Tried a different section of the same creek yesterday, with the micro stuff again. Caught 29 fish. 13 Striped Shiners, 4 Creek Chubs, 3 Bluntnose Minnows, 3 Bleeding Shiners, 1 Northern Studfish, 2 Longear Sunfish, 2 Bluegills, and 1 Green Sunfish. Finally had a couple Darters hooked, and several Topminnows hooked, but all fell back into the water instead of into my hand. Rats... would have loved to have gotten pics of them!
This looks like it would be really easy to catch these little fish. Sometimes it is (for the Striped Shiners and Creek Chubs), but its also a lot of work and time, and patience when trying to get the smaller-mouthed fish to strike something that isn't real. Many times I see fish come up and look and decide my offering is NOT FOOD. Frustrating. Equally frustrating is when a fish finally DOES hit, and somehow manages to not get hooked on the tiny hook. You only get so many shots!
Friends were consulted again to help me I.D. some of the fish.
The Bluntnose Minnow was a new species on fly for me.
Bleeding Shiners:
Bluntnose Minnows:
Creek Chubs:
Northern Studfish:
Striped Shiners:
