The Strange Fish Series celebrates the obscure and unloved fish species of Wisconsin. I got interested in them when my five year old grandson turned out to have a longer "Species Caught Life List" than mine! So it was off on a quest to catch odd bottom feeders and glorified minnows. And of course to put the Cache near the Catch! (Note, as of April 2021 he's still in the lead).
Today's Strange Fish is the Silver Redhorse. I caught two of these on the bank near here, right across the river from the Eau Claire Water Treatment Plant. But don't be fooled, this species is actually an indicator of good water quality. There are a bunch of redhorse species, so named because of their red fins. The casual angler probably misidentifies them as carp or suckers. They can be caught with nightcrawlers on the bottom and do put up a good fight.
For more pictures of the catch and a bit of angling philosophy visit: Strange Fish Opening Day 2021
This is my third version of Strange Fish #3. I hope it give you a smile. As the Strange Fish series is "Cache and Release" please reel it in carefully, handle it gently, and return it to where you found it. I'll admit that this one does not closely resemble a silver redhorse, but it was fun to make.
Addendum. Permission form has been submitted to Calvin Kunkle Bureau of Parks, Recreation, Wisconsin DNR.