robin
07-23-2004, 09:03 PM
I walked down to the river for a few casts with the kids tonight. I figured I'd let them each catch a smallmouth or rock bass and we'd be done. It was a little more exciting than that.
The first fish was a little smallmouth that my son horsed in. The next fish was my daughter's. I thought it was another smallmouth due to its fight, but when she lifted up the pole it was a very impressive rock bass. I ran for the tape and found that it measured just under 10.5 inches. A master angler is 11 inches, so we threw it back. The next few fish were all small rock bass that we were catching on beetle spins. I switched to my trusty orange spinner and my son picked up an eleven inch walleye. That is his first walleye (and mine) out of the river, so it was pretty cool (despite the size). After a few casts without a hit, I switched back to the beetle spin and my daughter reeled in a small sunfish (also a first for me in the river). We caught a couple more small rock bass, but the coolest fish we saw was one that we didn't catch.
From where I cast there is a deeper pool of "still" water about five feet to the right. I stand about 3 feet above the river, so I can usually see carp or small schools of rock bass below me. As I was casting tonight my son yelled that there was a huge fish below us. At first glance I thought it was a big walleye. After studying it a few seconds I wasn't exactly sure what it was. I would say that it is a bowfin after looking at web sights on fish ID. It was torpedo shaped like a walleye with 2 short barbs coming out of its nose. The dorsal fin was connected all the way back with just a slight dive between the back and the tail. I tried jigging my spinner in front of it, but the sight of 2 jumping kids above it sent it to deeper water. Anyway, it was a fun time. I'll get the waders out and give it a try by myself tomorrow.
The first fish was a little smallmouth that my son horsed in. The next fish was my daughter's. I thought it was another smallmouth due to its fight, but when she lifted up the pole it was a very impressive rock bass. I ran for the tape and found that it measured just under 10.5 inches. A master angler is 11 inches, so we threw it back. The next few fish were all small rock bass that we were catching on beetle spins. I switched to my trusty orange spinner and my son picked up an eleven inch walleye. That is his first walleye (and mine) out of the river, so it was pretty cool (despite the size). After a few casts without a hit, I switched back to the beetle spin and my daughter reeled in a small sunfish (also a first for me in the river). We caught a couple more small rock bass, but the coolest fish we saw was one that we didn't catch.
From where I cast there is a deeper pool of "still" water about five feet to the right. I stand about 3 feet above the river, so I can usually see carp or small schools of rock bass below me. As I was casting tonight my son yelled that there was a huge fish below us. At first glance I thought it was a big walleye. After studying it a few seconds I wasn't exactly sure what it was. I would say that it is a bowfin after looking at web sights on fish ID. It was torpedo shaped like a walleye with 2 short barbs coming out of its nose. The dorsal fin was connected all the way back with just a slight dive between the back and the tail. I tried jigging my spinner in front of it, but the sight of 2 jumping kids above it sent it to deeper water. Anyway, it was a fun time. I'll get the waders out and give it a try by myself tomorrow.