...

We may also go out Thurs late afternoon (Apr 1, no fooling) to a couple sites in Raleigh, if anybody local wants to join us. The Raleigh Aquarium Society meeting is that night, 7:30 at the NCSU Vet School.

If we get too much rain and Piedmont creeks are running too high, then Saturday Plan B is to head south toward Fayetteville for Coastal Plain swamp species. There's a pond where high flow wont matter so much, and we oughta get bluespotted sunfish, banded pygmy sun, flier, mudminnow, lined killie, grass shrimp, etc. Good plant diversity too.

#14 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 12 March 2010 - 09:46 PM

I haven't had the pleasure of exploring the piedmont yet but dragged my dip net through many roadside ditches in the Sandhills/Cape fear area during herp trips and found most on your list plus a swampfish I neither kept nor photographed and this little guy which I could not id at the time. Folks here convinced me it's a plain old swamp darter but it don't look nuthin like a Massachusetts swamp darter.
Posted Image

#15 Guest_Kanus_*

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Posted 26 March 2010 - 08:44 PM

Hey, I just wanted to say that as of now, it's looking like I will be joining, as well as probably Jim Long, and perhaps another friend. Gerald, did you want to meet at your place again, or should we work those details out once we know more...?

#16 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 29 March 2010 - 10:11 AM

Since we'll be collecting west of Durham it'll make more sense for you and Jim to stay on 85 to Durham instead of coming to Wake Forest. That'll save you some time (and sleep). PS I dont usually bother with aeration this early in the season, but the weather forecast for this weekend says 80s!

Anybody else care to join us? Send me a PM and I will let you know when/where we're meeting. Also, if you need live blackworms I'm getting a group order on Thurs: $15./lb or $9./half-pound. If you want worms I need to know by Tues night.

Hey, I just wanted to say that as of now, it's looking like I will be joining, as well as probably Jim Long, and perhaps another friend. Gerald, did you want to meet at your place again, or should we work those details out once we know more...?

#17 Guest_bumpylemon_*

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Posted 30 March 2010 - 04:55 PM

Since we'll be collecting west of Durham it'll make more sense for you and Jim to stay on 85 to Durham instead of coming to Wake Forest. That'll save you some time (and sleep). PS I dont usually bother with aeration this early in the season, but the weather forecast for this weekend says 80s!

Anybody else care to join us? Send me a PM and I will let you know when/where we're meeting. Also, if you need live blackworms I'm getting a group order on Thurs: $15./lb or $9./half-pound. If you want worms I need to know by Tues night.

wish i could join you guys down there. have fun. Jan we are going out in NY this weekend to. go figure youll be down there!!

#18 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 06 April 2010 - 12:11 PM

We had 24 people on the April 3 field trip to Eno River (Durham Co), Hyco Creek (Caswell Co), and New Hope Creek (Orange Co). Here's what we caught (composite list):

Rosyside Dace, Mountain Redbelly Dace, Creek Chub, Bluehead Chub, (& maybe juv Bull chub?)
Satinfin Shiner, White Shiner, Crescent Shiner, Rosefin Shiner, Pinewoods Shiner
Golden Shiner, Whitemouth Shiner, Highfin Shiner, Spottail Shiner, Swallowtail Shiner
White Sucker, Creek Chubsucker, Northern Hogsucker, Notchlip Redhorse, Blacktip Jumprock
Brown Bullhead, Pirate Perch, Speckled Killifish, Mosquitofish,
Redbreast Sunfish, Bluegill Sunfish, Largemouth Bass
Chesapeake Fantail Darter, Johnny Darter, Tessellated Darter
Piedmont Darter, Chainback Darter, Roanoke Darter

Photos: Roanoke darter female, Roanoke darter male, Chainback darter, Blacktip jumprock

Attached Images

Edited by gerald, 06 April 2010 - 12:16 PM.

#19 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 06 April 2010 - 12:52 PM

And a few more pics from Thomas Narten:
Seining in New Hope Cr, Notropis altipinnis & N.alborus, Eurycea eggs,
and that irresistable urge to kiss a redhorse (Mox. collapsum or papillosum?)

Attached Images

#20 Guest_UncleWillie_*

Guests

Posted 06 April 2010 - 02:31 PM

Wow, that's an excellent turnout for your trip. Glad to see some pictures - I love the Piedmont darter, and that jumprock sure looks plump. You've got a nice species list going there - glad it turned out well!