DASHING DARTERS

Birds are not the beautiful creatures in the Ozarks (see April 24 post).  In the spring and early summer, male darters are in their full glory.  A darter is a small fish usually found in swift flowing Ozark streams.  These small fish keep from being swept downstream thanks to large pectoral fins (the set of fits that stick out behind the head on the sides of the fish).  They also lack a swim bladder.  A swim bladder is like an internal floatie for fish that helps them stay in the water column and save energy on swimming.  Darters exist at the bottom of the stream, among the gravel, and lacking a swim bladder works great to help keep them low and out of the main flow (Yes, that was an attempted rhyme)!  Most of the year, darters are kind of drab.  But during breeding season the males go all out!  They increase their pigments and look like little swimming rainbows!  The males set up territories and use their coloration to attract the ladies (which remain drab).  Once mating occurs (no copulation here folks – females release eggs and the males release sperm over them), the parents will go on their merry way.  Only a few darters provide parental care and that is limited to guarding the eggs until they hatch into fry (term for tiny baby fish).  If you want to see water rainbows (I'm pretty please with myself for coming up with that description) you should take a small net and, holding it downstream from you, kick up the gravel – pushing the darters into your net.  Remember though – you need to follow your state’s fishing rules on this!