Epic Fish Trip

In august, my mom and I are going on an epic road trip through the Appalachians and surrounding states, staying in Sarasota, Florida, for a week and then coming back up a different way to maximize sightseeing.

My mom's goal for the trip is to see old houses, the mountains, and the place she was born.

My goal for the trip is, on top of all that, to see as many big aquariums as I can, and to see as much aquatic and non-aquatic wildlife as I can. I have realized that whenever I'm on a road trip, invariably my favorite tourist destinations always turn out to be wildlife related, usually aquariums and zoos.

So here is a very early version of our trip, for anyone interested. It's on google maps (I don't think you don't need a google account to see it).

Epic appalachian-aquatics-florida Trip

It's bound to change, but so far does anyone see anything interesting? Which aquariums should I make sure to see? Did I leave anything good off? And any advice for fishing and collecting? I am interested in collecting fish along the way, probably on the way back to maximize the probability of survival. Any great places to fish in the Appalachians, etc.? Is it even practical to collect fish during a road trip (like will it be too hot in the car to keep them overnight, will it be tough to get them enough air, is a 10 gallon or whatever too small, are there legal issues, etc.)? I am very interested in collecting fish that I can't find where I live. And If I can't keep the fish, I still want to do as much catch and release fishing as I can. Anything advice is welcomed.

To summarize the map, I plan to visit the Newport Aquarium in Kentucky, the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, the Georgia Aquarium, and maybe the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga (I might drop that last one since the one in Georgia is supposed to be the biggest in the world, and will probably be a good place to end -- Chattanooga might be a bit anticlimactic... although it could be a nice resolution/falling action). I might also go to the Shedd in Chicago on the way, but I've been there at least 5 times already. Finally, the day before the trip, I might get in the mood by visiting the new Discovery World at "Pier Wisconsin" in Milwaukee for the first time. It's supposed to have a couple of nice native "great lakes" aquariums.

So what do you all think? I plan to write reviews of all the places I visit, so please influence my decisions with good advice. I trust you guys.

I would suggest that you leave the Chattanooga aquarium on your list--I really like that aquarium... even more than the Georgia Aquarium. The problem with the Georgia aquarium is that it's designed for younger children more so than the interested fish enthusiast, whereas the Chattanooga aquarium is more geared towards the latter. Both aquariums are fine though: I have annual passes for both!
Your trip looks excellent! I wish I was only so lucky!

I would suggest that you leave the Chattanooga aquarium on your list--I really like that aquarium... even more than the Georgia Aquarium. The problem with the Georgia aquarium is that it's designed for younger children more so than the interested fish enthusiast, whereas the Chattanooga aquarium is more geared towards the latter. Both aquariums are fine though: I have annual passes for both!
Your trip looks excellent! I wish I was only so lucky!

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to this trip!

Well then I shall keep Chattanooga on my list, and hopefully my mom will be okay with going to 5 aquariums. If she isn't I can always drop Newport or South Carolina, although obviously I'd prefer not to. She said she would go to 3 aquariums, so it's going to be a tough sell. What may happen is she'll do something else while I'm at the aquariums, or she'll stay for half the time and then go do something she wants to do. Chattanooga sounds like my kind of aquarium. The only major one I've been to is the Shedd (besides Coney Island which was okay but somewhat mediocre), and the Shedd seems like a mix as far as who it's geared towards. Hopefully Georgia won't be too juvenile, and hopefully Chattanooga will be very advanced.

So what does everybody else think? How are Newport, South Carolina, and Florida? Any must-see aquariums I left off my list? (I wish I could go to Baltimore -- my dad said the frog exhibit was great -- but it's too far out of the way.)

I have only been to Newport and Chattanooga and I loved them both. I live about an hour and ten minutes from Newport so I go about once a year or once every two years. They have a really cool exhibit there now where you can pet some small sharks. There are a couple of North American river tanks right at the front of the aquarium that are pretty cool and the alligator exhibit has a mock front porch and native fish as well including alligator gar. Savor it though if you go because at least compared to Chattanooga I think it's a bit small (though there are some huge tanks like the walk-through shark ones).

I would suggest that you leave the Chattanooga aquarium on your list--I really like that aquarium... even more than the Georgia Aquarium. The problem with the Georgia aquarium is that it's designed for younger children more so than the interested fish enthusiast, whereas the Chattanooga aquarium is more geared towards the latter. Both aquariums are fine though: I have annual passes for both!
Your trip looks excellent! I wish I was only so lucky!

I was at the Chattanooga aquarium in 1994 it was really nice and had many natives. I would suggest not leaving this out. Also north of Chattanooga is a great place to stop. I can't actually remember the name of it but it is an underground lake that you can take a boat ride on.

If you want to collect on the trip I would pick several spots and stick with them. First determine what you want to collect. Look at the state regs as to the rules for using a seine and for which species you are alowed to collect with a seine. Then use nature serve and this list serve and your map to determine where to collect that species. I would also try to do any collecting on your way home. You will also want to make sure that what ever container you are transporting your fish in has a lid and air supply. You can purchase decent battery operated air pumps. You could also get an inverter for you cigarette lighter in the car. this way you could plug in a regular air pump.

Planning is going to be important!

Be sure to be legal! I think that you now need a fishing license (age 16) for most states. This would be a good opportunity to get that one other sunfish that you have been considering. I think that you can get just about any Lepomis on this trip.

Watch out for rain when going over the mountains. (Are you driving yet?) Even the Interstates seem a little scary across those ridges in the rain. (For my wife, not me!) It always seems to rain at the heights, I think it is a temperature differential thing. It ruins the scenic vistas.

You should have taken the free Discovery World tour with NANFA-Wisconsin last weekend. Those monster tanks are very impressive, but the cost is kind of steep if you are just interested in the aquatics. (See my post under the regional forum.)

You are going to be fairly close to Okefanokee (Spelling?) Swamp in Georgia (NW of Jacksonville, FL). The last time that I was there was in the 70's but would like to go back. This is an incredible swamp with many different species and really neat to tour (boart rides, hiking trails, etc...).

When looking into fishing license remember that most places have 3day tags. I think in Georgia the 3 day fishing tag is 8 dollars. When you determine what you would like to collect and were you can plan on how much each license is going to cost. Fishing license are pretty easy to get ahold of. Do a yahoo search of the state you are going to be in and its Department of Natural Resources or fishing license.

If you are going to be in a specific spot on a certain day you may want to see if anyone on the forum would like to meet you and your family at the stream and show you where to collect some good specimen.

Another neat place to stop (I have wanted to do this) is just south of Jacksonville, FL. That is Sach's Systems Aquaculture (http://www.aquaculturestore.com/).
This is a family business who handle native fish, inverts, supplies, etc... They encourage people to stop by if in the area.

Matthew

Also, S. GA and FL is spotted bullhead territory. Very attractive and smaller than blacks/browns/yellows.

Also north of Chattanooga is a great place to stop. I can't actually remember the name of it but it is an underground lake that you can take a boat ride on.

First post! East TN native here....

The place you mention is the "Lost Sea." Definitely worth a trip, IMO, as they have glass-bottom boats, even. Sounds like a great vacation- best of luck!

Update!

After much deliberation, the trip is 100% going to happen (barring any fatalities or apocalypses) and we are set to go August 11th-24th!

We're going to the aquariums in Georgia, Chattanooga, and Tampa. We're also going to the Mammoth Caves in Kentucky, fishing in the mountains, saltwater fishing off Florida, the Lost Sea mentioned below, and on a swamp tour in Florida or Georgia! And those are just the things we know we're doing!

So it should be a great trip, and I'll let you guys know how it goes!

Sounds like a blast - have fun!

Sounds like a blast - have fun!

Thanks

I hope you plan on doing the swamp tours in winter or very early spring. I did not read the whole thread here so you may have mentioned it. I go to the everglades anually in the early spring. And the mosquitoes are considered very mild then. Let me tell you when the sun goes down, mild or not this cajun hits the tent.

Update!

After much deliberation, the trip is 100% going to happen (barring any fatalities or apocalypses) and we are set to go August 11th-24th!

We're going to the aquariums in Georgia, Chattanooga, and Tampa. We're also going to the Mammoth Caves in Kentucky, fishing in the mountains, saltwater fishing off Florida, the Lost Sea mentioned below, and on a swamp tour in Florida or Georgia! And those are just the things we know we're doing!

So it should be a great trip, and I'll let you guys know how it goes!

well young john im sure your on the road by now. im not so sure a mom will hold up to 5 aquarium visits and her own itinerary.

but... if your checking email and such i would urge a visit to the tn aquarium. its my hometown and has a pretty decent, but never enough, native fish exhibit. you could stay in a train car at the chattanooga choo choo or up on the mountain at the bavarian sky harbor overlooking the river and the city lights. 60 bucks if you tell em i sent you.
of course getting in amongst the fish is the best and several good sites are within an hour of my home. my number is in the front of each issue of american currents but if your not a member then you dont have it! or you can pick up a copy at the aquarium gift shop and ring me. i got a couple quick places i take visitors for a quick dip or seining near my home.
get in and see all the ones that get away!
this one didnt and tasted mighty fine. several of us ate it at the last seinerama. better than chicken.

casper

thats my boy and he is older than you by a couple years. cobalt is sporting a arkansas 2005 nanfa shirt... aint none of them left. we were taking pictures for his eagle scout project and then i got out the tin snips for some gar steaks.

this next pic is his eagle scout project... completed.

That looks great! You get a snail darter picture on that board!?

yep...
and thinking about it i could have used the one Todd snapped a couple months prior just downstream. Nonetheless i did use the fine, exquisite hi res photo Richard Bryant provided me... the very same used in the Fishes of Tennessee book and the poster "Tennessee Valley Treasures".