The 2024 NC Fish Frenzy from Citizen Science organization, Science Across NC, will take place October 5-20. You can participate anywhere in North Carolina! Before you get started, you may want to check out all of the resources available at https://ncfishes.com.
Fast references:
- Sponsored by Science Across NC – https://scienceacrossnc.org/
- Webpage: https://scienceacrossnc.org/events/nc-fish-frenzy/
- iNaturalist Project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/north-carolina-fish-frenzy
- When: October 5-20, concurrent with ecoEXPLORE Ichthyology Season
How to Participate
- Find a place to make observations of fish.
- Take photos of as many species of fish as you can find with the iNaturalist smartphone app or use a camera and upload them through the iNaturalist website. You do not need to know how to identify the things you see – iNaturalist will help you!
- Submit your observations through the Naturalist website or app, available for Android and Apple! All observations must be uploaded to iNaturalist by October 27 to count toward the NC Fish Frenzy.
New to iNaturalist? Check out SANC’s Quick Guides to iNaturalist for Android and Apple phones! They will walk you through how to use the smartphone apps and website to submit your observations to iNaturalist. We also have a training video available that was made for the City Nature Challenge – the process is the same for NC Fish Frenzy. Follow along with the event on our iNaturalist project page!
Find a Local Event
You can get involved in the NC Fish Frenzy anywhere in the state. Participate on your own or join one of the in person or virtual programs offered by our collaborative.
Visit the NC Fish Frenzy event page (COMING SOON) to find a program near you!
Earn the new NC Fish Frenzy Badge!
You can earn a custom embroidered badge by participating in the NC Fish Frenzy! Follow these two easy steps to claim yours:
- Make observations! Find and photograph 3 fish of any species in North Carolina during the dates of the event and upload them to iNaturalist by October 27.
- Report your participation and claim your badge!
HOW TO CATCH AND PHOTOGRAPH FISH
Finding and photographing fish is a little bit tricky. Here are some tips on how to find and photograph fish near you.
- FISHING: Find a nearby fishing hole and use a rod to catch, photograph and release fish in your area. If you are under the age of 16 you do not need a license, but you do need to be with a licensed adult. Adults can find fishing license information at the following link — fishing license. Don’t have a rod or tackle? You can borrow it from the NC Wildlife Federation. Learn more to find out where you can check out tackle in your community: Tackle Loaner Program .
- TRAPPING: Trap all kinds of fish in a trap primarily used to catch minnows. You can bait them with hot dog pieces. You’ll need to tether your trap and check it regularly. Minnow traps often attract other predators from crayfish to bears (oh my!).
- SNORKELING: October may be a cold month to snorkel in many places, but you still may be able to find a “hot spot” or use a wet suit to find great places to observe and photograph fish in North Carolina. If you’ve never heard of the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail now is the time to check it out.
- SEINING: Seining uses a large net, called a “seine,” that hangs vertically in the water with its bottom edge held down by weights and its top edge buoyed by floats. Seine nets can be launched from the shore (beach) or from a boat. They are usually used to catch a large quantity of smaller fish in a school.
- MICROFISHING: Micro Fishing is fishing for small to really small fish. There are hooks, rods and accessories specifically designed for small fish. The goal of this method is to catch a wide variety of fish rather than large fish. Please remember to be gentle and use wet hands when removing fish from hooks.
- DIP NETTING: Hand nets are used to catch fish near the surface of the water. Because hand-netting is not physically destructive to the fish, hand nets are often used for tag and release programs, or in this case for photograph and release.
- ELECTROSHOCKING: Electroshocking equipment utilizes electrodes to deliver a current into the water. When fish encounter the electric current, it stuns them and causes them to rise to the surface. This allows researchers to collect the fish in a net. The fish are examined, weighed, and/or measured and returned to the water – for our purposes – photographed and returned to the water. You will need to be with someone with an electroshock license who knows how to do this method safely and effectively. One downside is that some fish may not survive the electroshock.
- UNDERWATER FILMING: One easy way to observe fish even in murky water is to lower an underwater camera into a lake or pond and see what you can see! Just tie a waterproof camera or GoPro to a strong string or rope and get started.
OTHER RESOURCES
For tips on taking photos of fish watch this video on YouTube: 15 Tips For Better Fishing Photos – Improve You’re Fishing Photography Skills
For a Field Guide on fish species in North Carolina, purchase A Guide to North Carolina’s Freshwater Fishes
For lots of good resources check out The Fishes of NC website
For educational resources for K-12 teachers or environmental education programs, check out Aquatic WILD
To practice casting and catching plastic fish, here is a simple kit for purchase — Backyard Bass
