# Mystery Fish at Findlay Reservoir



## zspook (Apr 4, 2006)

I did something I haven't done for a few years. I fished the #2 Findlay Reservoir last night. Aside from a catching lot of sunfish, the only other fish I caught is a species that I have seen cruising the shallows before but have never caught at the reservoir.

It had the coloration of a freshwater drum, but I've caught enough of those to know that what I caught was not a drum. It had a forked tail, and it was about 14" - 16" long. I was wondering if it is a member of the shad family.

Anyone know what I'm talking about? (I sure don't!)
z


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## Huntinbull (Apr 10, 2004)

Could be an alewife? Shad family. They usually have a lighter color than shad. Could it have been a white perch? I will see if I can find a picture of both and post it here.

Huntinbull


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## zspook (Apr 4, 2006)

I know it wasn't a white perch, I've caught plenty of those over the years, and I've caught alewives up in Maine, so I don't think they are alewives. I looked at some pictures of lake whitefish and ciscoes, and they are about as close to anything I've come across yet.

I appreciate your help Huntinbull!
z


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Could it have been a gizzard shad? Those things can get huge. The ODNR info says they can reach up to 3#. I know I have seen them in lakes over 12" long. Here is a picture.


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## CoolWater (Apr 11, 2004)

Well drum can have a variety of colorations... I've caught them with blue/grey tints all the way to orange/yellow tints... Could you give a bit more detail in the coloration?

bkr - I was thinking the same thing but thought surely he would say (noticed) the fish had a strong odor as a characteristic

If you go to my site - go to fishing galleries and the thrid species page, you can click on a thumbnail of a 19" gizzard shad if you'd like to compare for reference to what you caught, let us know


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

How about a quillback?










Try scanning the pics on the ODNR web site if you have not already. Hopefully it is there. Here is the link to there.

Fish Identification


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

If it was a gizzard shad you probably would see a bunch of them together. They school up very thick typically.


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## zspook (Apr 4, 2006)

I can rule out the drum and the quillback, I've caught those before and can readily identify them. Coolwater, it looked very similar to the gizzard shad you have posted on your site. I was not aware that they could get that large.
I'm going to assume for the time being that it was a gizzard shad, but I would like to catch another one to be sure.

The fish I caught had a greenish, purplish coloration on its back. I've seen many drum with that coloration, but as I mentioned in my first post, it definitely had a forked tail, and drum have a more rounded tail.

Also, I can't remember a fish odor any stronger than usual.

bkr - I have seen these fish in large groups. More confirmation.

Thank you for the info. And by the way friends, if you haven't checked out Coolwaters site...it is really neat. Good job Coolwater.
z


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

zspook said:


> Thank you for the info. And by the way friends, if you haven't checked out Coolwaters site...it is really neat. Good job Coolwater.
> z


Yeah, I hadn't been to Adam's site in quite a while. You have done some great work on it. It just keeps getting better and better. Great job!!


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## CoolWater (Apr 11, 2004)

Thanks Z, sign the guestbook if you get a chance!

That shad shocked the crap outta me too when I caught it... I had seen them around a foot but that was a monster. So I'm assuming you looked at the other 37 species to rule them out as well? I was thinking maybe Golden Shiner - a common 'bait' when you get shiners from bait shops... often people dump their bait after fishing and those shiners can get rather large. Those always have a yellowish or golden to green tint though. I was trying to think of other baits that get released that can grow large - but nothing strikes me as getting to the size you described. I've caught things like spottail shiners on hook and line but they were still well under 12".

I guess mouth shape/direction would be another key ID helper... did it point down?, indicating a sucker species?

I'm always looking for species 38 so your catch has my interest! lol...

Best bet, go catch another one and get a good close up shot for us!


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## CoolWater (Apr 11, 2004)

Thanks Brian & to everyone else that stops by the site...

The site costs me a bit over $15 a month and I don't even want to guess how many countless hours. With that kind of investment and nothing for sale or advertising - I really just love to hear that people like coming by.

I nuked the guestbook last overhaul of the site - so please sign or re-sign again - the comments keep me motivated!


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## zspook (Apr 4, 2006)

I'll do my best to catch another one...I had my camera with me...I left it in the vehicle...it seems that whenever I have it on me, nothing interesting ever happens. (Murphy's Law...)

Now that you mentioned it, the mouth was located under the snout, much like a sucker species.

I'll have to spend more time at the Reservoir this week. 

Thanks again!
z


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## Shawn Philbrick (Jan 5, 2007)

SUCKER..................(not you, the fish) 


caught enough of them to know, a little color, but not a lot, mouth under the snout, that size range is a sucker


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## CoolWater (Apr 11, 2004)

Yep, 

I think he's trying to get real specific as to exact species... the mouth being under would definately indicate sucker but that only narrows it down so much... we have Quillback, Silver Redhorse, White Sucker, River Redhorse, Golden Redhorse, Short Nosed... etc etc...


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## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

i think findley res at the state pk used to have chain pickeral in it.maybe that is what you caught.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

maybe this?


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

freyedknot said:


> i think findley res at the state pk used to have chain pickeral in it.maybe that is what you caught.


He is talking about Findlay Reservoir over by the town of Findlay. I am not sure if you recognized that or not. I have never heard of any chain pickeral in Findlay Reservoir but I guess you never know. However that does not seem to fit his description.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

He said he has seen these fish in large groups which to me still sounds like shad. The mouth orientation however is the only inconsistency with that though. Zspook, get back out there and catch another one. Oh and take that camera with you!!


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## zspook (Apr 4, 2006)

Not a chain pickerel...I used to catch a ton of those living up in Maine and New Hampshire. Misfit, that's a nice lookin' fish, but that's definitely not what I caught. I should tell you that I hooked the fish on a Norman Baby N crankbait.

I guess I'll head back out there tonight, with my camera. (I'll use any excuse to justify fishing more than 5 times a week!)
z


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

Hmmm, did you snag it??
It sounds like a shad from the descprition..


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

I also fish the Findlay waters and it is SHAD he is catching and seeing. For some reason they follow the lure in when casting but rarely hit or are caught. But Shad is the fish, you all quit your dreaming. Just stinking shad, they smell like krap. We try not to touch them when one is landed, just pop them off the hook because that smell can ...... 
They came in from the river when pumping is taking place.


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## hshawn31 (May 3, 2005)

could a gizzard shad have mated with a sucker?


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

hshawn31 said:


> could a gizzard shad have mated with a sucker?


I am no biologist but I say it is not possible.


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## ohiogsp (May 23, 2006)

I would say whitefish for sure (we call them that around here they are also called gizzard fish). I have caught some here at our res. also. A long time ago these fish were saught after for their meat. I put some in the freezer but haven't tried them yet.


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## CoolWater (Apr 11, 2004)

If your talking about eating a gizzard shad you are a better man than me! That is something that should be reserved for fear factor or something...


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## Hook N Book (Apr 7, 2004)

could it have been a Buffalo...??

Here's a link.

http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/bio...sh identification/foh/Catostomidae/smbuff.htm


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

rodney,that's the fish i posted.well one type of buff amyway.i really think it was a whitefish.the description fits,and we're running out of options,LOL.


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