Yeah, it's clear water, good stuff.
North Chickamauga Creek Gorge
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, Aug 16 2011 11:48 AM
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#22
Guest_Casper_*
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Posted 27 September 2013 - 10:27 PM
It's been a year since my last snorkel in North Chick, this has been a wet summer as compared to last year's drought...
September 8, 2013 North Chickamauga Creek
Sunday offered an opportunity and with no recent rains i thought it a good time to check several sites along North Chick. I exited at Thrasher Pike and though usually reduced to a trickle in the summer the pooled water looked green, muddy and stagnant. I crossed the bridge and looked downstream to see a beaver dam... ah... the culprit. I have been told it is never a good idea to snorkel in a beaver pond because of giardia and the zero visibility turbidity removed the option anyway. It would be interesting to blow the dam strategically and watch everything race by but to where? Probably downstream to round rock rubble and death. This year the beavers had created a pond that was likely a refuge for bigger fish like Redhorse, Gar and Carp. In the past i have seen the creek drying to ever smaller pools surrounded by raccoon and Blue Herrings tracks.
Looking downstream from the bridge at the old mill site.
I drove downstream several miles to an old mill site that i enjoyed last year during the July drought. Though the water was higher the clarity was reasonable so i descended through the ruins and waded into the water bareskin. A bit chilly but i was excited to peer in. Immediatly i counted 1 2 3 Logperch at my feet and then saw a Sunfish watching me from the hazy green distance. I stretched out flat and a Yellow Perch raced away. Drifting downstream just a bit i eased back into the pool below the riffle run and scarred up a resting Hogsucker where several had been gathered the year before. Pulling up into the tail end of the riffle run i was swarmed by a school of shiners and could soon make them all out to be Warpaints, probably a hundred plus, feeding in the sunlit riffle outflow. The substrate below was littered with cobble, gnarrly rocks and all manner of rural trash thrown from the bridge above. Mufflers, grills, shoes, broken toys, and old bottles... creating a surface that is not a good idea to crawl through with potential rusty snags and jagged glass. At times rubber hoses took on the appearance of snakes giving me convulsed shivers. Old carpet waved in the current but the lively inhabitants of the old mill site did not seem to mind. Logperch need clean, buggy cobble and there where plenty of Logperch here to testify to enough food. I eased into the riffle and flushed out a nice big Greenside. Though a bit nervous i snapped a few pictures of him before he fled further upstream into the shallow run, off limits for me. I turned back to see a handsome River Chub below and a pod of Logperch busy flipping stones while i studied their various side markings... and i tell you that they vary a lot!
Logperch with buried black hose snakes.
Flushed Greenside and black hoses.
The Greenside, with his backside camo pattern.
I decided to float down centerstream to a log jam on the left but not much was seen as i drifted through the 5' visibility. Discouraged I crossed over and pulled myself back upstream along the far edge to a eddy pool and came face to face with various sunfish lounging in the calm water, mostly Redbreasts but a few Bluegills with their shadow marked dorsal fin. Crossing over the silty sandbar 3 big Shad raced in front of my mask, a nice suprise! I eased into the rubble and saw minnows and shiners again, mostly Warpaints but a few Striped Shiners and Bigeye Chubs thrown into the mix. I crossed the riffle pool, raised my head and saw the surface jump, ducked and cocked my head to see a trio of Black Spotted Topminnows. Handsome fish and a favorite to see, i played with them for awhile, patiently moving the camera ever closer in super macro mode hoping for a nice sky reflective shot. When i turned several large Sunfish had gathered behind me and i could make out a large redeared Shellcracker with his side wounded. Though he was cautious the Redbreasts and Bluegills came close and offered a few broadside photo opportunities in the sunshine. A Smallmouth Bass cruised the perimeter, looking for stagglers i presume. Looking back toward the pool a herd of Stonerollers had moved in grazing on the sheltering rocks covered in algae to the right. Plenty of life in this old mill site!
Sunfish gathered in the shadowed pool. Looks like a Blue, maybe a Longear and Redbreast all in one.
Blackspotted Topminnow.
A wee bit ever closer.
Bluegill, with his dusky dorsal spot.
Redbreast, or Robins as they are sometimes called. I always look at their ear, the way the top and bottom are trimmed in white.
I relaxed and drifted a bit downstream and observed a colony of Tennessee Snubnoses among the moss covered jumble of large stones. Probably at least 2 or 3 dozen snubbies of various sizes in the calm water. Larger proud males, with their dorsal fins colored and erect, would race out to see me but when i pushed the camera toward them they would dart away. Eventually i saw at least one nondescript Rainbow among them, not an unlikely sight here, but this was snub territory. I wonder how many live in this 100 yard stretch, probably enough for every NANFA member to keep at least 3 in a home aquarium, if it was Tennessee legal. They do seem to be the most common darter in the regional streams surrounding Chattanooga and typically prefer the slower water. The snubs also shared this vegetated habitat with a trio of Bluntnose Minnows that stayed just out of camera focus while feeding along the calm bankside.
Tennessee Snubnose, a proud but wary male.
I was getting chilled by now and figured this might be my last bareskin snorkel of the season. The sun was setting below the treetops and only the pool below the riffle was sunlit so i returned to poke among the gnarrly cobble and trash for bugs and crays flushing out a small Redline, a pointy nosed darter. I played with the camera hoping for a few sun ray shimmer shots then climbed out to stand, drying on the mill ruins.
Alert, nervous Redline, can you find it?
The old millstone, wrapped in rusty iron, resting against the trees.
Checking the time i decided to drive further upstream to the steep gorge but upon entering the water all the rocks were covered in 1/2" of scum making the site unpleasant... at least at this time of year. In the past everything was very clean. I only saw Sunfish and a Bass and decided to climb out and explore the steep bouldered gorge downstream finding various summer fungi in the woods.
The crystal clarity was inviting but....
The rugged way downstream.
Looking upstream, always beckoning one just a bit further.
So ended the day. I am starting to think of the best place to get the main ingredient for a new found ceviche recipe.
September 8, 2013 North Chickamauga Creek
Sunday offered an opportunity and with no recent rains i thought it a good time to check several sites along North Chick. I exited at Thrasher Pike and though usually reduced to a trickle in the summer the pooled water looked green, muddy and stagnant. I crossed the bridge and looked downstream to see a beaver dam... ah... the culprit. I have been told it is never a good idea to snorkel in a beaver pond because of giardia and the zero visibility turbidity removed the option anyway. It would be interesting to blow the dam strategically and watch everything race by but to where? Probably downstream to round rock rubble and death. This year the beavers had created a pond that was likely a refuge for bigger fish like Redhorse, Gar and Carp. In the past i have seen the creek drying to ever smaller pools surrounded by raccoon and Blue Herrings tracks.
Looking downstream from the bridge at the old mill site.
I drove downstream several miles to an old mill site that i enjoyed last year during the July drought. Though the water was higher the clarity was reasonable so i descended through the ruins and waded into the water bareskin. A bit chilly but i was excited to peer in. Immediatly i counted 1 2 3 Logperch at my feet and then saw a Sunfish watching me from the hazy green distance. I stretched out flat and a Yellow Perch raced away. Drifting downstream just a bit i eased back into the pool below the riffle run and scarred up a resting Hogsucker where several had been gathered the year before. Pulling up into the tail end of the riffle run i was swarmed by a school of shiners and could soon make them all out to be Warpaints, probably a hundred plus, feeding in the sunlit riffle outflow. The substrate below was littered with cobble, gnarrly rocks and all manner of rural trash thrown from the bridge above. Mufflers, grills, shoes, broken toys, and old bottles... creating a surface that is not a good idea to crawl through with potential rusty snags and jagged glass. At times rubber hoses took on the appearance of snakes giving me convulsed shivers. Old carpet waved in the current but the lively inhabitants of the old mill site did not seem to mind. Logperch need clean, buggy cobble and there where plenty of Logperch here to testify to enough food. I eased into the riffle and flushed out a nice big Greenside. Though a bit nervous i snapped a few pictures of him before he fled further upstream into the shallow run, off limits for me. I turned back to see a handsome River Chub below and a pod of Logperch busy flipping stones while i studied their various side markings... and i tell you that they vary a lot!
Logperch with buried black hose snakes.
Flushed Greenside and black hoses.
The Greenside, with his backside camo pattern.
I decided to float down centerstream to a log jam on the left but not much was seen as i drifted through the 5' visibility. Discouraged I crossed over and pulled myself back upstream along the far edge to a eddy pool and came face to face with various sunfish lounging in the calm water, mostly Redbreasts but a few Bluegills with their shadow marked dorsal fin. Crossing over the silty sandbar 3 big Shad raced in front of my mask, a nice suprise! I eased into the rubble and saw minnows and shiners again, mostly Warpaints but a few Striped Shiners and Bigeye Chubs thrown into the mix. I crossed the riffle pool, raised my head and saw the surface jump, ducked and cocked my head to see a trio of Black Spotted Topminnows. Handsome fish and a favorite to see, i played with them for awhile, patiently moving the camera ever closer in super macro mode hoping for a nice sky reflective shot. When i turned several large Sunfish had gathered behind me and i could make out a large redeared Shellcracker with his side wounded. Though he was cautious the Redbreasts and Bluegills came close and offered a few broadside photo opportunities in the sunshine. A Smallmouth Bass cruised the perimeter, looking for stagglers i presume. Looking back toward the pool a herd of Stonerollers had moved in grazing on the sheltering rocks covered in algae to the right. Plenty of life in this old mill site!
Sunfish gathered in the shadowed pool. Looks like a Blue, maybe a Longear and Redbreast all in one.
Blackspotted Topminnow.
A wee bit ever closer.
Bluegill, with his dusky dorsal spot.
Redbreast, or Robins as they are sometimes called. I always look at their ear, the way the top and bottom are trimmed in white.
I relaxed and drifted a bit downstream and observed a colony of Tennessee Snubnoses among the moss covered jumble of large stones. Probably at least 2 or 3 dozen snubbies of various sizes in the calm water. Larger proud males, with their dorsal fins colored and erect, would race out to see me but when i pushed the camera toward them they would dart away. Eventually i saw at least one nondescript Rainbow among them, not an unlikely sight here, but this was snub territory. I wonder how many live in this 100 yard stretch, probably enough for every NANFA member to keep at least 3 in a home aquarium, if it was Tennessee legal. They do seem to be the most common darter in the regional streams surrounding Chattanooga and typically prefer the slower water. The snubs also shared this vegetated habitat with a trio of Bluntnose Minnows that stayed just out of camera focus while feeding along the calm bankside.
Tennessee Snubnose, a proud but wary male.
I was getting chilled by now and figured this might be my last bareskin snorkel of the season. The sun was setting below the treetops and only the pool below the riffle was sunlit so i returned to poke among the gnarrly cobble and trash for bugs and crays flushing out a small Redline, a pointy nosed darter. I played with the camera hoping for a few sun ray shimmer shots then climbed out to stand, drying on the mill ruins.
Alert, nervous Redline, can you find it?
The old millstone, wrapped in rusty iron, resting against the trees.
Checking the time i decided to drive further upstream to the steep gorge but upon entering the water all the rocks were covered in 1/2" of scum making the site unpleasant... at least at this time of year. In the past everything was very clean. I only saw Sunfish and a Bass and decided to climb out and explore the steep bouldered gorge downstream finding various summer fungi in the woods.
The crystal clarity was inviting but....
The rugged way downstream.
Looking upstream, always beckoning one just a bit further.
So ended the day. I am starting to think of the best place to get the main ingredient for a new found ceviche recipe.
#23
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 28 September 2013 - 08:05 AM
Blackspotted Topminnow.
Great story as usual, but I really liked this photo... very well composed... accurate AND beautiful
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