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Northern Illinois sampling adventure


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#1 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 29 August 2006 - 08:13 AM

Recently five of the organizers here had a chance to get in the water for four days in Northern Illinois. for the first three days we spend our time sampling the Illinois River and it's tributaries in the LaSalle county area.

Group photo below: Histrix, Brooklamprey, Drewish, Skipjack and Teleost

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#2 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 29 August 2006 - 08:16 AM

In this set of pictures we visit an area with a strong population of shortnose gar. One in the group in particular has a soft spot for gar so we took lots of measurments here.

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#3 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 29 August 2006 - 08:19 AM

We visited a variety of areas on this day.

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#4 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 29 August 2006 - 08:21 AM

On the last day we headed East to find a different mix of fish.

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#5 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 29 August 2006 - 08:26 AM

Species list compiled and generated by Histrix (thank you) and a great thanks to all that provided excellent seining skills and help with photographs.
I can't give all of these thanks without mentioning the great fun I had with this group. Talking about fish in the hotel late at night will provide fond memories for years to come. Thanks for the great time guys!



Illinois River, LaSalle county (8/11/06):
Skipjack herring- Alosa chrysochloris
Silver chub - Macrhybopsis storeiana
Highfin carpsucker - Carpoides velifer
River carpsucker
River redhorse - Moxostoma carinatum
Emerald shiner - Notropis atherinoides atherinoides
Sand shiner - Notropis stramineus
Spottail shiner - Notropis hudsonius
Gizzard shad - Dorosoma cepedianum
Gambusia affinis
Freshwater drum - Aplodinotus grunniens
White bass - Morone chrysops
Channel catfish - Ictalurus punctatus
smallmouth buffalo- Ictobius bubalus

Vermillion River (8/12/06)
Shortnose gar - Lepisosteus platostomus
Longnose gar - Lepisosteus osseus
Asian grass carp - Ctenopharyngodon idella
Northern hogsucker - Hypentellium nigricans
Smallmouth buffalo - Ictiobus bubalus
Emerald shiner - Notropis atherinoides atherinoides
Gizzard shad - Dorosoma cepedianum
Spottail shiner - Notropis hudsonius
*Red shiner - Cyprinella lutrensis* edit
Stonecat madtom - Noturus flavus
Smallmouth bass (juv) - Micropterus dolomieu
Largemouth bass (juv) - Micropterus salmoides

Illinois River, night fishing (8/12/06)
Gizzard shad - Dorosoma cepedianum
Gambusia affinis
Freshwater drum - Aplodinotus grunniens
White bass - Morone chrysops
Bluegill sunfish - Lepomis macrochirus
Emerald shiner - Notropis atherinoides atherinoides
Spottail shiner - Notropis hudsonius

Secret Slough, Bureau County, Illinois (8/13/06)
Gambusia affinis
Johnny darter - Etheostoma nigrum
Bluntnose shiner - Pimephales notatus
Brook stickleback - Culaea inconstans
Blackstripe topminnow - Fundulus notatus
Common carp - Cyprinus carpio

Illinois River, pre-dam (8/13/06) - Lake-like ecosystem
Emerald shiner - Notropis atherinoides atherinoides
Spottail shiner - Notropis hudsonius
Sand shiner - Notropis stramineus
Spotfin shiner - Cyprinella spiloptera
Bluegill sunfish - Lepomis macrochirus
Orangespotted sunfish - Lepomis humilis
Rock bass - Ambloplites rupestris
Longnose gar - Lepisosteus osseus
Skipjack herring - Alosa chrysochloris

Illinois River, near Peru @ boat launch (8/13/06)
Gizzard shad - Dorosoma cepedianum x MANY
Emerald shiner - Notropis atherinoides atherinoides
Green sunfish - Lepomis cyanella
River carpsucker
Channel catfish - Ictalurus punctatus
Orangespotted sunfish - Lepomis humilis
Common carp - Cyprinus carpio

Secret Ditch Kankakee County (8/14/06)
Grass pickerel - Esox americanus
Central mudminnow - Umbra limi
Yellow bullhead - Ameiurus natalis
Tadpole madtom - Noturus gyrinus
Bluegill sunfish - Lepomis macrochirus
Green sunfish - Lepomis cyanella
Hornyhead chub - Nocomis biguttatus
Rock bass - Ambloplites rupestris
Blackside darter - Percina maculata
Yellow sucker
Mystery shiner, 2 spp
Golden shiner - Notemigonus crysoleucas
Redear sunfish - Lepomis microlophus
Blackstripe topminnow - Fundulus notatus
Pirate perch - Aphredoderus sayanus
Largemouth bass (juv) - Micropterus salmoides
Smallmouth bass (juv) - Micropterus dolomieu
Longear sunfish - Lepomis megalotis
Rainbow darter (pickerel vomit)

Unnamed ditches, Lake County Indiana (8/14/06)
Yellow bullhead - Ameiurus natalis
Starhead topminnow - Fundulus dispar
Grass pickerel - Esox americanus
Lake chubsucker - Erimyzon sucetta

#6 Guest_tricolor_*

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Posted 29 August 2006 - 12:37 PM

Nice! Is the grass carp stocked fish or naturally born in the area?

btw do you have nice pic of nuptial male steelcolor shiner?

#7 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 29 August 2006 - 12:51 PM

Is the grass carp stocked fish or naturally born in the area?

We believe these Grass Carp were reproducing in the area :cry:

btw do you have nice pic of nuptial male steelcolor shiner?


No I don't. I don't have any photos of steelcolor shiners much less good ones :wink:

#8 Guest_keepnatives_*

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Posted 29 August 2006 - 07:02 PM

I don't see mention of where the Red Shiner pictured was found?

Mike Lucas

#9 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 29 August 2006 - 07:08 PM

I don't see mention of where the Red Shiner pictured was found?

Mike Lucas


Vermilion river locality..

#10 Guest_drewish_*

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Posted 29 August 2006 - 07:11 PM

I don't see mention of where the Red Shiner pictured was found?

Mike Lucas


I think it may have been an error in the logging. It was found in the Vermillion River. We didn't sample any redfin shiners if I remember correctly.

#11 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 30 August 2006 - 07:53 AM

Thanks for catching that error Mike.

And Drewish you're absolutely right, We did not catch redfin shiners in this location.

#12 Guest_dsmith73_*

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Posted 01 September 2006 - 11:19 AM

I also noticed that you had F. escambiae listed for the last sight of ditches. It must have been one of the other starheads since this is well out of escambiae's range.

#13 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 01 September 2006 - 11:29 AM

I also noticed that you had F. escambiae listed for the last sight of ditches. It must have been one of the other starheads since this is well out of escambiae's range.


That would be a surprise and yes well out of range.
It should have read F, dispar and has been changed.

Maybe I should take a closer look at this list.....Histrix...... :lol:

#14 Guest_NateTessler13_*

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Posted 25 November 2006 - 01:51 AM

I'm almost sure that I visit the same Secret creek in Kankakee....almost sure, we've gotta meet up sometime.

#15 Guest_edbihary_*

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Posted 25 November 2006 - 03:24 AM

Is this the famous gar trip that Drew told me about? My appetite is whetted, I can't wait for the next one.

Group photo below: Histrix, Brooklamprey, Drewish, Skipjack and Teleost


Somehow, the order of these names seems wrong to me. Skipjack, I know you personally, you are the fourth name and the fourth from the left. So that is right. The others I don't know, yet, although I hope that will soon change. But from what I've gleaned from this and other forums, I expect Histrix to be a young woman, which corresponds to the fifth person in the picture, although the first in the list of names. In what order, from left to right, do the names correpond to the group picture?

#16 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 27 November 2006 - 10:12 AM

I'm almost sure that I visit the same Secret creek in Kankakee....almost sure, we've gotta meet up sometime.


Nate, I'll bet we've had our feet in the same water. I'm always willing to get in the water. I also love sampling this particular area. Let me know when you want to go out and I'll be ready. Contact me any time and I'll go. You might show me some new spots and I might show you a few as well.

Somehow, the order of these names seems wrong to me. Skipjack, I know you personally, you are the fourth name and the fourth from the left. So that is right. The others I don't know, yet, although I hope that will soon change. But from what I've gleaned from this and other forums, I expect Histrix to be a young woman, which corresponds to the fifth person in the picture, although the first in the list of names. In what order, from left to right, do the names correspond to the group picture?


You're quite right. I should have indicated the order is from right to left. I'm not sure why I did that. I may have flipped the image or perhaps didn't want to list myself first.

#17 Guest_eLeMeNt_*

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Posted 27 November 2006 - 11:54 AM

What's this? I don't think we have these in Maryland. It's a beauty.

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#18 Guest_NateTessler13_*

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Posted 27 November 2006 - 12:14 PM

looks like a Red Shiner to me

#19 Guest_edbihary_*

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Posted 27 November 2006 - 12:43 PM

What's this? I don't think we have these in Maryland. It's a beauty.

looks like a Red Shiner to me


I saw some of these at Skipjack's house last month. The picture doesn't do them justice. They are quite striking in an aquarium. It would be worth the trip to Illinois just to be able to collect some of them.

#20 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 27 November 2006 - 12:55 PM

Since red shiners seem to interest many here I'll be sure make them available to the forum next year in the spring. Not sure how well they'll travel in the mail but I don't think they should be all that difficult.




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