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Conasauga River


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#21 Guest_trygon_*

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Posted 22 August 2012 - 10:33 PM

Thanks Michael. I obviously figured out what the problem was with my account, I'll email you later.

#22 Guest_IsaacSzabo_*

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Posted 23 August 2012 - 07:22 AM

Great photos Bryce! I like the stare down with a Bronzie photo. The perspective is a nice change from the standard side shot, and it does a good job of showing off the paired fins.

#23 Guest_trygon_*

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Posted 24 August 2012 - 10:05 PM

Thanks Issac, based on your avatar I thought you might be interested in seeing this little guy.
toad.jpg

#24 Guest_IsaacSzabo_*

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Posted 25 August 2012 - 08:45 AM

Cool, love those guys. Where was this taken? Do you do much saltwater photography?

#25 Guest_trygon_*

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Posted 26 August 2012 - 09:13 PM

The jetty at St. Andrews State Park, Panama City, FL. Yes, every chance I get. After all they're a native fish also, albeit with a huge range.

#26 Guest_IsaacSzabo_*

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Posted 27 August 2012 - 08:29 AM

St. Andrews is a great place. I've spent more time snorkeling there than anywhere else in FL. That's where my toadfish picture was taken as well. I think that NANFA includes our native saltwater fish, so you should post some more of your saltwater photos - I know I would love to see them.

#27 Guest_Casper_*

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Posted 11 September 2012 - 07:50 PM

ConasaugaView.JPG

Looking down on the Conasauga River.

ClevelandHS.JPG

Cleveland High School Aquatic Biology Class. 19 youngsters, all very attentive, one of my favorite groups. I met their teacher years ago while she was a student at UTC while assisting her, classmates and the professor on an urban stream survey. Learn and Teach.

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Tattooed Conasauga Logperch. You can see the thin arced reddish line alongside the back dorsal fin. Injected plastic polymer. They are growing quickly, 3 times as long as when first introduced. The unusual natural markings on their sides seem to be changing. I saw 4 individuals the week before.

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Stonerollers grazing amongst the sculpted stones, Bronze Darter in the lead. You can see the mottled pattern their lips make on the foreground stone's surface.

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Redbreast, the most common Sunfish at the snorkel hole. I usually see a few Longears each visit. Shadow Bass too, if you look in the shadows.

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Stone Marks. Vivid comet color.

My last 2 trips of 2012 are this weekend. Hiwassee and the Conasauga. A ridge seperates the 2 distinct watersheds and thus 2 distinct populations of native fish.

Immerse yourself.

#28 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 11 September 2012 - 10:46 PM

My opinion of Cleveland, TN, goes up, that's a great program to put kids out in the river. I haven't been to Hiwassee in too long.

#29 Guest_fritz_*

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Posted 12 September 2012 - 07:17 PM

St. Andrews is a great place. I've spent more time snorkeling there than anywhere else in FL. That's where my toadfish picture was taken as well. I think that NANFA includes our native saltwater fish, so you should post some more of your saltwater photos - I know I would love to see them.


YES! saltwater fish are definitely included in this organization. so post away.

#30 Guest_Casper_*

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Posted 17 September 2012 - 10:57 AM

I went back yesterday for my last group of 2012. A boarding school out of Rome Georgia, about 20 shivering teenagers. We didn't see any salt water fish but Ed had a can of Tuna for lunch.
I attempted to noodle a Flathead Catfish, lost my glasses, returned to find a 4' Flathead outside the noodle hole, but then realized it was a 2' Flathead with another 2' Flathead sticking out of his mouth! I went back for my camera, returned in 10 quick minutes to find them still in "grip mode". As i altered my camera settings the eater released. :( arg. Lost photo opportunity. Equal in size, but one was an obvious glutton!
Still gotta scan my pics... i shot a couple of one of them as they dispersed. These Cats were the same i saw last year on a night snorkel... i did not realize at the time they were Flatheads. Always learning, seeing something new, stay immersed.

#31 Guest_IsaacSzabo_*

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Posted 17 September 2012 - 02:01 PM

Nice Redbreast photo. That's a species I don't get to see here in the Ozarks.

That's a neat Flathead story. Seems like it is a rare opportunity to see them out in the daylight in a stream. Too bad they released just as you were getting the camera ready. Did you get any other photos? Did you make it to the Hiwassee?

#32 Guest_Casper_*

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Posted 17 September 2012 - 03:54 PM

These are the waters of the Redbreast. Plenty. Often the dominant Sunfish though we get a pretty good diversity. I looked at my few pics earlier, flash was on, sediment reflecting back... ouch. A blur of Flathead motion. It was a cool sight indeed, i thought look how long that fish is! I wonder is this occurance had anything due to my attempted grabbling though i know i did not hurt the fish by squeezing too hard. I was nervous about the trio of sharp barbs and i was having to reach pretty far into a tight spot... and my wetsuit was making me too bouyant.
We did the Hiwassee the day before, great group called TN Wild. Hellbenders, Tangerines, Snail Darters and tuberculed River Chubs. Will someone please explain that! Bryce and Ed shot some video they were excited about and i will pass on Ed's pics and expect that Bryce will open a Hiwassee report soon enough. I wrote a report for the CNF but dont recall the specie count, probably about 25 It was a new site for me, mostly a wide shallow run front edged by a drop. After lunch we went downstream to flowing pools and bigger fish. No good pics from me but i will share what i get from others.

#33 Guest_IsaacSzabo_*

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Posted 18 September 2012 - 12:33 AM

Wow, Hellbenders and Tangerines. The Hiwassee sounds great. I'll have to put it on my list of places to visit.

#34 Guest_trygon_*

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Posted 18 September 2012 - 07:40 AM

I should be able to have my photos up tonight.

Bryce

#35 Guest_trygon_*

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Posted 18 September 2012 - 07:02 PM

This past Saturday Ed Scott and I had an opportunity to help Casper with a snorkel tour at the Hiwassee River in TN. The group was WildSouth, a southeast conservation society. The weather and the water were perfect. I'll let Casper fill in the details, here are some of my images.
nerodiasipedonsculpin1.jpg
Northern watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) I think and lunch companion mottled sculpin (Cottus cf. bairdi)
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Going...
nerodiasipedonsculpin3.jpg
Going...
nerodiasipedonsculpin4.jpg
Still going...
nerodiasipedonsculpin5.jpg
Gone
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Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) Casper had to stand on me to get this shot
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Hellbender
percinaevides.jpg
Gilt darter (Percina evides) sorry for the poor image, he was in a swift section, but he looks really good for September
percinatanasi1.jpg
Snail darters (Percina tanasi)
percinatanasi2.jpg
Snail darter

#36 Guest_daveneely_*

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Posted 18 September 2012 - 08:18 PM

Beautiful shots! That last snot otter pic is spectacular, well worth a little discomfort for!

#37 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 18 September 2012 - 09:15 PM

Thanks Bryce, now I think I know what snail darters look like (for real). And I actually felt sorry for the sculpin.

#38 Guest_trygon_*

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Posted 18 September 2012 - 09:29 PM

Thanks Dave, I hope all has been well with you it's been a long time. You should've seen Casper's face when I asked him to stand on my back in four feet of water, priceless. Yes, fundulus, I felt a little bad for the sculpin too, but the snake needs to eat. Sometime you're the snake, sometime you're the sculpin. Come up in the Spring and see the snail darters in person, really real. They're skittish though. By the way they're also incredibly iredescent.

Bryce

#39 Guest_IsaacSzabo_*

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Posted 19 September 2012 - 12:26 AM

Great photos Bryce! The water looks very clear. It took me a while to realize the snake photos were underwater. I agree with Dave - that second Hellbender shot is reallly nice!



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