Site #7: Cypress Creek just off of FL 54, N of Tampa

Cypress Creek was deep blackwater, making for some steep drop-offs along the banks. Nevertheless, fish were captured relatively easily. Although temperatures were in the low 70s most of the weekend, it wasn't even close at that time, causing the collectors (18 strong, by then) to bundle up a bit. Species observed/collected included:
Least killifish (H. Formosa)
E. mosquitofish (G. holbrooki)
Golden topminnow (F. chrysotus)
Pygmy sunfish (Elassoma sp. aff. okefenokee) possibly a different species
Everglades pygmy sunfish (E. evergladei)
Banded pygmy sunfish (E. zonatum)
Dollar sunfish (L. marginatus)
Warmouth (L. gulosus)
Bluespotted sunfish (E. gloriosus)
Bluefin killifish (L. goodei) - lots of red in the unpaired fins

Sig Klein, who was not collecting, listened to his portable radio in a fold-up chair near the stream. As the others returned to their vehicles, he gave them the first sad news about the disappearance of the Space Shuttle Columbia. More than a few floated up silent prayers for the crew.

This was a dead site that yielded no fish. The water was almost completely
covered with floating vegetation. L-R - David, Dan, Dustin, Harvey, Charles, & Chip

At Cypress Creek (Saturday morning), NANFA FL Rep. Charlie Nunziata
(Seminole, FL) [far right] brought in members of the Suncoast Killifish Society.

Cypress Creek. L-R - (Front) Bill Shields (Tampa, FL); (Back) Fritz, Dan, &
Dustin

Chip Rinehart at Cypress Creek (Photo by Tim Clark)