--Bruce Stallsmith
Huntsville, AL
>From: Roselawn Museum <roselawn_at_mindspring.com>
>Reply-To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>Subject: Re: NANFA-- Mystery Fish Communication
>Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2001 08:41:19 -0500
>
>Hey Bruce
>
>What are the "lucky stones" Shawn is referring to in the message below?
>
>Steven A. Ellis
>Kennesaw, GA
>
>At 12:00 PM 2/28/01 -0500, you wrote:
> >Below is a message I received from Shawn who posted the pictures and
> >questions about the mystery fish. I had written to him saying that it was
> >our collective opinion that it's some kind of red drum and/or hybrid.
> >
> >--Bruce Stallsmith
> >---------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >Hi Bruce :
> >
> >A red drum is something we haven't considered, although one of our
> >guesses is closely related - freshwater drum. A couple of things steered
> >us away from that answer though. First, the caudal fin of a freshwater
> >drum (sheepshead) is rounded, whereas the fish in question has an
> >indented caudal fin. Second, the mystery fish does not have that
> >steep sloped forehead typical of a freshwater drum, though it is
> >difficult to tell for sure because of the way the angler is holding it's
> >head. Third, this angler has caught freshwater drum before in Lake
> >Champlain, Vermont, and has always removed their "lucky stones"
> >as he called them - the otoliths. He told me that he tried to get the
> >lucky stones out of this fish (he also thought it was a sheepshead)
> >but couldn't find them. This would say to me that if a guy who
> >normally takes them out couldn't find them in a "drum" of this size,
> >it probably wasn't a drum.
> >
> >But, we could be wrong. At this point, it's the most plausible
> >identification so far. Freshwater drum are native to Lake Champlain,
>only
> >a hop, skip and a jump away from Lake Bomoseen - and angler here in
> >Vermont are well known - for taking fish from one lake and putting them
> >in another - for kicks I guess !
> >
> >Thanks ! -- Shawn.
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