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Rye Coast NH


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#1 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

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Posted 29 September 2013 - 08:33 PM

Mike went up to NH for a sampling trip to try and see what fish we can find in NH, He was interested in brackish species so I took him to explore one of my favorite spots in Rye. We went to see what fish we can find and took photos of most. (I don't think we got a mummichog or a pipefish photo though).

We got lots of sticklebacks. Where their were weeds their were stickles. Ninespines seemed to be the most common.

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This one I didn't crop so you can see Mike through the tank.

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The threespine sticklebacks were easy to tell from the ninespines. they were fatter bodied and dusky in color.

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We caught an unusual codlike fish that Mike IDed as a tomcod.

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Sculpin were also fairly common, Mike IDed these as Grubby.

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One of the sculpins were unusually big

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We also got lots of mummichogs and a couple pipefish

#2 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

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Posted 29 September 2013 - 08:45 PM

Invertebrates were also abundant. the most abundant of them are shore/grass shrimp. (which I IDed through this page on saltmarsh life http://des.nh.gov/or...ts/wd-04-19.pdf)

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Mike also found a couple of these unusual shrimp which appear to be young shrimp of some sort.

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Crabs were also very very common, Some were big enough to be a meal. But we released them without taking pictures. We also released alot of periwinkle snails.

We got one very unusual looking critter, an amphipod of some sort.

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In addition to sampling we stopped by a small aquarium nearbye to take a look (and use the bathrooms). And it poved one thing I long suspected. NANFA members + public aquarium = window shopping. Mike found a new fish he likes in a fellow who looked like a darter/eel cross called a rock gunnel. I also saw a big flounder snap at a smaller one who got in its way.

#3 Michael Wolfe

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Posted 29 September 2013 - 08:53 PM



This one I didn't crop so you can see Mike through the tank.

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Grizzley Lucas
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#4 Guest_Kanus_*

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Posted 30 September 2013 - 07:17 PM

I think your "unusual shrimp" are mysis, or opossum shrimp. These, in frozen form, are the staple food for most of my darters.

#5 Guest_keepnatives_*

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Posted 30 September 2013 - 08:40 PM

I think your "unusual shrimp" are mysis, or opossum shrimp. These, in frozen form, are the staple food for most of my darters.

Photos of opossum shrimp seem to match perfectly. We caught about 4 of them all different colors black, clear, green and orangish. Very cool looking creatures. Thanks for the id.

#6 Guest_keepnatives_*

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Posted 30 September 2013 - 11:54 PM

Saturday I left Schenectady, NY about 5:15 am heading across VT to Josh's house in Richmond NH. As I crossed the mountains of VT and NH the view even in the dark was awesome. I could see the tops of other mountains poking through the clouds and as the light grew all the valleys were filled with clouds looking like puffy lakes and rivers. Gradually these turned to actual lakes and rivers of rising mists. The 2 and a half hour trip went by quickly and soon we were loading Josh's gear and headed another couple hours to the northeast to sample some tidal creek areas. We parked in a fishing access and parked anxious to get in the water. The tide was going out and left some rocky plant covered spots which looked perfect for some sticklebacks. Posted Image Posted ImagePosted Image

We caught several 3 spine sticklebacks and several 9 spine sticklebacks in about 20 minutes as well as a good number of mummichugs so we started checking out rocky areas with no vegetation and open areas to see what else might be found. Found an interesting looking 8 - 9 inch fish which we thought was some cod like fish and indeed it turned out to be a tomcod.Posted ImagePosted Image

We also began to find some cool sculpins I believe were Grubbies most were about 2.5 inches and one was about 6 inch,Posted Image

We had to be carefull as if we stood more then a few seconds our feet were locked in the tidal mud in fact it sucked us in so quickly in some areas you had to take quick short steps as if you stepped too far your back foot would already be locked in and it became difficult to stay balanced. Somehow we both avoided any falls. We decided to take some photos and visit the nearby Parks Vistor Center and aquarium. They had several tanks of marine and brackish fish. One tank had a number of longhorn sculpins and sea ravens about 14 inches, imagine a banded sculpin with spikes that would take 2 hands to hold, impressive fish. As Josh mentioned my favorite was the rock piled tank full of rock gunnels. Though at first glance all one could see was a head or 2 poking out of a crevice or hole here and there. But an accommodating attendant offered to toss in some food, actually tiny cyclops really meant for the other life in the tank. But suddenly every hole had a rock gunnel between 3 and 8 inches rushing out to see what morsels might be available. Definately will be looking to come gunning for gunnels next time. About 45 minutes later we were back to our site just on the other side of the bridge and the water level was clealy getting lower fast.Posted Image

We found more of the previous fish except the tomcod and found 2 northern pipefish. Crabs were super abundant of a wide color range as well as sizes. Grass shrimp and those cool oppossum shrimp. We also saw a few shallow algae filled pools higher up on the opposite side of the road which were full of mummichugs.Posted Image

We had a great day, great discoveries and great weather.

#7 Guest_Kanus_*

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Posted 01 October 2013 - 04:15 PM

Thanks for the writeup, very nice! I've only gotten the chance to go tidal-collecting two or three times, but it is always fun and provides plenty of surprises.

#8 mattknepley

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Posted 01 October 2013 - 04:30 PM

Nice! I'm jealous. Just about any trip through upstate NY / VT / NH is worth it to begin with, but getting to be out with another NANFAn makes it that much better. And that sculpin is one nice lookin' fish.
Matt Knepley
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#9 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

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Posted 02 October 2013 - 09:46 AM

great pictures Mike, especially of the tomcod and the reddish plants by the pool.

I forgot to mention one species in my report. We also netted some american eel there.

#10 Guest_Heather_*

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Posted 02 October 2013 - 10:07 PM

Awesome!! Thanks for sharing - great to "meet" another NH native :biggrin:



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