Help with Fish ID

[sodajones]

Yesterday, while fishing in Mill Creek, Lenexa, KS, I caught a few bluegill, a large mouth, and two unidentified fish.

They were 7-8 inches long, with slender bodies, and a slightly flattened head. Both were caught on a muddler minnow, hitting the fly instantly when it hit the water.

They looked similar to an illustration I saw of a grass carp, but that fish is a vegetarian. A description of a creek chub I read on another sight sounds like a possibility.

Any thoughts?

grass carp, while *mostly* vegetartians, have been known to eat the occasional fly. sometimes its a case of mistaken identity, and sometimes they may strike out of aggression. still other times, they may just feel like eating something thats not grass.

its not unheard of, in all realms of the animal world, for vegetarians to eat meat on occasion.

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Everyone dies. Only the lucky ever truly Live. Take your time.

Chris-Bishop, CA, USA

[beadleech]

I don't think I've ever heard of a grass carp in a creek - you'd think they would starve to death! <G> The creek [or horny head or horned minnow; all the same thing, I think] chub minnow is quite agressive and can reach sizes of 12-14" long around here.

Donald

[dixieangler]

Maybe it was a Suckerfish (small but looks like a carp and eats nymphs and vegitation). There are different kinds of Suckerfish. The kind in the article below is a White Suckerfish if I recall. Hard to guess without a photo.
[url=http://shorterlink.com/?W19PGL:cbe64]http://shorterlink.com/?W19PGL[/url:cbe64]

FWC link for Suckerfish [url=http://floridafisheries.com/Fishes/suckers.html:cbe64]http://floridafisheries.com/Fishes/suckers.html[/url:cbe64]

I've caught Quillbacks before on doughballs.


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"



[This message has been edited by dixieangler (edited 11 September 2005).]

[rrhyne56]

I'd suggest browsing a few F&G websites and looking over the images of native fish. That may yield fastest results.

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RRhyne56
[url=http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com:e8d7d]http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com[/url:e8d7d]
IM = robinrhyne@hotmail.com

[sodajones]

I went to the creek and caught another of these fish, this time on a black woolly booger. I've confirmed it is a creek chubb based on a description I found that includes a tell-tale detail: a black spot at the forward base of the dorsal fin.

Thanks for the helpful suggestions!