I discovered yet another species of fish on the pond today. Witnessed a school of very phusiform fish, 20 or so ranging from 5 to 7 inches. Swimming as a group, and staying together.

At first I thought maybe mullet, but now I'm thinking maybe a type of shad. For the length, they aren't very broad, with forked tails and what looks like small mouths.

From my knowledge, which is minimal regarding shad, they are algae/plankton feeders, arent they?

I'm trying to figure out how I've never seen these fish before now. The Hurricane Harvey flood is likely the culprit stocker, so they've been in the pond since then. No other way for them to get here.

Dang Mike! How many species are you up to now?

Probably shiners

Lord only knows QA. IF (and I say that loosely, because I haven't caught any more) I dont have any more crappie, this will make 11 ..... that I know of, including the suckers I turned loose last fall, but not counting any crosses I've caught, only because I don't know how to classify those.

Its definitely a mixed bag of mutts.

Pat, It very well could be shiners, now that you mention it. That possibility never entered my mind. Are shiners carnivorus?

No wonder "3" has gotten so big in such a short time period. Just looking at her swimming by, her RW since being stocked has got to be 200%+. "2" is at least 150% (just guessing, of course). At this rate, with the forage base they've got, I could have a 5 pounder this time next year. Whats the possibility of double digit LMB coming out of a puddle?!!

Shiners are filter feeders with a few fish eggs on the side

Wow Mike you have got quite a selection of fish there. Of course being at the mercy of the occasional hurricane kind of puts you at natures mercy. Well it will give the LMB and GSF something else to eat.

Well, maybe they'll help cut down some BG, if they are in fact shiners. The wife says her dad used shiners this big when ice spearing pike. I'm beginning to convince myself y'all may be right.

With everything warming up, I expect these "shiners" will likely try to reproduce as well. I really have no idea what these fish are all about. My only experience is using them for crappie bait.

The adults I discovered today are too big for anything but the LMB to eat, but if they can have a successful spawn, then everyone benefits.

I'm still amazed that after almost 18 months, this is the first time I've seen them. I walk the pond every day!!

Puller....that's why I haven't invested any money in fish....yet. Still waiting on Overton's to let me know they've got RES in the size I want. And maybe a few CNBG to boost my BG size potential. But its hard to convince yourself to spend money on something that could easily just swim away one day when mama nature decides to rearrange things.

After doing some searching on shiners, I quickly realized there are WAY TOO MANY subspecies of them critters, so I needed to get a better look at one, so I tried luring them closer with bread. They are quite voracious, but could never get them to come close enough to get a decent look. So I figured if they'd eat bread, I might be able to catch one. My hook must be too big because I never could get one stuck.

Did catch a couple decent BG and a healthy WM, tho.

Mike wonder if small sabiki lures for smelt and other bait fish might work on big shiners. Might try at nite under a lantern with tiny minnow hooks with a tiny piece of worm. I have caught them on artificial bait by accident. How large was your warmouth? I like those guys

I like the idea of sabiki lures to catch those buggers. My shiners work in concert to destroy bass food pellets. I can have bait with some pellets and a cast net.

Just guessing, but probably close to 7 inches. I knew immediately it was a WM by the way it fought. Didnt really pull, just swam sideways, much like GSF. My BG definitely fight harder.

I was out raking a little FA this morning and this little guy/girl got caught up in my rake. I've been calling them Fatheads but I dont think it is. Maybe a Male Gambusia? This one is about two inches long, which is about as big as I've seen them, and I've never witnessed this fish with the black anal spot indicative of a female GAM. I've always been intrigued by the red tail and spots. Any idea guys?? If I can take FHM off the list, then I think that's a good thing, from an accuracy standpoint.

[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/YJdpVbGf7HJxDsae6[/img]

[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/tJx9WD7gx1HDzkPXA[/img]

Looks like a goby .... brackish water fish

Oops probably not maybe a mud minnow

They sure are pretty fish, whatever they are. I was thinking maybe a mud minnow, but I'm not sure. We catch them in ditches here when catch crawfish for bait.

Think I'll remove FHM from my list of occupants tho.

On the shiner addition, I'm kinda leaning toward emerald shines. The size and description seem to match up.

Edit... did some more searching and the closest I can come to is mud minnow, tho most descriptions say they get much larger than what I've seen here.

Gulf killifish?

Possibly, but the description of the GK puts them getting much bigger than anything in my pond. I am seeing a few that are starting to exhibit vertical markings now, indicating Male fish preparing to spawn. Nothing bigger than 3 inches have ever presented themselves. That's why I think their mud minnows. Found a pic online that fits these almost exactly.

Another result of Hurricane Harvey, I'm sure.

Same as mud minnow....

The description I find on gulf killfish says they grow much larger than what I've got. See the attached for fundulus cingulatus...

[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/56ofAvMCPX68tid69[/img]

This is the closest I can find of what's in the pond.