How can I trap mummichogs? Sticklebacks?

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meepster

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 5, 2006
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Boston, Massachusetts
A school went to a salt marsh and collected some data on the fish that lived there. There were threespine sticklebacks, shrimp and mummichogs. I am planning to go to next week to collect some natives and I was wondering how I could trap some mummichogs (they used a trap) and maybe some threespine sticklebacks.

Here is their data: http://www.massaudubon.org/saltmarsh/Data/fish/belimin.pdf

I have a minnow trap but I don't know if it will work. I am also going to try to dip net some of the fish.

The minnow trap only has a 1 inch diameter hole and I don't know if the sticklebacks would fit into it.

What should I bait my minnow trap with so that I can catch some fundulus heteroclitus?

My collecting trip will be on Thursday next week at Belle Isle marsh. If anyone lives near or can travel there, and wants to help and get some natives of their own, they can pm me and we can arrange a time.

There are also some bog plants that can be taken and some plants like glasswort than can be immersed in full saltwater without problems

The salinity of the water is between 1.016 and 1.020

Apparently, there was also a population boom in ninespine sticklebacks (that occured after the data was taken by that school) and are very abundant in the area.

List of possible fish/organisms that we could collect:

American Eel
Green Crab
grass Shrimp
Three and Nine spined sticklebacks
Striped killifish
Mummichog
Sheepshead minnow (unconfirmed)
Hogchoker Sole (unconfirmed)
 
I catch striped kilifish and mummichog all the time. I use a regular cylindrical fish trap with about a 1" hole opening. All I do is put in a ritz cracker and throw the trap a couple feet from shore.
 
When the water warms up a bit, or if you get rubber waders, a great way to catch whatever you want using a seign net, and if you have a buddy to help you. You just walk around a bit with you and your buddy holding the net and you will pick up everything on the ground and swimming by.
 
buddies who like fish are in short supply right now :D

I am planning to take the trap, fill it with ritz crackers, then toss it out.

I will also be wearing waterproof boots to walk out into the water with a dip net.

How long do you think it will take before fish start entering the trap? I only plan to stay for a an hour or two.
 
Dip nets are very productive in my experience for these two species. Just keep sweeping from shore through eelgraass or marsh grass that is submerged.
 
I just went to find my dipnet and I found it and it's broken... will an extra large aquarium net work? I also have a trout net (the holes are probably too big)

I'll also be bringing an array of different size and mesh aquarium nets.
 
If there are fish around, it shoulnd't take long for fish to enter your trap. When I set out small traps like that I will check it every 20 mins or so, and if no fish, throw it out in a different area and maybe wait a little longer next time. The best places to throw them are next to areas of eel grass or big rocks that would creat alcoves and other areas of protecion. The same as santoury said with the dip net, sweep in areas of grass or next to protected areas.
 
thanks! anyone in MA want to come along? It's accessable by public transportation and has a parking lot (free parking)
 
I use a mesh minnow trap to catch sticklebacks and many other minnows. I will say that sticklebacks are bastards in aquaria though.
 
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