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Etowah River June 2012

Started by Michael Wolfe , Jun 23 2012 10:24 PM

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6 replies to this topic

#1 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 23 June 2012 - 10:24 PM

Three of us went out this morning to visit a new location that we had not previously been to on the Etowah River. We are not usually allowed the seine up in this part of North Georgia, and particularly not here as it is the home of the Federally Endangered and Georgia endemic Etowah Darter. We can prepared with Snorkel gear and were greeted with a most excellent view before we even got in the water...

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I had to check these out up close...

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Well I am still sorting through the underwater pictures... but suffice to say we were well rewarded underwater as well. Here is the aforementioned state endemic Etowah Darter.

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We stopped at another location on the Etowah for further snorkeling and even did a little seining over in the Chattahoochee drainage. Had a great day with the Georgia Crew.

Observed in the Etowah River:
Etowah Darter
Holiday Darter
Bronze Darter
Bridled Darter
Bandfin Shiner
Alabama Shiner
Tricolor Shiner
Rainbow Shiner
Riffle Minnow
River Chub
Redhorse ?
juv. Bass ?

Observed in the Upper Chattahoochee:
Blackbanded Darter
Redbreast Sunfish
Bandfin Shiner
Yellowfin Shiner
Highscale Shiner

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#2 Guest_don212_*

Guests

Posted 24 June 2012 - 08:27 PM

looks like a great trip, the fish are beauties, but what pro landscaper could match that flowering shrub, some kind of rhododendrum i suppose!

#3 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 25 June 2012 - 09:27 AM

A few more pics... the first two are darters that were also in the Etowah...

Bronze Darter
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Holiday Darter
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And a couple of shiners from the Chattahoochee drainage location... I cant get good snapshots of shiners snorkeling they are just too fast...

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Highscale Shiner
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Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#4 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 25 June 2012 - 09:31 AM

And lastly, a quick un-edited video... that teaches an important snorkeling lesson... the fish are sometimes behind you! And oh, what a fish it was this time...

What you see in this video is obviously the Alabama Shiner male... look closer and you can see the Bandfin Shiner... and even a Bronze Darter... and the black object in the right corner? That's Keith's shoes... while he was observing fish in front of him... this was going on behind. So remember to turn around and look downstream sometimes... many fish are very interested in what you may have 'kicked' up and are actively patrolling and feeding right behind you...

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#5 Guest_fundulus_*

Guests

Posted 25 June 2012 - 09:37 AM

Now THAT'S a good-looking Cyprinella male! We've been catching a lot of whitetails in the Flint River in 'bama, and I always forget how bright the alpha males can get.

#6 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 25 June 2012 - 09:42 PM

Now THAT'S a good-looking Cyprinella male! We've been catching a lot of whitetails in the Flint River in 'bama, and I always forget how bright the alpha males can get.

Yes, he was something to see! Of course, it helps when you have movie star lighting... there was a shaft of light coming down into the water right at that spot that just illuminated him perfectly.

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#7 Guest_khudgins_*

Guests

Posted 26 June 2012 - 02:59 PM

I recall watching some nicely patterned bronze darters at that time. Fun story: I was looking upstream at one point, while several shiners drew my attention by pecking at my legs, making SURE I turned around to look downstream. ;P

Those flowering bushes were indeed the local rhododendron. They were the most spectacular sight of the day, including the fish - and that's saying something. Was a great trip.