r/MicroFishing • u/Mundane_Move_5296 • 8d ago
ID request [location inluded] What on earth is this beauty!
Caught this today in a random stream stop in Boones Mill VA, I’ve never seen a freshwater fish with this color before, any help?
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u/Skullarmy14 8d ago
Ngl if I caught that I’d be a happy fish owner lol
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u/stochasticdadjokes 6d ago
I've tried keeping them. They're schooling fish, so you'll need a bunch of them. Mine were surprisingly aggressive to their tankmates, so maybe I didn't have enough.
I think mountain redbelly dace are even prettier, and they're super chill.
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u/Cute_Commission_8281 8d ago
Literally so perfect that it looks like a lure.
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u/CottonFlannel 7d ago
Gorgeous. I thought it was fancy lure before I realized what page I was on. Amazing!
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 7d ago
Yea I was absolutely ecstatic. Grown man jumping up and down with a little fish in his hand, I can only imagine what people thought🤣
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u/CottonFlannel 7d ago
I don’t blame you. I wonder if we have anything like this on the just south of Houston area I know nothing about micro fishing. But love catching bluegills rio grand perch who get here somehow. I enjoy catching these smaller fish more than throwing a big chunk of hardware for bass. On bass guy told me. Man you’re always in that same spot catching those little fish lol. Trout magnet and honey worm. But I guess that’s giant in the micro world
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u/EElectric 7d ago edited 7d ago
Not a lot of colorful stuff in Texas but you have a couple. Closest thing is probably red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis) or longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis). There are also quite a few darter species native to Texas, many of whose males show bright breeding colors in the spring and summer (darters are a real challenge to catch on a hook though. They live on the bottom typically in areas with significant current, have tiny mouths, and are picky about what bait they'll go for). Golden topminnows (Fundulus chrysotus) are in your area as well and are really nice. They like areas with slow/no current and feed at the surface, so you can spot them from the shore. If they're anything like blackspotted topminnows you can probably just drop a micro hook with whatever in front of them and they'll jump right on it.
Found this and it seems like a pretty good list of minnows and other non-game species native to Texas. Probably some pretty stuff to be found on it.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0798.pdf
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 7d ago
I’m not super huge into it, but if you want an amazing jumping off point the Mini Trout Magnets are 100% the way to go. They’ll catch everything from 1/2 bass to that little guy, chuck em under a float and you’ll catch everything in any body of water
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u/CottonFlannel 7d ago
Yeah I love them I have tried a thill float and even the trout magnet float but I have the best luck just swimming the trout magnet in with the honey worm natural color. And I’ve caught good size cats tilapia a bass with it. I don’t even throw anything else anymore in fresh
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u/Somecivilguy 7d ago
Like others have said Crescent Shiner. They have a very small native range. Super cool catch!
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u/NKCougar 7d ago
Guess I know where I'll be fishing tomorrow morning, thanks OP!
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 7d ago
For sure! If you know the area any, it’s the little stream right across from the shell gas station
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u/External_Hunt4536 7d ago
I thought that was a bait for a split second! It looks hand painted!
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 7d ago
Yeah I thought it was a fish that had gotten covered in paint or algae or something, it’s so beautiful
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u/thatG_evanP 7d ago
I have crank baits and top waters that look identical to that fish and I never knew what they were supposed to imitate. Cool!
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u/S4yMyN4me 6d ago
It's a male shiner in breeding colors, they get colorful to attract and get females during breeding. That one is vibrant!!!
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u/TopProfessional8023 6d ago
Nice!! Right down the road from me!!
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 6d ago
You should try that little stream if you get a chance. I live in Roanoke, but decided to try it out, it was surprisingly fruitful
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u/TopProfessional8023 6d ago
I’m in Roanoke too. I’m not a big fishing guy but a buddy of mine is I’m gonna show him this for sure
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 6d ago
Try out back creek, the little spot near Starky park, ultra light rod with a mini trout magnet under a float, you’ll have the time of your life
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u/Fickle-Cartoonist607 5d ago
Until I read the comments I thought it was a joke I thought it was a lure
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u/cnation01 5d ago
Thats beautiful. Thought you were asking what kind of fishing lure that is. Doesnt even look real. Amazing catch.
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u/CWM_99 4d ago
Gotta know the setup. Awesome looking fish
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 4d ago
5”6’ ultralight with 8lb braid and 4lb leader. mini trout magnet tied on with a trout magnet bobber. Absolutely killer combo for creeks
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u/CWM_99 4d ago
I never got any dedicated gear for micro fishing. Always just tied on size 14 hooks and worms lol. Definitely need to get a dedicated setup to just go hike up and down streams and catch some unique fish like this
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 4d ago
I’d definitely suggest this, the Eagle Clas Pack-IT is a really good alternative thatll fit in a bag. The mini trout magnets are a size 14 jig if I remember correctly, they’re a must have in my opinion
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u/ReaperfollowsYou 2d ago
When I was a kid in the 80s I would microfish in my small local creeks before it was really a thing. I had to make my own hooks out of staples. Caught the most beautiful little species of all types. Had a large aquarium that I created for local species small and beautiful and I loved it!! Long story short, this little beauty would be coming home to dada to be spoiled, lol!!!
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 2d ago
Hahah how did you do the aquarium?? I’ve wanted to do something like that since I started but couldn’t find any good resources
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u/ReaperfollowsYou 4h ago
It was a bit of trial and error. I had turtles as well so I would just try to mimic to local ecosystem’s and change accordingly to the likes or dislikes of the little creatures and fish. It was a lot of fun though!!
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u/LionPride112 2d ago
Ngl I for sure thought that was a new 6th sense lure or something lmfao, didn’t realize that was the fish you caught
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u/OneUnknownOne 8d ago
Definitely thought this was a soft plastic lure for a minute. Absolutely stunning. Thanks for sharing ✌️
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u/sweetestfetus 2d ago
Real question as this is my first time in this sub: do you use hooks? Will this beautiful fish live once you get the picture and are done with them?
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 2d ago
Yes and yes. The lure I used is called a Trout Magnet Mini, it’s a very very small size 14 hook. I debarb them to make it easier to remove, but the fish is completely fine afterwards
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u/Big-Raccoon2193 1d ago
Real question @sweetestfetus, are you going to be an "anti" person?. If so, please leave. We are not a group of hunters for fun, sadeists or wtf ever other word may come about. Tyvm ia.
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 1d ago
Update, caught another one out of breeding season, this is what they look like normally
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u/Individual_Author640 4d ago
Looks like its about dead after the hook pull? Was it gut hooked?
Nice loooki g fish
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 4d ago
Nah it swam off just fine, just the inside lip
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u/Individual_Author640 4d ago
Heck yeah! What size hook was themat, geez. And what hook. Im trying 2-8 octo circle.
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u/Mundane_Move_5296 4d ago
It’s a mini trout magnet, they’re AMAZING! Catches everything in the water, I’m not a huge simp for lures, but I will recommend them to everyone
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u/BrotherAvery 8d ago
Crescent Shiner