The river roars in the heat of the summer. The water is clear and cool, and a respite from the high sun. An angler leans back, fly-fishing rod in hand, and casts it forward. The fly drops and sinks into the water. Hopefully a fish will bite.
What kind of fish depends on how deep in the water – the surface, mid-depth or bottom – the fly ends up. Fish feed in different parts of the water column, and their bodies and diets are adapted to their feeding strategies. Their mouths alone often give a clue as to where in the water column they feed. [Read more…] about Fish Mouths: How Anatomy Suggests Ecology
Summer is the season for being on the water, and a canoe or kayak is the perfect way to explore the many ponds, slow-moving rivers and marshes that exist throughout New York State. While these shallow, muddy-bottomed settings may not be great for swimming, the rusty-tan water occasionally covered with patches of floating leaves and strands of submerged vegetation does teem with life. Among the residents of these quiet, weedy waterways is the redbelly dace (Phoxinus eos), a common and widespread member of the minnow family of fish. 
Boaters returning from the waters of Lake Champlain at Shelburne Bay have reported large quantities of