CLOSE

When it comes to color in nature, most people’s minds tend to gravitate towards what I’ve termed the Three B’s: Blooms, Birds, and Butterflies. The first of these encompasses all our flowering plants regardless of season or species. From the ubiquitous yellow dandelions and pink redbud trees in the spring to the rich purples of ironweed in the fall, and all the changes in between.

Birds can offer year-round viewing with our state representative cardinal bringing its scarlet feathers to feeders during all seasons, but also include the flourish of brilliantly feathered neotropical migrants during their late spring trek through Ohio as they head towards nesting grounds further north. And, lastly, butterflies present a flamboyant palette during their brief summer flight period and are fan-favorites for just about everyone, even the most insect-averse among us.

But there are other, often overlooked, critters that are hidden beneath the waters of streams and rivers right here in central Ohio that can display some of the color spectrum’s most vibrant hues – our native fish. Most of Fairfield County’s flowing water ends up draining into either Walnut Creek or the Hocking River, and we are fortunate enough that the majority of these waterways are of above average quality in their ability to support aquatic life, yet I find many people are unaware of the diversity that even the smallest tributary has to offer.

When it comes to general fish knowledge, most people reading this would probably be able to recognize ones with names like largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish that are traditionally stocked in residential ponds for angling purposes, but stream fish generally get lumped into vague groups like “minnows” and “suckers,” or perhaps a carp if it looks big. While it is true that some of those glittery, small fishes include the word minnow in their names, and there are a handful of rubber-lipped species in the sucker family, there are also over a hundred other varieties prowling the currents of Ohio’s moving water.

Of those, two families in particular have the ability to decorate themselves with colorful scales that rival even the gaudiest of tropical fish you might find for sale at the pet store. Darters, which are small, bottom-dwelling fish related to perch and walleye, and certain sunfish can simply amaze with their fancy patterns of rich hues and tones.

Darters are best appreciated in person, but just a listing of their names may allow you to create a mental picture in the meantime. Rainbow, Greenside, Banded, Orangethroat, and Fantail Darters are some of the ones that may be found in just about any small to midsize creek in Fairfield County, while Variegate, Bluebreast and Spotted Darters can be found in some of the scenic rivers to our west in Franklin and Pickaway counties. Darters may lack a little in the size department by topping out at two or three inches in length, but more than make up for it with their ostentatious displays that get especially magnified during the spring spawning period.

As for the sunfish, my favorite to pull out of the water during stream activities that will inspire looks of awe in any spectator is always the Central Longear Sunfish. This relative of the bluegill is one of our most common stream sunfishes and the males exhibit intricate displays of iridescent turquoise patterns of lines and spots filled in by an intense orange background that bleeds into their fins. Topping out at only five or six inches, this is another species that’s not going to win any size competitions but would place on the podium at any cold-blooded beauty pageant.

If you have access to any of our streams or rivers, I encourage you to take a dip net or seine into the water and see what you’ve been missing! Of course, I’m always happy to make a streamside visit and bring along my nets, so don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like to explore your own slice of Fairfield County’s aquatic life.

Tommy Springer is the wildlife and education specialist for the Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District. He can be reached at 740-653-8154 or at Tommy.Springer@fairfieldswcd.org

Read or Share this story: https://ift.tt/3wFe59L