Fish – Sharon Friends of Conservation

White Perch – 8/16/21

Observer: Steven D’Addieco Observation Date: 8/15/21 Observation Time: 8:30 p.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag Common Name: White Perch Scientific Name: Morone Americana Comments: There are lots of white perch in Lake Massapoag. White perch are good to eat. White perch are not a true perch but, rather, belong to the bass family, Moronidae. More Information: Wikipedia

Brook Trout – 4/19/20

Observer: Steven D’Addieco Observation Date: 4/19/20 Observation Time: 7:15 p.m. Observation Location: undisclosed location in Sharon Common Name: Brook trout Scientific Name: Salveninus Fontinalus Comments: Pollution and dams have greatly reduced native brook trout populations in eastern Massachusetts. Brook trout are vulnerable to global warming because they cannot survive in warm water. Please practice catch and release to help conserve these beautiful fish. More Information: Massachusetts […]

White Perch – 8/23/19

Observer: Steven D’Addieco Observation Date: 8/23/19 Observation Time: 6:00 p.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag Common Name: White Perch Scientific Name: Morone Americana Comments: There are lots of white perch in Lake Massapoag. White perch are good to eat. White perch are not a true perch but, rather, belong to the bass family, Moronidae. More Information: Wikipedia

Rainbow Trout – 3/8/17

Observer: Steven D’Addieco Observation Date: 3/8/17 Observation Time: noon Observation Location: Lake Massapoag Common Name: Rainbow trout Scientific Name: Oncorhynchus mykiss Comments: I remember casting out into the shallow water until suddenly when I was reeling my line in I realized I had a fish on the line and reeled it in. It turns out that I accidentally snagged this Rainbow Trout. More Information: Trout Stocking […]

Largemouth Bass – 7/11/15

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/11/15 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag Common Name: Largemouth bass Scientific Name: Micropterus salmoides Comments: There are some big largemouth bass in Lake Massapoag, which also supports a population of smallmouth bass. Largemouth bass are also present in smaller ponds in Sharon but smallmouth bass require cool, clear water so they are found only in the spring-fed waters […]

White Perch – 6/10/15

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/10/15 Observation Time: 7:30 p.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag Common Name: White Perch Scientific Name: Morone Americana Comments: There are lots of white perch in Lake Massapoag. This one died and washed up on the shore. More Information: MA Fish Finder

Brown Trout – 6/6/15

Observer: Steven D’Addieco Observation Date: 6/6/15 Observation Time: N/A Observation Location: Massapoag Brook Common Name: Brown trout Scientific Name: Salmo trutta Comments: I caught and released this small brown trout in the late spring of 2015. Please practice catch and release to help conserve these beautiful fish. More Information: Wikipedia

Bluegill Sunfish – 6/4/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/4/10 Observation Time: 11:30 a.m. Observation Location: Borderland State Park Common Name: Bluegill Sunfish Scientific Name: Lepomis macrochirus Comments: This bluegill sunfish was guarding its eggs. More Information: Wikipedia

Bluegill Sunfish – 6/4/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/4/10 Observation Time: 11:45 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Common Name: Bluegill Sunfish Scientific Name: Lepomis macrochirus Comments: These sunfish were spawning on a sandy area near the shore. More Information: Southshore Fishing

American Eel – 7/21/14

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/21/14 Observation Time: 10:15 a.m. Observation Location: Billings Brook below the Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: American eel Scientific Name: Anguilla rostrata Comments: American eels spawn in the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic Ocean. The larval eels, called glass eels because they are transparent, drift with the Gulf Stream up the east coast. They eventually metmorphose into worm-sized black elvers, which swim up […]

White Suckers – 4/19/13

Observer: Richard Kramer Observation Date: 4/19/13 Observation Time: 2:35 p.m. Observation Location: Sucker Brook near the entrance to the Community Center Common Name: White Sucker Scientific Name: Catostomus commersoni Comments: White suckers spawn in Sucker Brook for a few days in mid to late April. Remember to look for them after you file your taxes. The female and the males release their eggs and sperm […]

White Suckers – 4/17/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/17/13 Observation Time: 12:40 Observation Location: Beaver Brook, Sharon (downstream of the wooden footbridge near the tennis courts at the outbound train station) Common Name: White Sucker Scientific Name: Catostomus commersoni Comments: White suckers spawn in Beaver Brook for a few days in mid to late April. Remember to look for them after you file your taxes. Note the reddish […]

Black Crappie (Calico Bass) – 8/5/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/5/11 Observation Time: 6:40 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Common Name: Black Crappie (Calico Bass) Scientific Name: Pomoxis nigromaculatus Comments: Crappies are a popular sport fish, as they are easy to catch when they are feeding. As with other freshwater species in Massachusetts, crappies accumulate mercury in their tissues as a result of environmental pollution from power plants. More Information: […]

Bullhead Catfish – 8/27/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/27/10 Observation Time: 3:45 p.m. Observation Location: Beaver Brook near tennis courts Common Name: Bullhead Catfish Scientific Name: Ameiurus melas Comments: I noticed a number of small black fish swimming near the dam, so I got a dipnet and caught this one (don’t worry, I released it alive!). It turned out to be a bullhead catfish. When the Department of […]

Redfin Pickerel – 8/11/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/11/10 Observation Time: 8:00 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond outflow pool Common Name: Redfin Pickerel Scientific Name: Esox americanus americanus Comments: Redfin pickerel only reach a maximum of about a foot in length. They are typically much smaller—this specimen was only about 4″ long. They are common in Sharon’s streams. Preys on invertibrates and smaller fish. More Information: Wikipedia

White Suckers – 4/25/09

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/25/09 Observation time: 1:05 p.m. Observation Location: Beaver Brook, Sharon (downstream of the wooden foot bridge near the tennis courts) Common Name: White Sucker Scientific Name: Catostomus commersoni Comments: White suckers in spawning frenzy in Beaver Brook, 4/25/09. Note the red stripes and erect dorsal fins. Suckers typically spawn for a few days sometime between April 15 and April 30. […]

American Eel – 8/25/08

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/25/08 Observation Time: 10:00 a.m. Observation Location: Beaver Brook near the outbound train station Common Name: American eel Scientific Name: Anguilla rostrata Comments: American eels spawn in the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic Ocean. The larval eels, called glass eels because they are transparent, drift with the Gulf Stream up the east coast. They eventually metmorphose into worm-sized black elvers, which swim […]