Downstream, the flow slowed, the sandy banks widened, and deeper holes developed. The trees trunks widened too, as the dominant cover below the bridge are buttressed trunked cypress...
Approaching the water, we were immediately rewarded with a wealth of visible fish. Dragging a seine through clear (tea colored, but very clear) water, with visible fish, in the hot Georgia sun... this is my kind of collecting. And we did very well for a flat south Georgia stream. We saw chain pickerel and dollar sunfish... blackbanded darters and dusky shiners... over a dozen species by the time we were done (remember this is south Georgia, not a mountain stream, we were quite pleased).
![Posted Image](http://gallery.nanfa.org/d/28985-4/doug+sees+a+fish.jpg)
One of the jewels of this stream was certainly the silversides. I have never seen so many silversides in my whole life put together as I saw Saturday. And what silversides they were. Should have been called, red mouthed, neon lime green mini-torpedo fish! These were abundant and fantastic, but knowing their reputation, I only snapped a quick phototank shot or two and put them back, to hopefully recover. I know this is not a typical portrait, but I didn't want to stress these slender zippy, beauties any more than necessary to capture their grace and intensity. What a shame that these gentle gems don't do better in aquaria.
![Posted Image](http://gallery.nanfa.org/d/28981-4/silversides.jpg)
And of course, we were successful in finding and photoing our target fish for the day. In fact, although I have saved it for last, our target was abundant and specimens were observed in the very first seine-haul. So eye-candy for the trip was the Ohoopee Shiner, AKA the Leeds Shiner, AKA the Bannerfin Shiner... that is Cyprinella leedsi.
![Posted Image](http://gallery.nanfa.org/d/28972-4/C+leedsi+18June2011+type+locality.jpg)
We had done so well, that we had time to check out another location... one that some of my Georgia buddies will know... over bit into the Ogeechee River drainage. This location is interesting in that we get stream fishes like yellwofin shiners and bluehead chubs... and this time even a juvenile redhorse, in the same location that we get more typical swampy type fish such as pirate perch and redfin pickerel. All of these were available and our guest from Florida was able to finally experience some yellowfins before heading back south. A great day in South and Middle Georgia. Only two locations, but both with abundant and varied fish. And of course, for me, the day before fathers day in the water with my son on the other brail...