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Clemson/Greenville SC


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#1 pitt20

pitt20
  • NANFA Guest
  • SC

Posted 15 November 2015 - 03:37 PM

Hello,

 

I'm new to the form. What kinds of fish species are found around the Clemson, SC area? I am considering Clemson for my undergrad degree and when I go to tour I would like to get acquainted with the local waterways. What fish can I expect to find and what kind of habitat would I be looking in? When I drove to tour Wake Forest and the University of Florida I vaguely recall some swamps in western SC (?) as we passed through but I'm aware there are probably mountain streams in the area. Plus Lake Hartwell is right on campus. 

 

Thanks for any input. 



#2 gerald

gerald
  • Global Moderator
  • Wake Forest, North Carolina

Posted 15 November 2015 - 07:37 PM

Colleges really ought to post that information prominently in their "about" section, dont ya think?  Aquatic biodiversity was certainly a make-or-break critrion in my college selection.   There's some beauties in western SC, and several NANFA members in that area.  See FishMap.org


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel


#3 Dustin

Dustin
  • Forum Staff

Posted 16 November 2015 - 09:04 AM

Hi,

 

While there are some seeps in the area, there aren't a lot of swamps.  There are mostly piedmont and blue ridge streams up there.  There are tons of great fish in the area.  Some highlights include:

 

Fieryblack shiner

Whitefin shiner

Whitetail shiner

Warpaint shiner

Yellowfin shiner

Rosyface chub

Thicklip chub

Rosyside dace

Bluehead chub

Seagreen darter

Turquoise darter

 

We have an active regional rep up in the area that would love to have someone local to get out with.


Dustin Smith
At the convergence of the Broad, Saluda and Congaree
Lexington, SC


#4 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 16 November 2015 - 11:06 AM

Welcome!

SC surely is a pretty darn good state for fishes. I'm about 1.5 hours south of you. Not only are there some fantastic sites up Clemson-way towards the mountains, in my area we have Christmas Darters; close by are Savannah Darters. Further down the Coastal Plain you'll find our swampy areas, with different pygmy sunfishes, and Swampfish. In between are Lined Topminnows, Redlip Minnows, and Banded, Bluespotted, and Blackbanded Sunfish. There are some neat finds in the brackish areas, including Fat Sleepers and Sailfin Mollies. All these fish are within very doable, if not always easy, driving distances. And there are active Palmetto State NANFAns who'd enjoying showing you around. (Goofy schedules permitting.)

If fish are a serious factor in your decision, Clemson would be a good choice.
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#5 pitt20

pitt20
  • NANFA Guest
  • SC

Posted 16 November 2015 - 04:46 PM

I appreciate everyone's input! Fish aside, I was almost positive I wanted to commit to Clemson. I love the area and the pre vet program there is tough to beat. Factoring in the aquatic diversity in the region... Well... I think I'm Tigertown bound  :biggrin: Does anyone happen to know what fish are in Lake Hartwell itself? I'm going to be on campus for a few days sometime soon as I was just accepted to the school and I'm going to visit one last time before I commit, but I won't long enough to explore much more than the campus itself. 



#6 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 17 November 2015 - 05:49 AM

Congrats on you acceptance!

Hopefully Steven B. will get a chance to chime in soon. He's a recent Clemson grad, formerly a member of their bass fishing team, and is now employed by the South Carolina Aquarium. He's a really good guy, and can probably give you the most recent/best info on that lake out of anyone here on the forum.
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#7 gerald

gerald
  • Global Moderator
  • Wake Forest, North Carolina

Posted 17 November 2015 - 11:18 AM

Man-made lakes in western NC/SC are unfortunately rather boring ichthyologically - mostly just stocked bass, bluegill, redear, green sunfish, crappie, yellow perch, channel cats, bullheads, golden shiner, and mosquitofish.  Most of the small native fish in the region (shiners, dace, chubs, darters, madtoms) are stream-dwellers and cant survive long-term in lakes.  In the Coastal Plain (from Columbia eastward) there's a lot more native species that survive in lakes.  

 

It just so happens that our current NANFA prez is also the senior author of Freshwater Fishes of South Carolina.  Put that on your Christmas wish-list.


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel


#8 fritz

fritz
  • Board of Directors

Posted 17 November 2015 - 12:29 PM

And I'll sign it for free!



#9 sbtgrfan

sbtgrfan
  • NANFA Member
  • Charleston, SC

Posted 17 November 2015 - 06:51 PM

Congrats on the acceptance! Couldn't make a better choice than Clemson!

The fish species listed by other members pretty much sums it up. I'll add the mottled sculpin to Dustins list as it's pretty abundant in the Clemson Experimental Forest in one specific creek (only creek I found them in during my time there). Several sunfish species too. Might come across a fantail darter or two. Stonerollers. The list goes on. The CEF is an excellent place to explore, not just for fish but all other wildlife too, especially reptiles and amphibians.

As mentioned above, The Freshwater Fishes of SC book is a great tool! Couldn't live without it!

I have to disagree with Gerald's description of "boring" species in lakes! Game fish are just as interesting as non game fish! Lake hartwell is an excellent fishery for largemouth and spotted bass as well as stripers and catfish. And of course different species of sunfish. If you're the one in a million person, you might even catch a walleye and smallmouth in hartwell. Yes, I said walleye. It's true, there's a small population in there that are very rare. Smallmouth make it down from jocassee through keowee and into hartwell somehow surviving the dams.

If you have any other questions, especially regarding Clemson, feel free to PM me.
Go Tigers!
Stephen Beaman
Freshwater Aquarist
South Carolina Aquarium
Charleston, SC

#10 pitt20

pitt20
  • NANFA Guest
  • SC

Posted 08 December 2015 - 05:08 PM

I've been extremely busy lately and I haven't been able to post, but thanks for the warm welcome! I'm officially attending Clemson next year. I was on campus a week or so ago and I got to check out the lake. Didn't see many fish, but I didn't have much time to look. I'm on the pre vet track and it was recommended to me that pre vet students should have a car on campus, so I will be able to travel when I'm free. Does anyone know of any specific locations that yield interesting fish, preferably new to a Pennsylvanian? I'm assuming I'll be plenty busy with my major, so when I go to check out the waterways I want to make sure I have some success  :biggrin:

Thanks!



#11 killier

killier
  • NANFA Guest

Posted 08 December 2015 - 09:15 PM

I haven't chimed in yet, but I'm your friendly regional rep for the upstate of South Carolina! I'm a part time student myself at USC upstate but that hasn't stopped me from being pretty active in the area. I usually lead a small group collecting in our respective area about once a month, and you would be more than welcome to attend.
trust the killienut
-Robert Godzinski

#12 sbtgrfan

sbtgrfan
  • NANFA Member
  • Charleston, SC

Posted 09 December 2015 - 03:35 PM

Check out the Clemson Experimental Forest up near Issaqueena lake. It has a bunch of hiking trails and six mile creek runs through there, as well as other smaller creeks like wildcat creek. Those would probably be your best bet for something really local to Clemson. If you're wanting to venture out of Clemson, Rob would be a good resource to utilize to show you around. Dustin and I also get up that way once in a blue moon, as does Matt. Any of us would be happy to share locations and info for specific fish you may be interested in. 

 

Make sure you grab yourself a SC fishing license to stay legal!


Stephen Beaman
Freshwater Aquarist
South Carolina Aquarium
Charleston, SC

#13 pitt20

pitt20
  • NANFA Guest
  • SC

Posted 10 December 2015 - 03:27 PM

Obviously I won't be down there for a few months, but when I'm finally in SC I would love to get out with some people who are local to the area!



#14 pitt20

pitt20
  • NANFA Guest
  • SC

Posted 10 December 2015 - 03:27 PM

Also are there any specific regulations I should be aware of in terms of restrictions on gear, etc?





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