Fish Bowl 2009

[Red Childress]

Since the winternet is here for a several more weeks, I thought it might be cool to strengthen our minds by quizzing each other in fish biology, spawning habits, fish identification, optimal temps for various species, world and state records, and most anything dealing with freshwater fish.

I have not had the time (even though I have been at home for the past 2 days with sick kids) to establish any sort of ground rules for this competition. With the ease of just "googling" the answer and replying within a few short minutes and spoiling the fun, let's see if we can just do a cyberspace handshake agreeing to the following rules:

1) Wait for several replies to the question before the owner announces the right answer.

2) The right to challenge an answer will be allowed because there might be more than one right answer for the question, based on many sources of right/wrong information. Arguments can be heard by our tribunal to determine the winner.

3) Googling for a question to add to the competition is fine but googling to find the answer of someone else's question will result in a phone call to the "Fish Gods" reporting this unacceptable behavior.

4) There can be several questions going on at the same time within the thread that may not be officially completed so let's number our questions and answers so there is as little confusion as possible with the responses.

5) I am guessing that these questions might get very difficult and there may not be a correct answer given. Since I do not know the IQ's of everyone on here and vice versa, we will deal with that potential problem as we go along.


****Feel free to add any rules/recommendations as you see fit.****
__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________

I will start off with question number #1 of FISH BOWL 2009:


What is the main difference between pike eggs and musky eggs?

[stushsky]

an elderly indian fellow once told me that pike eggs are better with sausage compared to musky eggs...sorry that's all i got and my time is up....

[Joe M]

I know pike hatch a few weeks before musky.

[ThreeRiversEsox]

When pike lay their eggs, the egg cases are covered in a sticky covering that adheres to plants and other substrates, where as the muskies eggs do not have this sticky coating. Therefore muskies eggs tend to fall to the bottom where they get covered by muck and mud, and generally do not hatch. Thank you college biology!! I knew you were good for something!!!

[Red Childress]

Since it is obvious that 3RiversEsox is smarter than the average bear and Stan loves Esox eggs, sausage and grits, let's try another one.......


Question #2

What is a salmonoid's spawning nest called?



Question #3

What is the layer of material located on the retina of a walleye that allows it to have superb vision in low light conditions?

[Editor]

Since it is obvious that 3RiversEsox is smarter than the average bear and Stan loves Esox eggs, sausage and grits, let's try another one.......


Question #2

What is a salmonoid's spawning nest called?

a redd in the gravel

Question #3

What is the layer of material located on the retina of a walleye that allows it to have superb vision in low light conditions?

Walleyes have light sensitive eyes with a pigment layer in their retina called a tapetum lucidum, this allows Walleyes to see well in dimly lit or murky water.

I just wrote about it Red.

Thanks Bob

[Red Childress]

So now we have a Wisconsin native squeezing in on the game.......

Hey Bob,

I thought I was doing that trout article?



Question #4

The Esox family, most notably Pike, has an "organ" that enables them to have a good sense of smell. What is the name of the organ?



Question #5

Which of the 4 seasons do Brook "trout" spawn?




Question #6

Which family of fish do Brook "trout" belong?

[Editor]

Hey Red,

Sorry man didn't mean to squeeze in.... I guess my answers were correct.

Yes for the numerous articles for trout as well.

Talk to ya soon

Bob

[ppalko]

Question #5

Which of the 4 seasons do Brook "trout" spawn?

Fall


Question #6

Which family of fish do Brook "trout" belong?

Char

ppalko

[Red Childress]

No problem, Bob. Just busting your chops. You were not lying about immersing yourself in fishing biology the past several months!! Post a few questions the next time you pass through........

[Red Childress]

My kids are still sick and day #3 at home begins, my stir craziness intensifies! Fish Bowl 2009 is loosing steam but I am not giving up just yet...........


Question #7

What is the major external difference between a trout and a char?




Question #8

How fast can a musky swim (in short bursts)?

[Red Childress]

I do not mind talking to myself so here are the answers and 2 more questions:

#4.....Lamellar Folds are the smell organs.


#7.....Char have light spots on a darker background, and trout have dark spots on a lighter background.


#8.....30 mph in short bursts. So if you ever think you can reel too fast for the Esox to catch your bait, put those worries to rest!



Question #9

What is the pronounced jaw that forms on a male trout during the spawn called?


Question #10

When a walleye is brought up quickly from depths deeper than about 40 feet or more the swim bladder will swell and push into it's throat/mouth area. What is the correct way to release this fish safely?

[ThreeRiversEsox]

Sorry Red, I got distracted by work! I know the first one is called the "kype" jaw. I'm not sure about the other, but I'm ready to learn!!

[Red Childress]

You need to figure out a way to keep work from interfering with your net surfing........

[Red Childress]

Day #4 of stir craziness here at home with the kids.............


#10 Answer:

There are a couple of different ways to release walleye that have blown out swim bladders. The swim bladder is much like the tanks on a submarine that allow the sub to dive or rise based on the external pressure around the craft. If a walleye is brought up too quickly, the bladder does not have time to decompress so it expands and somtimes will push into the mouth of the fish. When this happens, the fish cannot swim back to the depth from which it was caught and will lay on it's side....eventually dying. Guys used to lay a small lead rig in their mouths that would drag the fish back to the desired depths and as the bladder got smaller, the fish would respond and shake the lead hook and supposedly be OK. Then, guys started carrying hypodermic needles with them in order to "FIZZ" them. This fizzing would be done in the livewell. You just simply place the fish upside down in the livewell while holding them, count 4-5 scales up from the vent and slide over 3 scales which would put you in the area of the swim bladder. By inserting the needle(without the plunger inside) while the fish was under the water of the livewell, that presssure would effectively squeeze out the extra air and allow the fish to remain upright. For those of you who do not know the procedure during Pro Walleye tournaments, if the fish can remain upright when the judge looks at them, then the fish counts as being alive. After the weigh-ins, the fish are released and supposedly are ok. It was a quick/effective way to decompress a walleye long enough for it to count on tournament day. I am sure there is some delayed mortality but this procedure has proven to be more important to do than leaving the fish on it's side all day with the inability to breath normally.

Note: Most walleye tournaments held on Lake Erie do not have a penalty for dead fish. Those walleye that spend all day in 4-7 foot waves getting their brains pounded against the livewell simply cannot stay alive all day........I have caught walleye on the South point of Sugar Bay jigging in 74 feet of water and they blow up like a balloon when brought to the surface. We did this fizzing on them and they swam away. Pretty cool.

[NitroMusky]

as gruesome as this technique sounds, fizzing is also big with the SM guys.

[ppalko]

If Red is answering his own questions....figured I'd through in a few...

#11

What species of trout is/are native to PA?

#12

What is the largest member of the minnow family found in PA?

#13

Name PA's state fish.



That swim bladder trick is cool!

ppalko

[ttabaleulb]

Ok, since it seems that everyone is at the Butler Show (I went yesterday), I guess I'll show some ignorance by trying to answer a couple of those questions. LOL

11) I believe brookies are the only native trout in PA with the others being stocked at some point and wild where they reproduce.

12) If I'm not mistaken, isn't the carp part of the minnow family?? Thats my guess.

13) I'll go with the Brook Trout on this one too.

[Red Childress]

I am with Jay on all 3......I think the brown trout was introduced in the late 1800's.

The thing that gets me is that the Brook trout is not even a trout!