Got out around 1ish. Hot, overcast. Water was high and dirty from all the rain we’ve been getting.
Got a whole mess of bluegill. And a few Mayan Cichlids. Had to ID them on the FWC website, as I’ve never seen one before. Fought well for a little guy.
Very pretty fish! Having worked in the import export tropical fish for five years in Miami, I can assure you that the release of non-native exotic fish is not only the result of pet owners wanting to get rid of unwanted fish in their aquariums. Many of the “fish farms” have large outside tanks that empty into draining ditches that ultimately connect to smaller canals which connect to the larger canals. When it’s time to clean a tank out, there may be one or two small fish still in the tanks. They usually simply remove the stand pipe to empty the tank so they can scrub it out and prepare it for the next batch of fish. That coupled with the occasional flooding that happens in south Florida has resulted in many, many exotic species being released into the environment, usually at the detriment to the local species. That said, I’d love to fish those canals now for peacock bass which were not there when I lived in Miami.
Jim Smith
That is a pretty fish, thanks for posting the pictures. Sounds like you may be able to catch many different tropical fish in Florida’s water ways.
How do they taste?
According the internet, they are very good. I’ve never tried it.
A panfish is a panfish, should all taste the same…
Sorry Sandfly. Crappie are milder than bluegill. Green sunfish have a stronger tate than bluegills.
This comes from several folks that I share fillets with.
Rick
Rick, I can’t give a fish by fish comparison but crappie is the standard by which all other are judged. When God dropped manna from the heavens to feed the children of Israel as they journeyed for 40 years through the wilderness, I am pretty sure manna is an old Hebrew word for “crappie filet.” What else could you eat everyday for 40 years.
I second Uncle Jesse’s opinion. One winter when I was in graduate school we ate the summer’s catch of crappie, calico bass here, and man so good, so good.
Mike
Actually, and interestingly enough, the word “manna” translated means “What is that?”
Exodus 16:35 (and a half):
And He answered their question, saying, It is crappie filet.
Be sure to notify your state game and fish, as they probably will wish to Rotenone the entire area to eliminate this invasive species threat. (They will probably then re-stock the area with native species…
That is what happened when some idiot moved Rio Grand Cichlids from the New Orleans area down into Plaquemines Parish, LA.
Luckily, the LDW&F was successful on stopping the spread… but unfortunately, Rio Grand Cichlids are still the predominate warm water species in the New Orleans area, due to of “releases” by well meaning “idiots”!
I’m surprised you haven’t run into them before in the Cocoplum. Englewood is over run with them, they pushed the bass right out of Gulf Cove until the big freeze culled them back. Ive caught them in saltwater too just north of the El Jobean bridge.
Just a thought, but if they destroy an entire ecosystem with Rotenone to eliminate an invasive species, then restock with new fish, the new fish will not be the same genetic strain that were there to start with, so can that really be considered a ‘Native’ species, or just another invasive strain that happens to be the same species? And what about the rest of the ecosystem? It will certainly be different when it comes back, so can that really be considered ‘Native’? Poisoning a body of water to try to eliminate one species (which is usually unsuccessful, anyway) is similar to cutting your hand off at the wrist to get rid of a hangnail.
It’s been my experience that nature usually does a better job of managing things than humans do, given half a chance. After a short adjustment period, most invasive species and Native species find a balance point to where they can co-exist. Nutria, carp, fresh water striped bass, brown trout, and other species have all managed to find their nitch. And, many ‘Native’ species could be also considered invasive, when they have been re-stocked far beyond their natural range, such as crappie, LG bass, freshwater striped bass, rainbow trout…
While I absolutely do not support introducing any species into a new area artificially, once it’s done, it’s done. There is no going back. The best you can do is just let nature work it out, and limit the damage on it’s own. When humans interfere, we usually just make things worse. My advise is to just catch all the Rio Grande Perch you want and enjoy them. The problem will eventually be self-correcting.
Just my opinion, anyway.
sorry guys…Crappie are good, but i would plant them in the garden to eat yellow perch
The Mayan’s have been here for 2 decades and are spreading. The state makes no effort to address the issue other than to require they not be released if caught. They wouldn’t poison the water for a snakehead let alone a panfish. Mayan’s make great snook and tarpon bait but that is illegal also. We are just seeing the bluegills come back since the freeze culled the Mayan’s. They offend work in pairs and will compete for your fly. They fight better than a bass size for size. Ive caught a few over 2lbs.
Where are they at? I would be happy to help them cull the Mayans. I promise not to throw any of them back…only into my freezer. Mayan’s and snakeheads are both delicious.
But you can take that for what it is worth, because I also eat carp and gar, and can’t understand why everyone else doesn’t. And steamed kudzu makes a great side dish with them.