Tadpole Madtoms in Ontario, Canada?

I've been looking for Tadpole Madtoms in different places in my province for some time now, but I can't seem to find anywhere that has them. I have been using some different websites such as fishmap.org and fishnet2.net , but none of the places I have checked so far have had anything meaningful. Are there any specific locations, or maybe some different techniques that can help me find one of these things? I have only been using a small trout net, but I can use a rod if that works better.

Edit: I've been looking around Simcoe, London, Kitchener, etc. 

Edited by biggsllick, 05 September 2021 - 06:00 AM.

Tadpole madtoms I've kept in aquaria tend to spend a lot of time during the day hanging out in masses of stem plants such as hornwort and elodea near the top of the aquarium. They seem to be out and active during the day much more than other madtom species I've kept.

Most of the tadpole madtoms I've collected have been in similar habitats, masses of plants I've swished a dip net through while trying to collect killifish, livebearers, or pygmy sunfish in ponds and slow-moving streams. They seem to have a tendency to come into areas that have been sampled  previously, so swishing a dip net through the same area a few minutes later is commonly effective. I assume that they are attracted to these disturbed areas to feed on dislodged invertebrates. 

Phil Nixon

Central Illinois

Tadpole madtoms I've kept in aquaria tend to spend a lot of time during the day hanging out in masses of stem plants such as hornwort and elodea near the top of the aquarium. They seem to be out and active during the day much more than other madtom species I've kept.

 

Most of the tadpole madtoms I've collected have been in similar habitats, masses of plants I've swished a dip net through while trying to collect killifish, livebearers, or pygmy sunfish in ponds and slow-moving streams. They seem to have a tendency to come into areas that have been sampled  previously, so swishing a dip net through the same area a few minutes later is commonly effective. I assume that they are attracted to these disturbed areas to feed on dislodged invertebrates. 

 

Phil Nixon

Central Illinois

Thanks for this information. I have tried this method desperately, but to no avail. I am more pressed on the issue that I don't exactly know where to find these fish. Another problem is that a lot of the creeks and bodies of water that I find myself going to are more often than not very deep and muddy, so I am not familiar in the proper techniques to fish these areas. I mostly try cast netting or dip netting, and setting traps in areas that are close to my area. 

I am very close to the Brantford/Grand River area, and from what I have seen on different maps regarding this species' distribution, I am pretty far from the areas that these fish are in. But nevertheless, I will continue my journey! 

Whether it's any help or not, I'll add my .02 worth. So far, I have caught 5 madtoms in the rock-bottom Olentangy River in Ohio by kick-seining, dipnet and scraping the rocks / bottom trying to catch darters in the riffles. So far I have caught 3 stonecat madtoms (last year) and 2 brindled madtoms (3 days ago). These two species like rocks to hide under as I suspect almost all madtoms do. However, I would suggest kick-seining for them or a dipnet in the riffles and around cover. Two of the three stonecats were caught kick-seining. MOST catfish are active at dusk and overnight, however, I have caught all of my madtoms between noon to 6 PM.

If my info isn't helpful, for that I am sorry. Just sharing my successes with catching madtoms and how I did it around here in Ohio. Seems that the stonecats and brindled only come out at night.

Best of luck and safe and legal collecting. Don't know what it is? Take a picture and put it back!

The Grumpy Old Man.