small bluish fish identification

[jbomb]

Hello. I've been exploring the waters around SEPA fishing for trout and occasionally I wind up with a really small (about 3 or 4 inch) blueish purple fish with vertical markings similar to what is shown on the PAFB commission page as perch or crappie, however the body is not as "tall".

I generally catch these fish on dry flies in somewhat shallow faster moving water around rocks, and I have caught them in Pickering and Ridley creeks. I am pretty sure I was asked to identify one that was pulled out of Valley Creek by some kids that were catching tad poles.

I don't have any pictures but thought someone here might know what I'm talking about. I have taken to calling them "junk fish."

Any ideas?

 

[SBecker]

Chubs

 

[PSUFishMenace]

Common shiner?

Your comment about vertical markings seems to eliminate any kind of chub that I'm aware of. Can't say I've seen a fish that small, other than baby trout and sunfish, with vertical markings. I'm really not sure on this one.

 

[Fishidiot]

Sounds to me like a banded darter.

 

[afishinado]

From checking the PFBC site with pics of PA fishes, the Gilt Darter looks a lot like what you describe.

FYI, this is a threatened fish in PA.

 

[jbomb]

Thanks for taking the time to respond!

I think the same. It's either a shiner or a darter. The gilt darter is a nice looking fish, but it's head is not the same shape as the one's I'm getting. These have bodies closer to the shiners without the diamond pattern. Perhaps my memory is is misinforming my description. I'll take a picture the next time I bring one in.

 

[osprey]

There is no such thing as a "junk fish" . Out here in the wild west where when i was a kid the coal mines had everything gone , in water where not even aquatic insects could live , there are now fish. A couple floods alot of hard work and the lack of mining as it was and 20 years later there are fish. I'm an OF so i can say don't take ANY fish for granted. That fish is kinda Yellow Perch looking but the size is where i'm lost.

 

[streamerguy]

My guess is common or striped shiner, both very hard to tell apart. I have caught logperch darters before, but never on dries. Could be a chub species, but like PSU said none of the chub species have stripes.

 

[jbomb]

Osprey: you're right, "junk fish" isn't a good name, that's why I'm trying to figure out what they are truly called. I treat them the same as I would a trout, and while it's usually not as exciting as catching a trout it is still exciting. I'll definitely post a picture the next time I catch one.

 

[Chaz]

Junk fish is a bad term to use, all fish are food for some other fish, even trout.

 

[jbomb]

Got out to Pickering today and I caught another one of these little guys. Today it was the ONLY fish I caught, and so I was very grateful that it was there and looking up.

I didn't take a picture because I had just run into Stagger_Lee, who showed me a pic of the same type of fish ... small pennsylvania!

 

[sandfly]

streamer guy has it right I would say, they are a main food species in a lot of SE. streams..

 

[NewTyer1]

Could it be what they call in VA a Fall Fish?