Tampa FL visit Jan 16-20
#1 Guest_gerald_*
Posted 17 December 2013 - 11:13 PM
#2 Guest_Casper_*
Posted 18 December 2013 - 10:38 AM
Of course Tampa was our convention site just a few years back. And then you have their FL collecting guide available... 4th edition coming out soon. Weeki Watchee? Salvador Dali in St. Pete. I bet there are several fish species in his work.
Doug Dame in Yankeetown and Homasassa Springs... but i think that is well north. Study a map. Be sure and take a change of clothes for the wedding, waders are not acceptable in most cases.
#3 Guest_Doug_Dame_*
Posted 21 December 2013 - 02:27 AM
But absent a good answer from a real local, my instincts would be to go to Ft Desoto Park first. And spend some time catching pipefish and other fun stuff in the grasses just for fun. Bring a net with smallish mesh if you want to land any pipefish. You'll most likely also get pinfish, lots of shrimp, toadfish, gobies, hermit & arrow crabs, flounder, luciana parva, mojarra, blennies, puffers, filefish, and probably seahorses (probably small (3/4") but possibly large), and a happy scattering of mystery critters. Plus a variety of killies esp. along the shoreline.
OTOH, Kayaking in Weedon Island Preserve is also reportedly excellent, if the idea of kayaking through mangrove tunnels and possibly seeing manatees is appealing. (Should be!!!) There's also a boardwalk through the mangroves, a viewing tower, etc. Kayaks are available for rental, and I think there are also guided tours, but I don't know all the details.
And I like the Florida Aquarium downtown.
The Mote Marine Aquarium in nearby Sarasota is also excellent, and they have boat eco-tours that visit an island and drag a trawl to see what they can find, etc. (Not free, of course.) You may not have time to take that in.
Casper's mention of Weeki Wachee isn't crazy either. It's about an hour to the north, but the spring run from Rogers Park to the WW spring is a great kayak trip. But it's 6 miles or so each way, so that's not a quickie. Weeki Wachee itself has recently become a state park. They still have the mermaids though, and there aren't many places left in the world that have real live mermaids.
d.d.
#4 Guest_harryknaub_*
Posted 21 December 2013 - 03:53 PM
I also brought back something called an African Jewelfish, Hemichromis letourneuxi. I thought the Gambusia would be aggressive toward the other fish, but this guy is a terror. Luckily, I moved what I thought would be Ellasoma to a separate tank and these two have grown out peacefully.
#5
Posted 21 December 2013 - 05:24 PM
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
#6 Guest_Usil_*
Posted 23 December 2013 - 10:53 AM
Usil
#7 Guest_harryknaub_*
Posted 23 December 2013 - 11:16 AM
Do you have a copy of the Florida Collecting Guide? If not, they may have the latest edition in print by now. It was of of print this past June, but Charlie Nunziata graciously emailed me a couple pages of relevant sites.
Harry Knaub
#8 Guest_Doug_Dame_*
Posted 24 December 2013 - 01:39 AM
"I would suggest the Big Bend Power plant manatee viewing center ( located at the end of Apollo Beach Blvd ), hopeful there will be some cool weather by then. When it's cold there can be hundreds of manatees in the channel and it's free. As for pulling a seine in salt water, I would suggest Ft De Soto park the north end, or the always productive Skyway South rest area."
#9
Posted 24 December 2013 - 11:27 AM
That would be an incredible sight to see! Might just save that info for myself some day!This from one of the Tampa buds:
"I would suggest the Big Bend Power plant manatee viewing center ( located at the end of Apollo Beach Blvd ), hopeful there will be some cool weather by then. When it's cold there can be hundreds of manatees in the channel and it's free. As for pulling a seine in salt water, I would suggest Ft De Soto park the north end, or the always productive Skyway South rest area."
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
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