Fish ID anyone?

Hello, can anyone give me an idea about what species of fish I saw yesterday? These were seen in the Big Gunpowder river just upstream from the route 40 bridge. There was a small school of them hiding in the shadow of an overhanging tree. I'd say they had a over all shape similar to a carp, in that they weren't the rounded long bass shape or catfish shape and they weren't the chunky shape of a bluegill type of fish. But these had four lower fins that were all about the same length and spread out so they could rest on the bottom. Each of these four lower fins had white tips and I'm pretty sure there was some white on the tails too.



From the moment I saw them I spent the afternoon trying to get them to bite. I tried live worms, garlic fish eggs, micro-spinners with bugs, artificial worms, hard minnow lures and soft minnow lures. Nothing seemed to work even though I'd drop the baits right in amongst the school. I was catching plenty of small White Perch, little Yellow Perch, and Sunnies but not these bigger fish resting on the bottom.


I don't remember ever seeing this type of fish in the Gunpowder so it's a bit of a mystery as to what they might be. I'd say they might be carp but I know what carp look like and these were kinda different.


So anyone have any ideas?


-JT

Probably gizzard shad though hard to tell without a pic. Nasty junk fish that arent hooked by the mouth. Often foul hooked.

Thanks for responding, but I looked up the gizzard shad and that just wasn't the right body shape and the dorsal and anal fins were wrong. However after searching through books and online I did find what I think is a positive ID on the DNR fish info page. I really think the only fish that fits what I saw are Walleyes. I found this surprising since I really didn't expect to see walleyes in the Gunpowder. But this would explain why I couldn't get them interested in any sort of baits or lures since walleyes are primarily night feeders. I just wish I'd had my SLR with me and a good polarizer filter so I could've taken pictures of them. I'll just have to start taking a better camera on my fishing trips.

-JT

Cool. Next time you will get a pic😀

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JT_Myr

Thanks for responding, but I looked up the gizzard shad and that just wasn't the right body shape and the dorsal and anal fins were wrong. However after searching through books and online I did find what I think is a positive ID on the DNR fish info page. I really think the only fish that fits what I saw are Walleyes. I found this surprising since I really didn't expect to see walleyes in the Gunpowder. But this would explain why I couldn't get them interested in any sort of baits or lures since walleyes are primarily night feeders. I just wish I'd had my SLR with me and a good polarizer filter so I could've taken pictures of them. I'll just have to start taking a better camera on my fishing trips.

-JT

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I wouldn't expect Walleye.....my guess would be Fallfish (especially when you describe the 4 lower fins) , plenty of them in the Gunpowder
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