So what's in that water anyway?

One of the joys of lake living are the constant reminders that we are merely sharing the space we call home. The woods, the water and the air at Lake Anna are constantly filled with all kinds of fish, fowl and other animals which we love watching each and every time we may cross paths. There have been a number of bear sightings at the Lake in recent years and months...but more on that later. First, I wanted to share one of the best descriptions of Lake Anna's creation and the fish which now populate the lake.

C.C. McCotter has been a fishing guide on Lake Anna since 1992. His website details biological surveys done on the local fish populations and lists an impressive array:

"Here are the original 40 species according to family group; American eel,gizzard shad,threadfin shad,blueback herring,eastern mudminnow,mosquitocfish,white sucker,creek chubsucker,shorthead redhorse,northern hog sucker, chain pickerel,Northern pike, common carp, bluehead chub, river chub, goldenshiner, satinfin shiner, swallowtail shiner, spottail shiner, pirate perch,white catfish, brown catfish, yellow bullhead, channel catfish, margined madtom,bluespotted sunfish, redbreast sunfish, pumpkinseed, warmouth, bluegill, redearsunfish, mud sunfish, largemouth bass, black crappie, yellow perch,walleye,tessellated darter, white perch and striped bass. There are rare,unsubstantiated reports of a smallmouth or two but they are not established in the lake."

And the biggest surprise for me (as an acknowledged and admitted fishing neophyte)...eels?!! In lakes? Apparently it's not all that unusual. Even so, I don't think I'll share that one with the kids.