Piney Run Reservoir

Fishing and Ecology

07/01/2015

Bluegill and other panfish

The Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of
the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes. It is native to North America and lives in streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds. It is
commonly found east of the Rockies. It usually hides around, and inside, old tree stumps and other underwater structures. It can live in either
deep or very shallow water, and will often move back and forth, depending on the time of day or season. Bluegills also like to find shelter
among water plants and in the shade of trees along banks. Young bluegills' diet consists of rotifers and water fleas. The adult diet consists of
aquatic insect larvae (mayflies, caddisflies, dragonflies), but can also include crayfish, leeches, snails, and other small fish. [9] Their diet can
also include the waxworm and nightcrawler that can be provided for them by anglers. If food is scarce, bluegill will also feed on aquatic
vegetation, and if scarce enough, will even feed on their own eggs or offspring. As bluegill spend a great deal of time near the surface of
water, they can also feed on popping bugs and dry flies. wikipedia.org

Largemouth Bass
The largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is a freshwater gamefish in the sunfish family, a species of black bass native to North
America. It is known by a variety of regional names, such as the brown bass, widemouth bass, bigmouth bass, black bass.
In larger lakes and reservoirs such as Piney Run, adult bass occupy deeper water than younger fish, and shift to a diet consisting
almost entirely of smaller fish like shad, yellow perch, ciscoes, shiners, and sunfish. It also consumes younger members of larger fish
species, such as pike, catfish, trout, walleye, white bass, striped bass, and even smaller black bass. Prey items can be as large as 50%
of the bass's body length or larger.

Largemouth Bass Cont.

Studies of prey utilization by largemouths show that in weedy waters, bass grow more slowly due to difficulty in acquiring
prey. Less weed cover allows bass to more easily find and catch prey, but this consists of more open-water baitfish. With
little or no cover, bass can devastate the prey population and starve or be stunted. Fisheries managers must consider these
factors when designing regulations for specific bodies of water. Under overhead cover, such as overhanging banks, brush,
or submerged structure, such as weed beds, points, humps, ridges, and drop-offs, the largemouth bass uses its senses of
hearing, sight, vibration, and smell to attack and seize its prey.
Largemouth bass outcompete smallmouth bass in fertile, warm eutrophic lakes such as Piney Run due to their tolerance of
pollution, large scope of feeding, more robust build, and preference for warm water.
The world record largemouth according to IGFA is shared by Manabu Kurita and George W. Perry, Kurita's bass was
caught from Lake Biwa in Japan on July 2, 2009 and weighed 10.12 kg (22 lbs 4oz.) Perry's bass was caught June 2, 1932
from Montgomery Lake in Georgia and weighed 10.09 kg (22 lbs 4oz.) This record is shared because the IGFA states a
new record must beat the old record by 2 ounces.

Smallmouth Bass
The smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of the order
Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus. One of the black basses, it is a popular game fish sought by anglers throughout the
temperate zones of North America, and has been spread by stock to many cool-water tributaries and lakes in Canada and more so
introduced in the United States. In warm waters, it fares poorly in competition with largemouth bass.
The smallmouth bass is found in clearer water than the largemouth, especially streams, rivers, and the rocky areas and stumps and
also sandy bottoms of lakes and reservoirs. The smallmouth prefers cooler water temperatures than its cousin the Largemouth bass,
and may be found in both still and running water. Because it is intolerant of pollution, the smallmouth bass is a good natural indicator of
a healthy environment, though it can better adjust to changes in water condition than most trout species. Carnivorous, its diet
comprises crayfish, insects, and smaller fish; the young also feeding on zooplankton. wikipedia.org

Bullhead Catfish
Ameiurus is a genus of catfishes in the family Ictaluridae. It contains the three common types of bullhead catfish found in waters of
the United States, the black bullhead (Ameiurus melas), the brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), and the yellow bullhead (Ameiurus
natalis), as well as other species, such as the white catfish (Ameiurus catus or Ictalurus catus), which are not typically called
"bullheads". THey are the most commonly caught species of catfish in Maryland.
The species known as bullheads can be distinguished from channel catfish and blue catfish by their squared tailfins, rather than forked.
Bullheads live in a variety of habitats, including brackish and/or low oxygen ponds, rivers and lakes, although they are seldom stocked
intentionally. They are bottom feeders and eat virtually anything edible, including dead fish, insects, other fish, grain, fruit, crayfish and
more. Because of their limited use as food or sport, they are usually caught while trying to catch other fish, and few anglers pursue
them specifically. Persons looking to catch bullheads will use the same bait as they would for channel catfish, including cut bait,
chicken livers, blood-soaked meal, or other pungent baits. Like all catfish, bullheads have a sense of smell that is more developed than
most canines.

Rainbow Trout
The rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is a trout and species of salmonid native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and
North America. Wild-caught and hatchery-reared forms of this species have been transplanted and introduced for food or sport in at least 45
countries and every continent except Antarctica. They are stocked annually at Piney Run, but will be rare catch.
Rainbow trout are predators with a varied diet and will eat nearly anything they can capture. They are not as piscivorous or aggressive as
brown trout or chars. Rainbow trout, including juvenile steelhead in freshwater, routinely feed on larval, pupal and adult forms of aquatic
insects (typically caddisflies, stoneflies, mayflies and aquatic diptera). They also eat fish eggs and adult forms of terrestrial insects (typically
ants, beetles, grasshoppers and crickets) that fall into the water. Other prey include small fish up to one-third of their length, crayfish, shrimp,
and other crustaceans. As rainbow trout grow, the proportion of fish consumed increases in most populations. wikipedia.org

Food items of the fish

Assorted minnows - Minnow is a general term used to refer to small freshwater and saltwater fish, especially those used as bait fish or
for fishing bait. They eat zooplankton, aquatic insects, fish fry, insects that fall into the water, tadpoles, fish eggs. ect. Small fish will eat
vegetation. They are more fattening than insects. Minnows are small fish, often schooling, are the food items of larger fish. Smallmouth
bass, large chub and trout, will commonly eat minnows. Many lures imitate a wounded minnow, which is not only high in calories, but
easy prey. Minnow can also be trapped in homemade bottle taps and used as live bait.
They hide in aquatic structure, such as fallen logs, and water grasses, which large fish lurk to ambush.

Food items of the fish

Insects on the water - Many aquatic insects, such as caddisflies, and stoneflies, as well as flying insects in the water, attract trout,
panfish, and sometimes bass. By struggling on the surface of the water, they attract fish, hence dry fly fishing. In small streams, flying
insects that fall into the water are a major portion of the diets of fish, which makes fishing with their imitations very effectively. In fact,
that has spawned the sport of fly fishing. Other land insects, such as large ants, butterflies, dragonflies, beetles, and grasshoppers,
may may into the water and become food for fish.

Food items of the fish

Crayfish, also known as crawfish, crawdads, freshwater lobsters, or mudbugs, are freshwater crustaceans resembling small
lobsters, to which they are related; taxonomically, they are members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea. They breathe
through feather-like gills and are found in bodies of water. They can be trapped, or netted.
Crayfish are commonly sold and used as bait, either live or with only the tail meat, and are good at attracting channel catfish, walleye,
trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, pike and muskellunge. Sometimes the claws are removed so that the crayfish don't stop fish
from biting the hook. Crayfish easily fall off the hook, so casting should be slow. They are the favorite food of smallmouth bass.
Crayfish hide under rocks and logs, where fish root for them. Freshly molted crayfish have soft claws, and attract fish very easily.

Baits to use
Live baits can be used. Crickets are good in the summer to attract large panfish and small bass. Corn can be used for carp anpanfish. Nightcrawlers
are a good all around bait, and mealworms are deadly on trout and panfish.

Processed baits, such as Berkley Trout Dough, which is very effective and can be easily bought at Walmart, are very good on Trout and other
fish. They are very good for beginners. Salmon eggs, such as Pautzkes, are used by more experienced fishermen, and can be sometimes
bought in Walmart.

Live Bait to use

Live baits can be used. Crickets are good in the summer to attract large panfish and trout. Corn can be used for river carp and chub. Nightcrawlers
are a god all around bait, and mealworms are deadly on trout and chub.

Processed baits, such as Berkley Trout Dough, which is very effective and can be easily bought at Walmart, are very good on Trout and other fish.
They are very good for beginners. Salmon eggs, such as Pautzkes, are used by more experienced fishermen, and can be sometimes bought in
Walmart.

Lures to use
Crankbaits, (1) small curly tailed grubs (2), inline spinners (3), flies (4), Spoons, (5), Jigs, (6) all work for targeting fish in the Middle
Patuxent River.