Union SWCD 37th Annual Fish Fingerling Sale

What: 2024 Union SWCD Fingerling Sale

When: Pick Up Orders October 1, 2024, @ 9:30 a.m.

Where: Union SWCD parking lot located at 18000 St. Rt. 4, Marysville, OH 43040

Click here to see the 2024 Order Form for more details.  

Please return the order form with payment by September 24, 2024!

Descriptions of Fingerlings

Largemouth Bass

IDENTIFICATION:  The back part of the jaw extends beyond the back border of the eye when the mouth is closed. A dark lateral band extends from head to tail. Smallmouth bass are similar in appearance, but the upper jaw does not extend beyond the back border of the eye when the mouth is closed.  Spotted bass have a dark spot on the gill cover and spots or dark streaks on the lower side of the body.  All spotted bass will have a patch of teeth on their tongue, whereas very few largemouth bass have these tooth patches.  FISHING TIPS: Largemouth bass can be caught on a wide variety of natural and artificial baits using casting, spinning, and fly fishing gear.  The best time to fish for bass is May, June, and July.  ADULT SIZE: Normally 12-15 inches and weigh 1-3 pounds, but can reach over 25 inches and 13 pounds.  FOOD: Adults eat crayfish, frogs, large insects, and fish.  SPAWNING: From mid-April to mid-June, they construct nests near shore in water from 1-15 feet deep.  They prefer silt-free sandy or gravelly bottoms, but they will use any type of bottom.  RANGE AND HABITAT: Largemouth bass are found in ponds, lakes, and slow sluggish streams in every county in Ohio.  

  Source: SPORT FISH OF OHIO identification DIVISION OF WILDLIFE  

Bluegill

IDENTIFICATION: A deep slab-sided fish with a small mouth and a long pectoral fin. Colors vary, however, the ear flap is always black, and bluegills often have a black blotch near the end of the soft dorsal fin.  FISHING TIPS: Live or natural bait such as red worms, insects, or wax worms on a small (#8 or #10) hook are productive.  Fly fishing is also popular.  ADULT SIZE: Normally 6-10 inches, depending on habitat and population.  FOOD: Insects, insect larvae, small fish, and fish eggs.  SPAWNING: Peak spawning in Ohio occurs from mid-May to mid-June when water temperatures are 65-70°F.  Nests are usually built in water 1-4 feet deep on sand or gravel bottoms, or other bottom substrates, even in heavily vegetated areas. Bluegill typically builds nests in large groups or beds. Males select an area and sweep out a saucer-shaped nest with their tails.  The females then lay between 10,000 to 60,000 eggs in the nest, which are guarded by the male.  The eggs usually hatch in about five days.  RANGE AND HABITAT: Common throughout Ohio, but they prefer clear ponds and lakes with rooted vegetation.  

  Source: SPORT FISH OF OHIO identification DIVISION OF WILDLIFE  

Channel Catfish

IDENTIFICATION: Channel catfish are scaleless and have slender bodies, deeply forked tails, barbels around the mouth, and curved anal fins with 24-30 rays. Color varies, but is generally bluish-silver on the upper half of the body and silver to white on the lower half.  Most young fish have spots on the body.  They have sharp spines in the dorsal and pectoral fins.  Some anglers mistakenly call channel catfish with few or no spots blue catfish, but blue catfish are found only in the Ohio River.  FISHING TIPS: Channel catfish feed on or near the bottom.  Nightcrawlers, shrimp, crayfish, chicken livers, and minnows are effective. Spinning or casting tackle with a sinker heavy enough to keep the bait on the bottom is commonly used.  A good time to catch channel catfish is after a hard rain when the water is on the rise.  ADULT SIZE: Most range from 12-14 inches.  Can reach 10 pounds or more, especially in large river systems and productive lakes.  FOOD: Insect larvae, crayfish, mollusks, and small fish SPAWNING: Begins when water temperatures reach the mid-70s. Nests are secluded in natural cavities, banks, and burrows. RANGE AND HABITAT: Channel catfish are common in most large streams and lakes throughout Ohio.  They are found in greatest numbers in areas with deep water, clean gravel and boulder substrates, and low to moderate currents.  

  Source: SPORT FISH OF OHIO identification DIVISION OF WILDLIFE  

Hybrid Bluegill

Hybrid bluegill/sunfish are among the most publicized and promoted sunfish in the nation.  Hybrids are a cross between female green sunfish and male bluegill.  We recommend them for ponds smaller than one acre.  Hybrids are great for small ponds with a goal to grow 1-pound sunfish–fast.  They are not a forage species and should not be stocked in lakes managed for bass.  Hybrids outcompete bluegill because their mouth is five times larger than bluegill.  Bigger mouth, bigger meals.  They definitely have an advantage over bluegill, especially in new ponds.  They cohabitate well with channel catfish.  For long-term success, restock every few years.  

  Source: https://americansportfish.com/hybrid-bluegill-good-choice-for-small-ponds/

 Red ear (Shellcracker)

IDENTIFICATION: A deep slab-sided fish similar to the bluegill, except the ear flap, is black with a red or orange margin; a black blotch at the base of the dorsal fin is absent.  FISHING TIPS: Most often caught with live baits such as red worms or wax worms fished on a small hook in the spring.  Males are especially easy to catch during the spring when they aggressively guard spawning nests along the shoreline.  Small spinners and flies can also be successful. After spawning they move to deeper water near stumps or weed beds.  ADULT SIZE: Normally 9 - 11 inches FOOD: Snails and other mollusks, crayfish, insects and insect larvae, and small fish. Their habit of eating snails led to the name “shellcracker.” With a preferred diet of snails, redear sunfish use specially modified teeth in the throat that allow them to crush a mollusk shell and extract the snail.  SPAWNING: Usually during mid-May through June when water temperatures are    65° - 75°F. Preferred spawning locations are 1 - 4 feet of water with sand or gravel bottoms, or on any other bottom substrates and in deeper water.  RANGE AND HABITAT: Not native to Ohio; stocked in small lakes and ponds throughout Ohio. Found primarily in clear, warm, waters with vegetation.  Their attraction to submerged stumps has led to the name “stumpknocker.”  Not as common as bluegills.

    Source: SPORT FISH OF OHIO identification DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 

Fathead Minnows

Fatheads are found in small creeks, especially in muddy ones, and in ponds and small lakes, mainly in western Ohio. They are one of the most commonly used bait minnows in Ohio.  Fatheads are propagated and sold at bait stores throughout the state.  Fatheads grow to about 3 inches.  Fathead minnows are not only good live bait but are also beneficial in providing forage (food) in newly stocked bass-bluegill ponds.  These minnows begin spawning during the early spring, often several months before the bluegill spawn, and provide a valuable food source for small bass fingerlings.  Fatheads can increase the growth rate of bass during their first year of life.  

  Source: SPORT FISH OF OHIO identification DIVISION OF WILDLIFE  

White Amur

White Amur, also known as Grass Carp.  The Amur is a true example of a herbivorous fish, surviving on nothing but plant matter alone.  These fish grow very rapidly with adults reaching nearly 4 ft in length and weighing up to 75 lbs. They live an average of 12-15 years. 

The very reason that you want grass carp in your pond makes them harmful to wild habitats.  They remove large amounts of aquatic vegetation which our native fish, waterfowl, and other creatures need to survive.

Never release unwanted grass carp into natural water bodies.

   Sources: https://fwfarms.com/white-amur/   and 

      https://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/products/vfy97/be-a-responsible-grass-carp-owner

Yellow Perch 

IDENTIFICATION: Sides are golden yellow to brassy green with 6 to 8 broad, dark vertical bands and a white to yellow belly. Many small teeth, but no large canines.  FISHING TIPS: Best angling occurs in spring near shore and in the fall through winter at various depths using spreaders with minnows, shiners, worms, or cut bait fished near the bottom. Ice fishing often produces some of the best catch rates for yellow perch.  ADULT SIZE: Normally 5-12 inches and weigh 1/4 - 1 pound; can exceed 2 pounds  FOOD: Adult aquatic insects and larvae, and small fishes.  SPAWNING: Occurs from mid-April to early May.  Eggs are deposited in adhesive bands over vegetation or on the bottom with no care given by the parents.  RANGE AND HABITAT: Native to Ohio, yellow perch are found in Lake Erie and impoundments, ponds, and slow-moving rivers throughout Ohio.  Yellow perch prefer clear water with moderate vegetation and sand or gravel on the bottom. 

  Source: SPORT FISH OF OHIO identification DIVISION OF WILDLIFE