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Broad River, Columbia, SC


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#1 nviole

nviole
  • NANFA Member
  • Congaree/ Lower Saluda River Basins, Columbia, SC

Posted 06 November 2017 - 03:23 PM

I went out today (11/6/17) to the Broad River in Columbia, SC to do some micro-fishing/species sampling. I ended up catching seven species: Redear Sunfish, Bluegill, Redbreast Sunfish, Eastern Mosquitofish, Longnose Gar, Cyprinella spp., and Sandbar Shiner. ID help would be appreciated, especially for third picture. 

 

I caught my smallest ever bluegill, while micro-fishing. In hind sight I wish I would've photographed it. 

 

This was my second ever mosquitofish, but first chance i've had to document one. I caught a bunch today, it's amazing that you can catch really little ones without hooking them, they just hold onto the bait for dear life. 

Mosquito_11_6_17.jpg

 

Suprise Longnose Gar for the day. Just a little one, but I saw him in a small side channel of the river. I dropped a worm in front of him and he sucked it up. Luckily I had a net close by, so I could land him by surprise. This was only my second ever Longnose Gar. 

Longnose_11_6_17.jpg

 

I found several schools of small shiners which were very difficult to catch even with micro hooks. I finally landed a few. I snapped a picture even though I just assumed they were Spottail Shiners. I sent these pictures to a friend from a micro-fishing group and he said that this is definitely a Cyprinella because of the deep body and black splotch on the dorsal fin. We were thinking Greenfin Shiner solely because it is more common in this river, but it also looks like in could be a fieryblack. I wish it still had some spawning coloration. Let me know what you all think. 

Cyprinella_11_6_17.jpg

I pulled my last fish of the day from some strong rapids. New species for me, I believe it's a Sandbar Shiner. 

Sandbar_11_6_17.jpg



#2 taldridge0321

taldridge0321
  • NANFA Member
  • Pigeon Watershed, North Carolina

Posted 06 November 2017 - 04:19 PM

I'm no expert so don't quote me, but I think the 3rd pic is a Whitefin Shiner (Cyprinella nivea). If I could see the snout better I could be certain, but it should overhang slightly on the Whitefin.

 

#3 Dustin

Dustin
  • Forum Staff

Posted 07 November 2017 - 11:04 AM

It's difficult to tell whitefin and greenfin apart without a good photo.  Like Tim said the snout tends to overhand slightly in some adult whitefins but it is not always the case.  Whitefins are more slender and greenfins are deeper bodied.  Whitefin tends to be more a bigger river fish and greenfins in smaller waters but none of these things are definitive.  Your fish appears to have the body of a greenfin and a head of a whitefin so I will say it is definitely one of the two.  If I had to guess, I would say greenfin based on the deeper body.  The Notropis is a sandbar.


Dustin Smith
At the convergence of the Broad, Saluda and Congaree
Lexington, SC


#4 nviole

nviole
  • NANFA Member
  • Congaree/ Lower Saluda River Basins, Columbia, SC

Posted 07 November 2017 - 11:23 AM

Absolutely. I get frustrated with shiners when they don't have their Spawning coloration. So what is a good way to take a photo? I've been told a couple times that a better photo would help. Any tips?

#5 taldridge0321

taldridge0321
  • NANFA Member
  • Pigeon Watershed, North Carolina

Posted 07 November 2017 - 12:03 PM

You should get a phototank, you can buy a cheap one from Petsmart, the see through plastic Beta tanks. Or by an expensive one or make one yourself. It's the best way to take a photo of a fish for id's. 



#6 taldridge0321

taldridge0321
  • NANFA Member
  • Pigeon Watershed, North Carolina

Posted 07 November 2017 - 12:46 PM

Here's a good phototank from Wild Fish Conservancy Group, they have a shop online with three sizes. I recommend the smallest for collecting/microfishing. Also found a pic with a Greenfin Shiner so that's two birds with one stone haha.Greenfin+Shiner+_76_.JPG



#7 nviole

nviole
  • NANFA Member
  • Congaree/ Lower Saluda River Basins, Columbia, SC

Posted 07 November 2017 - 01:44 PM

Haha awesome! I'll have to buy one for my micro-fishing trips. It's always a challenge to ration gear but it seems worth it.

#8 gerald

gerald
  • Global Moderator
  • Wake Forest, North Carolina

Posted 07 November 2017 - 02:11 PM

I agree with greenfin shiner and sandbar shiner.  Fieryblacks usually have at least a trace of red-orange on the snout and/or tail, and the head-body shape doesn't look slim enough for whitefin shiner.  On sandbar, the combination of large eye, large mouth, black dashes along lateral line pores, and moderately deep body are the traits that clue me in.


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel




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