May 19, 2024

[FishnDave]

Before leaving Arkansas on Sunday, I decided to try for some species I don't normally get near home. My buddy that I fished with the previous day for Snakeheads, fished with me. He knows so many good fishing spots! We stopped at 3 places. At the first spot, I caught a Creek Chub, Green Sunfish, and Rainbow Trout, then lost a sculpin. We relocated downstream 100 yards or so, and I caught a few more Green Sunfish, a Banded Sculpin (Flyfer!), 3 Redspotted Sunfish, 7 Grass Pickerel, and a Knobfin Sculpin.Banded SculpinRedspotted SunfishGrass PickerelKnobfin SculpinRainbow TroutAs we headed to another location, we made a quick stop at a small creek, hoping for chances at some Darter species. We didn't manage any darters, but I did get a Flyfer (fly-lifer) of a Redfin Shiner. Also caught some Bleeding Shiners.Redfin ShinerBleeding Shiners

[FishnDave]

At our last spot, we fished a swamp that was flooded and muddied up from recent rains. I beached but lost a Spotted Gar, but caught a Warmouth and 2 Fliers.WarmouthFlierZebra SwallowtailI ended the day by 12:30pm (to start my drive home), with 11 species, 27 fish. I've now so far caught 51 fish species on fly in 2024.

[BadBug]

Nice catch Dave. Love your photos. Fifty-one species so far this year -- impressive. My lifetime number of species is assuredly way less than that. Dennis

[FishnDave]

Nice catch Dave. Love your photos. Fifty-one species so far this year -- impressive. My lifetime number of species is assuredly way less than that. Dennis

I've always enjoyed catching a variety, but my list was fairly stagnant for a long time. Until I moved from Iowa to Missouri. Lots more opportunities here, and I've picked up quite a few more from fishing in Arkansas, and last year's trip to south Florida. Its not everyone's idea of fun, but I keep learning about more fish I'd never even heard of before. It's fascinating! There are non-flyfishers who are life-listers, trying to catch as many species as they can also. They have a lot of knowledge and often a willingness to share it. It's very much like birdwatching, always trying to find species that you hadn't seen before. Its nice that fish can be caught, appreciated, and released. I'm not saying every fish needs to be released, its just nice to have that option. We can interact without killing what we wish to interact with.