Freshwater Drum:
The freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) is a silver-gray color on the sides with a white stomach. Their mouths point down. Drums have large eyes, a very high back, with a long dorsal fin with 24 – 32 rays and a rounded caudal fin. Skeletal features of freshwater drums are reinforced skull and unique ear bones, known as otoliths. These are large and round with an “L” on one of the flattened sides. People collect them on the water’s edge and consider them as “lucky stones.” Otoliths have been found at prehistoric archaeological sites, where they were perhaps used for decorations or for good luck charms to prevent sickness. Freshwater drums are sometimes confused with the carp, however the carp has barbels and a deeply forked tail.
Freshwater drums are native to Ohio, preferring habitats of deeper pools of rivers and in Lake Erie with clear water and clean bottoms. They spawn from April to late summer. Females will broadcast 100,000 to 500,000 eggs, which float on the water surface and hatch in one day. The fry are left to survive on their own.
Adult freshwater drums reach an average body length of twelve to thirty inches. In Lake Erie they will rarely get over twenty pounds. They may be larger in rivers. Adults feed on snails, mollusks, crayfish, aquatic insects and small fishes.
The drum has been abundant in Ohio since the 18th Century. Moravian missionary, David Zeisberger wrote that Indians would “commonly pierce this fish with an iron prong.” In the 1800s it was it was considered one of the most abundant fish in the Ohio and Mahoning Rivers.
Freshwater drums have been called a number of names including grunter and bubbler. American Indians called it the buffalofish because they grunted like a buffalo. Only breeding males make this sound. The drumming sound comes from muscles against the swim bladder. Today, local fishermen refer to the freshwater drum as silver or gray bass around the Ohio River and commonly known as sheepshead around Lake Erie.
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I’ve been with that doctor for 15 years.
We have Sinkers!!!
We carry 5 varieties of Water Gremlin Sinkers in 6 different sizes for all of your fishing needs.
Egg Sinkers-The oblong shaped Egg Sinkers slip easily through weeds and rocks without getting constantly hung up. The large, smooth hole in the center allows for uninterrupted movement of the line without the fish being able to detect the weight of the sinker.
Snap-Loc-Snap-Loc Dipsey Swivel is one of the world’s most versatile, easy-to-use sinkers. It works great for bottom or drift fishing. Snap-Loc’s patented eye easily snaps on and off your line. There’s no twisting, tying, fuss or line damage. The Snap-Loc eye is great for free-line fishing because it slides free on your line and goes right to the bottom. And that means the fish can take your bait without feeling the sinker weight.
Split Shot-squeezable, soft Split Shot is made by a patented process which forms very soft lead into precise pieces. The result is a controlled hinge that can be squeezed onto the line using your fingers. The Removable Split Shot also features “ears” that allow you to squeeze the shot back off your line. You can interchange sinkers instantly with just a snap of your fingers. No tools or teeth needed.
Dipsy Swivel-another versatile sinker because of its ability to swivel on the attached looped, brass wire. It is most commonly used for trolling or bottom fishing with live bait.
Slip Sinker-made super tough, so they won’t dent up when banged on the rocks. The perfectly round hole stays round, with no jagged edges, so it doesn’t fray your line. With its full-length, streamlined shape and concave base that covers the nose of the worm, the Low Profile is uniquely designed to go after hard-to-get-at bass. It allows your rig to sneak through weeds, moss and brush while minimizing tangles and hang-ups; also works great when used with a live bait rig when fishing for walleyes in the weeds.
We also carry 25 and 27 piece assortments of sinkers as well as bullet sinkers and dollar sinkers (the shape not the price :). All right here at your friendly neighborhood Pipe Rack!
Ocean Sunfish:
The Mola mola—which looks like a prehistoric shark that lost a tail in an epic battle—might be the world’s weirdest fish. Here are just a few reasons it’s the most fascinating marine creature around.
1. They love to sunbathe.
Sunfish spend up to half the day basking in the sun near the surface of the water, which helps warm their bodies up after deep water dives to hunt.
2. They can weigh more than a car.
The average ocean sunfish is 10 feet long and weighs 2200 pounds, but the biggest can grow up to 5000 pounds. The average pickup truck is only 4000. This makes them the world’s largest bony fish.
3. They lay more eggs than any other animal.
Sunfish can lay up to 300,000,000 eggs at one time, more than any other vertebrate.
4. They are related to the bass.
Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rock bass, and black bass are all members of the sunfish family. Bass generally eat the smaller members of the sunfish family, like bluegills.
5. They’re named after a millstone.
The name Mola mola comes from the Latin word for “millstone.” It’s named for its gray, round body, and rough texture.
6. They can dive up to 2600 feet.
Sunfish generally hang out at depths of 160 to 650 feet, but they can dive much deeper on occasion. In one study, scientists recorded a sunfish diving more than 2600 feet below the surface.
7. They’re voracious predators.
Scientists used to think that sunfish were relatively inactive, spending their days sunbathing and feeding on jellyfish. However, despite their doofy appearance, sunfish are active predators with discerning tastes who travel several miles per day. In a recent study, scientists observed sunfish feeding solely on the most energy-rich parts of jellyfish—the gonads and the arms—while leaving the less nutritious bell behind. They also occasionally eat small fish and zooplankton.
8. They were an acceptable form of tax payment in 17th century Japan …
During the 1600s and 1700s, Japanese shoguns accepted Mola mola as payment for taxes.
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We have Chacom Pipes!!!
Starting in 1825, well before the discovery of briarwood, the COMOY family manufactured pipes in the small village of Avignon, near to Saint-Claude, mostly in boxwood for the “Grumblers” of the Army of Napoleon.
CHAPUIS-COMOY&Cie is a creator, manufacturer and distributor of fine pipes, located in Saint-Claude, France.
Guarantee of traditional methods, CHACOM remains the biggest French brand to date knowing how to ally Tradition, Creation & Innovation.
Chacom pipes are distributed in more than 35 countries.
Antoine GRENARD, managing director, is the 6th generation in charge of this family-owned company.
Each day, 20 employees (a team of diehards) still perpetuate a century-old know-how and give a modern touch to the briar pipes.
Smallmouth Bass:
Few experiences are more thrilling than watching a smallmouth bass leap through the air at the end for your fishing line. Wading or floating an Ohio stream is a great way to experience nature and an opportunity to catch this exciting fish. Naturally reproducing smallmouth bass populations are found in reservoirs and streams in Ohio. Catch rates are often higher in streams because smallmouth bass are more common in streams than reservoirs and the stream fish are often concentrated in specific areas.
Tips
Smallmouth bass use pools to rest and feed and will move to runs and riffles below pools when most actively feeding.
Wearing old shoes will protect your feet when wading or portaging canoes or kayaks.
Stream bottoms are owned by the landowner; get permission to wade through private property.
When a bass strikes, raise the tip of the pole to prevent the fish getting to cover.
In summer bass avoid direct sunlight when they can. Fish deep pools, cover and shaded areas of the stream.
Cast past your target and retrieve bait to intended area.
Tackle
Light-to-medium spin-casting outfit with 4- to 10-pound test fishing line or a 5 or 6 weight fly rod.
Seasonal Fishing Approaches
Summer (June-mid-September)
PRESENTATION– Use crankbaits and plastics that imitate crayfish. Retrieve with a motion that will allow the bait to hit the bottom to simulate a swimming crayfish. Chartreuse jigs with spinners are also good.
LOCATION– Active fish are in runs and where riffles and pools meet. Work jigs in runs and riffles around rocks and eddies. Shady areas can be good.
From a passenger ship one can see a bearded man on a small island who is shouting and desperately waving is hands.
“Who is it?” a passenger asks the captain.
“I have no idea. Every year when we pass, he goes mad like that.”
WE HAVE REELS, REELS, AND MORE REELS!!!
Closed Face, Open Face, Baitcaster (w/ and w/o depth counter), and Fly Reels by Pflueger, Shakespeare, Ugly Stick, Quantum, Daiwa, Okuma, Shimano, Abu Garcia, and Cedar Canyon.
All right here at your friendly neighborhood Pipe Rack!
Giant Isopods:
Despite their intriguing looks and substantial size, relatively little is known about giant isopods. We know where they live and how they fit into taxonomy (sitting together in the genus Bathynomus). But these unusual animals have yet to be the focus of extensive studies and are still somewhat of a mystery to science, despite being first discovered in 1879.
What is a giant isopod?
There are a lot of animals living on the seabed that seem strange to us on land. Giant isopods can live 500 metres or more below the ocean surface. But these 14-legged goliaths are relatives of the little woodlice you might find scuttling about in the garden – albeit distant cousins.
How big do they get?
The largest isopods are the species Bathynomus giganteus. The largest documented has come in at 50 centimeters (just short of 2 feet!), but they are usually around 30.5 cm (1 foot).
What do giant isopods eat?
Resources are scarce in the deep sea. Isopods rely on food falling from closer to the surface, as the seafloor is mostly barren. Occasionally big parcels of food reach the seabed, such as whale falls.
