When I was looking around on different websites I found alot of fish species that seemed like they might make a good forrage fish. Since there hasn't been much action here lately I thought I'd strike up a discussion about it.
Now I know that bluegill are going to be the primary food soure for my bass but I have heard many times that diverisity in the food chain is key. Things like fatheads, frogs, crawdads, golden shiners and shad are talked about all the time but I dont know much about the following:
Sculpins. A favorite bait in many places and often imitated by fly-fishermen. They also seem to be important in the food chain wherever they live.
American Brook Lampreys. They live most of thier lives under the mud as larvae, then emerge as adults (at 8"-9" it think) to spawn, then they die. Since they only eat crud that they slurp off of rocks I imagine that they wouldn't compete much with other species.
American Eels. Currently being dicussed under "questions and observations", I was under the impresion that American Eels were an anadromous species that spawn in the gulf of mexico and the females swim up rivers to live and grow then return to the gulf to spawn. Is this correct or am I mixing up my eels? Will they reproduce in lakes and ponds?
Tadpole madtoms. They only get to 4" and they spawn continually throughout the summer.
Stonecats. Another runt catfish but all I know about them is that they live in the rocks and I've heard that they are the #1 favorite food of channel catfish.
Darters. Tiny cousins of yellow perch and walleye that seem like they might be quick enough (unlike fatheads) to survive and multiply.
Alewifes. There has been some discussion about them but certain details have been left out. fecudity? spawning reqirements? exact temperature range? sources?
Other minnow/shiner. I've found more species of minnows and shiner than I can count but is there a species of minnow that will survive in the presence of LMB or a species of Shiner that is not subject to the ovarian parisite.
Deos anybody have information about any of these such as spawning reqirements, fecundity, diets, temperature ranges, or any sources for them? Are any of these a good option for a forrage species and why/why not? Anybody know of another cool forrage species that deosn't get mentioned much?
-Scott
Last edited by Bill Cody; 10/25/22 10:12 AM.
