Smithville 7/18

[APKape]

Tough fishing today. I fished above the W bridge in the Robert's and Linn's Branch area. Water temp was 78 and clarity was dingy, less than 12". I was fishing with black/chart, blue/chart, black/green/chart tri-color. On the attached map you can see where I hit the fishing spots. I tried area 1 to see if the fish were deep. These trees are in about 25' of water. Caught nothing but dinks. I then switched to a shallower spot at area 2. Caught two 10" toward the surface. Moved to area 3 because I never tried that spot - nothing. Then moved to area 4. These trees are about 20-30 feet from shore and about 25' deep. I usually can catch something in this area; but nothing bit today. I move to my last spot in Sailboat Cove. Hit the large tree toward the back of the cover and caught 4 dinks. I put the fishing pole up and headed home after that. Hope tomorrow is better.

Did notice something different today. In the shallow areas and in timber, there were large swarms of either small shad or small fry. Tried to snag some in my net to see what they were but couldn’t' catch any. And there is something else that I've noticed but can't figure out what it is. Just below the water line, attached to the trees seems to be yellow/orange color, translucent, softball size of what I think is a large egg sack. In the sack are a lot of eggs. These things are on all the trees that I've fished. Anyone know what these are? I've tried to Google it but cannot figure it out.

[mduncan62]

When you see those swarms in coves, drift your bait past trees in the same area. You will catch crappie doing that. My feeling is that when crappie get full, or tired of eating, they'll find the nearest cover. I catch a lot of big fish doing this. Try it next time out if you would.

Typically where you find bait fish like that, you'll also find nice crappie. Same thing is true in winter when the bait balls get into shady lake cove, you follow the bait, and catch the crappie.

[APKape]

When you see those swarms in coves, drift your bait past trees in the same area. You will catch crappie doing that. My feeling is that when crappie get full, or tired of eating, they'll find the nearest cover. I catch a lot of big fish doing this. Try it next time out if you would.

Typically where you find bait fish like that, you'll also find nice crappie. Same thing is true in winter when the bait balls get into shady lake cove, you follow the bait, and catch the crappie.

Duncan, I think I am going to take your suggestion tomorrow. Thanks for the info.

[WantinCrappie]

Sorry that you didn't get into the fish today.

Don't know what those balls would be.

But what I can say is this is one hell of a report, even if you didn't get into the fish. You certainly did a nice job of reporting with the map and all. I'm sure the guys that fish this water will appreciate it.

Thanks for being such a great member.

[cook]

Can't think of the name...but its a biomass of some type of algae..bryzentine?crap...its going to drive me crazy trying to think of it..now I'll be up all night!

[Wknd Warrior]

We saw those same balls growing all over trees in Hillsdale last week. I am interested also. Good report.

[ShortStorie]

Great report...complete with maps! You're spending a lot of time learning Smithville ...and sharing it all. Much appreciated. I've seen those strange looking balls... sometimes bowling ball size... I think a someone who knew (biologist or something like that) posted the answer... then we all forgot it. DUH... Think Cook is right, though, it's an algae or colonial animal, not eggs. Weird stuff.

[ShortStorie]

These are similar Marimo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and one article I found said they would grow as large as 12" in diamater. They are found in the midwest as well as the orient Seems aquarium owners like them because they suck up excess nutrients that would promote the growth of other algae. The things I've seen look a little different...but I'll admit I didn't pick one up to give it a close inspection. I've seen them floating and the articles said they would float when they get big.

[cook]

bryozoan...now I can go to sleep!

Bryozoans

[cook]

ALIEN LIFE FORMS? NO, JUST BRYOZOANS
Probably the strangest creature in the Connecticut River is


Pectinatella magnifica
"The Blob."




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For inquiries contact Doug Smith



This organism is not from outer space, nor is it the result of mutations caused by radioactivity from nuclear power plants; Pectinatella magnifica is a member of the animal phylum Ectoprocta (common names: bryozoans, moss animals), a group with a fossil record extending back to the upper Cambrian (500,000,000 years ago!).

The majority of bryozoans are marine (several thousand species), but one class, the Phylactolaemata, is found exclusively in fresh water. Three species of this class have been found by divers in the Connecticut River.

The basic ground plan of a bryozoan superficially appears to have more in common with a coral; they are, in fact, ecological analogs. Bryozoans and corals are in different phyla and are unrelated. What seems to be an individual is actually a colony of zooids (not polyps as in corals). Each zooid has whorls of delicate feeding tentacles swaying slowly in the water catching food.

The following anatomical description is from Wood (1989):


Lophophore: a food-gathering structure bearing many ciliated tentacles which may be either extended flower-like during feeding, or collapsed and completely withdrawn into the interior of the colony.

Mouth: situated centrally at the base of the tentacles; phylactolaemates have a special lobe (epistome) which hangs over the mouth and which is believed to have an important sensory function.

Gut: the most prominent feature is a long caecum in which ingested particles are mixed thoroughly with vigorous peristaltic contractions.

Funiculus: a thin cord of tissue loosely joining the end of the gut to the colony wall. The funiculus is the site of statoblast production and spermatogenesis.

Central Nerve Ganglion: inconspicuously located between the mouth and the anus, with a major nerve tract extending into each arm of the lophophore.

Cystid: this is the laminated living and nonliving structure that separates the coelom from the external environment. Its outermost layer (ectocyst) consists of secreted material, which is some species is a slimy mucus, while in others it is a chitinous, somewhat leathery cuticle.


Connecticut River Bryozoans:



Pectinatella magnifica



The colony is gelatinous, firm and slimy to the touch. The inner gelatinous mass is 99% water. The surface appears divided into rosettes, each with 12-18 zooids. Massive colonies may exceed 2 feet (60 cm) in diameter, although more typical sizes are 1 foot or less. The colonies form on submerged logs, twigs, even wooden docks.

Cristatella mucedo



Colonies are clear, gelatinous and without lobes or branches. Underwater they are white and typically 2-3 inches long and 1 inch wide. They sometimes resemble giant fuzzy caterpillars. C. mucedo colonies occur on aquatic vegetation as well as the undersides of rocks in deeper waters.

Lophopodella carteri



This species is state-listed as a rare species, although a new population has been discovered growing in a deep abyss in the river. The colony size of L. carteri is small and unbranched, with a soft, transparent body wall that allows a clear view of the internal structures. Colonies typically have fewer than 20 zooids and are less than 6 mm (1/4 inch) in diameter. The colonies are toxic to fish, a poisonous substance apparently is released when colonies are damaged.
References:

Wood, T. S. 1989. Ectoproct bryozoans of Ohio. Ohio Biol. Surv. Bull. New Series,


Vol. 8, no. 2.
Smith, D. G. 1985. Lophopodella carteri (Hyatt), Pottsiella erecta (Potts),


and other freshwater ectoprocta in the Connecticut River (New England, U.S.A.).

Ohio J. Sci 85:67-70.
Smith, D. G. 1992. A new freshwater moss animal in the genus Plumatella (Ectoprocta:


Phylactolaemata:Plumatellidae) from New England (U.S.A.). Can J. Zool. 70:2192-2201.