Big Collection Trip

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FLESHY

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jan 7, 2006
5,542
20
92
Central Wisconsin
Hey guys, doing some work for my boss who needs some DNA samples taken in SE united states.

What should I be on the prowl for in SC, GA, and FL?

Also, the trip will be at least a week long...what might be the best way to transport live fish (all legal, we are working on paperwork now).

Another thing to take into consideration is that being as poor as we are, we will be camping out.

Thank for any ideas.
 
probassfisher010 said:
Florida...Im interested to see the stuff pulled out from around that area. Keep us posted, and take pics!
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Me too - for me its going to be the most exciting part of the trip. The trip is geared towards getting DNA samples of gars - but trust me Ill be looking for other things.

It should be like a visit to an LFS when I pull that seine from the water. :D

That being said I am also trying to find some pygmy sunfish while I am down there and possibly some bluenosed shiners.
 
I live in south Florida and personally fish spots where one will catch gar, cichla, huge plecos, salvini, Midas, Mayan, jewel cichlids etc. All in one day!
 
Hey FLESHY, i recently kept a black crappie and 3 smaller sunfish in a five gallon bucket with a portible air pump for 3 days. I used the local water the fish were caught, then i slowly added bottled water, in this case i added Culligan water (because it comes in 5gallons) and 3 times a day i changed a bit of the water with new stuff, just to make sure they were okay, im sure you wont have to change the water as much but i was a bit worried. They lived fine. seems to be the best method of transport.
 
Fish dump a lot of their salt when under stress so you should definitely look into how much is recommended for stress relief when collecting. I know it seems odd that freshwater fish need salt, but my ichthy teacher really stressed this point in class. Also, be sure to add clean water from the stream periodically or at least at the end of the day to get rid of anything that the fish excrete under stress.
 
Theseabean said:
I live in south Florida and personally fish spots where one will catch gar, cichla, huge plecos, salvini, Midas, Mayan, jewel cichlids etc. All in one day!
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PM me please! Not our focus but I would love to know any hints from locals - spent some time interning at the Fort Myers DEP, but that was awhile back and only fished SW.

Owain4 said:
Hey FLESHY, i recently kept a black crappie and 3 smaller sunfish in a five gallon bucket with a portible air pump for 3 days. I used the local water the fish were caught, then i slowly added bottled water, in this case i added Culligan water (because it comes in 5gallons) and 3 times a day i changed a bit of the water with new stuff, just to make sure they were okay, im sure you wont have to change the water as much but i was a bit worried. They lived fine. seems to be the best method of transport.
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My main concern is temperature, but it will be a direct shot from FL back to central WI on our way back. I am planning on frequent (yet gradual) h2o changes, and most likely (as things stand now) battery powered aerators.

Bridger said:
Fish dump a lot of their salt when under stress so you should definitely look into how much is recommended for stress relief when collecting. I know it seems odd that freshwater fish need salt, but my ichthy teacher really stressed this point in class. Also, be sure to add clean water from the stream periodically or at least at the end of the day to get rid of anything that the fish excrete under stress.
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As mentioned before, frequent h2o changes are part of my schedule as far as local collecting goes, and when on this trip they will be made as frequently as possible. I will do them gradually however to try and limit shock from differing areas of h2o parameters ans quality. I have a ton of rock salt that I use in my lab, Ill bring some of that along, and do some research into the whole salt thing. Adding a little salt can never hurt IMO.
 
should read the south florida fishing thread there are alot of good spots talked about :)
 
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