Are these the same as what we used to call "horny heads" back in south Alabama?

Sounds about right. As kids we would head out to small creeks to try to catch them. They were too small to eat, and I guess the reason for fishing for them was in the challenge. Redneck kids "sport-fishing", I guess. They were very wary of any change in reflections on the water surface. I haven't thought of them in years.