SFC Field Trip
We rendezvoused about 9 am on a beautiful Saturday morning at a grist mill site just a few miles upstream of my home.
Everyone was smiles as we pulled a multitude of species from just below the dam.
Team Leader Bernie and an electric green Zonale.
Picking through the contents and keeping the camera dry.
The Male and the Female.
Boxhead Trout.
A Greenside eyeballing a man from Iowa.
Seine Teams 2 & 3
Amanda, Scott, Cindy, Colt, Michael, Jennifer, Amelia, Jeff, Bernie, Matt and Brian. Becky and myself staying dry on the bank.
Full Photo Tank of... "What can you see?"
Sycamore Gal. AKA: Amanda's Texas Mama.
Oh My! Many, many were here weeks before but only this one today. Down to the Tennessee they swam.
Nearly 30 fishy species and way less than half that a net wielding species.
After the team broke up Scott, Michael and i decided to drive east into another watershed, taking full advantage of the beautiful day. Strike 3 on the rainbows but we had plenty of mysteries to ponder during the evening as an intense storm moved across dropping nearly an inch of rain and bringing with it a plunge in temperature.
Sunday morning, though the air was cold we decide to take advantage of the surprising pleasant day. After a morning walk through of the Bass Pro Shop we studied the contents including Waders, bowfin, Gar, Buffalo and Sauger. Our first seine stop was SCCGA's favored picnic site just a couple miles downstream of the grist mill and a couple miles upstream of my home.
The boys ready to wade. The water was a bit high and flowing fast from the overnight rain. We did what we could and then headed to the outflow of the regionally advertised "Happy place to be".
Nanfan Wolfe getting all puckered up.
Being told this was a Red Spotted critter made for an extended list at my neighborhood sweetspot. I've taken many fishy folks here over the years and this season did 3 impressive snorkel sessions. It's always different and one never quite knows what will be seen.
Today we had...
First off, a net full of Striped Shiners.
Plenty of small but fancy colored male Redlines.
A couple spectacular Rainbows.
A scattering of Stonerollers, big Hogsuckers, purple sheened Bigeye Chubs, a fair mix of Sunfish and some hefty Greensides hiding alongside the embedded tires.
More than enough Tennessee Snubs and Bluntnose Minnows to satisfy but we missed several Shiner species and the often common Blueside Darters. Not to mention we were minnow hoping for a bit of Star Gazing before the sun set. But 2 days of kicking and dragging and driving were enough for me. We never got close to the Firey Blacks.