Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Yea that has no ring to it at all but I thought I'd share my first herping venture of the year.

Nothing really special. Wait I take that back. I heard at least half a dozen bullfrogs calling and I saw one young female. It's weird because everybody says they breed near the end of the summer.

It was also the most amount of bullfrogs I ever heard calling from that lake. Last year I only heard one or two all herp season.

Other frogs I heard tonight included green frogs, spring peepers(no way, REALLY!?!), a pickerel frog, and even a subspecies of Woodhouse's toad.

I also spotted a pickerel minnow(the FISH not the frog!) last evening. I don't know how many people come across baby pickerel ever...but I sure enjoyed it lol.
-----
Scott

Reptiles
--------
1 Colombian Rainbow Boa (Rocky)
1.0 Ball Python (Sultan)
0.1 California Kingsnake (Leota)
1.0 Eastern Painted Turtle (Yugi)
0.1 Red/Gold Bearded Dragon* (Irwin, R.I.P.)

Other
-----
1.0 Betta Fish (Tyrone)
1.0 Hooded Rat* (Clubber, R.I.P.)
0.1 Albino Rat (Isis)

I went thru a game fish phase when I was in my early teens, kept Bass, Bluegills, Bullhead catfish, and pickerel. The pickerel are like snakeheads (tropical fish)when they feed, cat bullheads are just plain ferocious as captives, now I fish for them and release them, just last week I caught a 29 inch pickerel on 4lb Stren fishing line, they usually get away when I use my ultra light setup, but I manage to get him in my hands, very happy day along with at least 12 white crappies over 12 inches, I LOVE to fresh water fish. At around the same time I also had many fresh water invertebrates as captives, usually carnivorous beetles, backswimmers, and water scorpions.
-----
Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

How would I go about catching a pickerel minnow anyway? I think it would make an awesome temporary pet. If they grow slow enough, maybe even a college dorm pet? lol

Seriously, I catch bluegill and bass minnows with bread for bait in my minnow trap. You have any idea what would make a good bait to catch pickerel minnows?
-----
Scott

Reptiles
--------
1 Colombian Rainbow Boa (Rocky)
1.0 Ball Python (Sultan)
0.1 California Kingsnake (Leota)
1.0 Eastern Painted Turtle (Yugi)
0.1 Red/Gold Bearded Dragon* (Irwin, R.I.P.)

Other
-----
1.0 Betta Fish (Tyrone)
1.0 Hooded Rat* (Clubber, R.I.P.)
0.1 Albino Rat (Isis)

I would use a net. We used to seine catching all sorts of stuff and trying to identify. I bet little Pickeral would eat enormous meals.
Jeff

>>How would I go about catching a pickerel minnow anyway? I think it would make an awesome temporary pet. If they grow slow enough, maybe even a college dorm pet? lol
>>
>>Seriously, I catch bluegill and bass minnows with bread for bait in my minnow trap. You have any idea what would make a good bait to catch pickerel minnows?
>>-----
>>Scott
>>
>>Reptiles
>>--------
>>1 Colombian Rainbow Boa (Rocky)
>>1.0 Ball Python (Sultan)
>>0.1 California Kingsnake (Leota)
>>1.0 Eastern Painted Turtle (Yugi)
>>0.1 Red/Gold Bearded Dragon* (Irwin, R.I.P.)
>>
>>Other
>>-----
>>1.0 Betta Fish (Tyrone)
>>1.0 Hooded Rat* (Clubber, R.I.P.)
>>0.1 Albino Rat (Isis)

A fine sturdy net would work well, in the process you will most likely catch other critters as well, small pickerel are voracious predators and a good old mini rooster tail (yellow is my confidence color, fishing this spinner), I catch 10-12 inch pickerel a lot when using this lure, I have also caught 29 inch plus (not plus much, but seemed more impressive). As Jeff speculated they eat a lot. Look in warm shallow water for them.
-----
Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

Frank, you're referring to 10-12 inch pickerel. This was not even 3 or 4 inches long, and this was the first time I've EVER seen a baby pickerel, or pickerel fry or whatever...

This means either pickerel aren't abundant, or the babies are just downright impossible to find.

I was never clear on how a seine net worked....how does it work anyway?
-----
Scott

Reptiles
--------
1 Colombian Rainbow Boa (Rocky)
1.0 Ball Python (Sultan)
0.1 California Kingsnake (Leota)
1.0 Eastern Painted Turtle (Yugi)
0.1 Red/Gold Bearded Dragon* (Irwin, R.I.P.)

Other
-----
1.0 Betta Fish (Tyrone)
1.0 Hooded Rat* (Clubber, R.I.P.)
0.1 Albino Rat (Isis)