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Tennessee Trip


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#1 Guest_natureman187_*

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Posted 11 September 2007 - 11:29 AM

My dad and I are planning to make a trip down to Tennessee next month to scout out new fishing areas for future vacations. We were planning on going to the headwaters of the Duck River but decided not to after we took in consideration of the time. We came to an agreement to hit the Buffalo and Harpeth rivers in Maury county and stay in Columbia. Is there anybody familiar with this area and can tell me what to expect or tell me of any other fishable streams in the area? This late in there year I am hoping for the buffalo to be wade able but I really haven't got the slightest idea.
Thanks,
Lance

#2 Guest_Casper Cox_*

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Posted 21 September 2007 - 01:56 PM

Lance...
I checked out the headwaters of the Duck a month ago and was disappointed. Nasty and lots of no tresspassing signs. The Buffalo and its tribs are fun and ive snorkeled in the Harpeth a couple times. South Harpeth i think. I cant give exact locations but take a TN Gazateer along and be prepared to wander the area looking for convenient access's, town parks, bridges and such. Im sure you can find plenty.
Im not really sure what yall are looking for... game fish vs aquarium fish but they are all out there. Its an adventure!
I drove thru Columbia twice on recent wanders. I was more to the South, West and East running hwy 64 and the Natchez Trace. I could give you neat sites if you went a bit further South.
I'm big on snorkeling but maybe yall want to fish in a boat on a lake, thats a whole different show.
The Buffalo River has a nice canoe campground and may have some cabins for rent by now. They were constructing them when i passed thru a year ago. I think its called Topsy Turvey.
I bet a canoe trip would be best for you. that would give you a greater range and please the "fisherman" in your dad. and you could seine or dipnet riffle runs along the way. yea... the Buffalo.
casper

#3 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 21 September 2007 - 03:03 PM

The Buffalo has great smallmouth fishing. You should be able to google up an article or two about it. Smallmouth fishing in general in the streams of TN is pretty good. Good sized rock bass, various sunfish, the occassional longnose gar, suckers, redhorse, spotted bass, the occassional large striped shiner or northern studfish...you can catch just about anything. If you are stream fishing there are two lures you HAVE to get. One is the Lews Speed Minnow. Get an assortment of the two smallest sizes. They are under 2 bucks a piece, but think about replacing the hooks. They are DYNAMITE! Casper has been to the place I'll mention, but at one site on a large shoal on the French Broad River outside of Knoxville three of us caught over 100 fish in 2 hours including a couple 18"+ smallmouth. We've also done great on trout below tailwater dams like Center Hill, Dale Hollow, etc. on them. Second lure is Rebel Craws, again in the two smallest sizes. I usually Kept an assortment of Rooster Tails as the old dependable fall back lure. Shouldn't have a problem finding a canoe place on any of the three rivers you mentioned or places to put in and out at. I googled up a fellow who documented his trips down those rivers actually, might be worth trying that too. There are always areas to fish below the major TVA and CORPS dams too.

#4 Guest_natureman187_*

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Posted 21 September 2007 - 03:05 PM

We are going to be bare legging it and had planned to make the first stop at the Henryville bridge off of 240. The gazetteer shows a canoe access there. After that I don't know - the next bridge. Dad's smallmouth fishing and I'm out to catch and photograph as many species as I can. I've also got the seine strapped to my tube for when the time comes. I'm on a hunt for redbreast sunfish and am interested in seining srbd, small hog suckers or any other small colorfully minnows I can't get at home.
I'm willing to drive further south if you know some good areas you're familiar with.
Lance

#5 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 21 September 2007 - 06:40 PM

Redbreasts can be somewhat difficult to come by. They aren't native to Tennessee. The places where I know they exist in good numbers you couldn't seine in to keep but you could hook and line (Hiwassee River and Emory/Obed rivers). They're really only found in tributaries to the Upper Tennessee (Chattanooga to Knoxville). Alot of the small streams from Crossville past Nashville hold SRBD. If you are going south from Nashville there are some places to check out going towards Murfesboro and Columbia. Small streams north and west of Cookeville in Putnam and Jackson counties have SBRD. If what youre going for is diversity, endemics, and/or color you should concentrate in the Duck, Harpeth, Buffalo areas. Maybe a stop in something that is upper Tennessee River drainage, but I don't know how far out of your route that is.

#6 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 21 September 2007 - 08:15 PM

Not a whole lot of pretty shiners over that way, but the darters will blow your mind. I've only been east of Columbia once, and couldn't believe how awesome a downstream portion of a river could be in comparison to, as Casper has pointed out, such a degraded upstream end. The Buffalo is imamculate as well. I plan to spend some time down there next summer doing film and research, if I can get someone to pay for it. These systems are loaded with questions and evidence about niche and community.

The streams suit well to tossing the seine downstream, letting it set up in the current like you would for someone else to do the "darter dance", and then kicking into it just like normal. In fact, the Duck is where I came up with this idea. I highly suggest making the investment in an ace-delta 6' seine from Jonahs Aquarium. I was able to comfortably work it by myself even in the highest of discharges, and the netting lays out very well, and makes for some spectacular catches. And it's not too small for your dad to join you, once you blow his mind with a fired up redline darter :)

The species to be concerned about, should you run into them, are the coppercheek, ashy and blotchside logperch darters. Know what these fish look like, it's not out of the question to run into them, esp the coppercheek. Photos never hurt, but I think everyone else is okay for take. Well, there's the slackwater darters, but I really doubt you're going to run into them. Many goregous fish to look at though. You'll have a great time both seining and rod n reel. Take a fly rod if you have one, the chubs and striped shiners are a lot of fun too :)

You guys are going to have a great trip. PM me if you have questions about localities. I just don't have my gazzer here at home, but will next week if I make it into the office. I can't guarantee that I'll be checking the forum much the next week though.

Todd

#7 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 21 September 2007 - 09:31 PM

Duck River saddled madtom, golden darter, smallscale darter, striped darter, striated darter... that could be quite a list for check these out but make sure you know what they are so you aren't in possession of any...

Don't you mean west Todd? That's the direction if you're below Columbia. Slight chance your box goes into the mail tomorrow, most likely Monday/Tuesday.

#8 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 22 September 2007 - 07:32 AM

Duck River saddled madtom, golden darter, smallscale darter, striped darter, striated darter... that could be quite a list for check these out but make sure you know what they are so you aren't in possession of any...

Don't you mean west Todd? That's the direction if you're below Columbia. Slight chance your box goes into the mail tomorrow, most likely Monday/Tuesday.


Yes I meant west. I forgot about the Catonotus. They delisted gold darter at some point. It's not even a species in need of managment.

Sweet. I've got my Mom and Dad's move done, and my August Rained Out sample sites almost done, so I'll be comin' back 'round to this to send some goodies your way too :)

#9 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 22 September 2007 - 12:00 PM

...TWRA still hasn't caught up with changing taxonomy. Tippecanoe darter is still listed under Management Concern. Interstingly some of the T&E things have updated since a year ago yet this split in species, which isn't exactly new, still hasn't changed. Heck the correction is even in the back of Fishes of Tennessee. Don't P. burtoni have federal protection?

#10 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 22 September 2007 - 12:29 PM

Don't P. burtoni have federal protection?

No. But it should.

#11 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 22 September 2007 - 04:53 PM

For some reason it was clicking in my head that it did this morning. Yes, I agree with your Bruce. It's really not better off if not worse than some things that are listed and in the same area.

#12 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 22 September 2007 - 05:11 PM

And, P. burtoni is subject to losing its habitat of clean highland streams. It's not an adaptable species that way. There's at least one population on protected lands now, in Hurricane Creek at the Walls of Jericho tract in Alabama. Including the protected Tennessee stretch of Hurricane Creek it's only about 4 creek-miles but you have to start somewhere.

#13 Guest_natureman187_*

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Posted 24 September 2007 - 08:24 AM

I'll photograph whatever I've never seen before. I imagine I haven't seen most of what I'm going to seine up being this the first time seining away from home. I looked up those darters Todd, I'll see what I can do. Should be pretty fun.
I'm planning on taking 24 down to 65. Any specific streams on that route where I can get daces? I'm only familiar with a couple miles of Sycamore creek in cheatham county. I don't want to spend too much time farting around looking for daces on the northern half when smallmouth fishing with dad was the whole stated agenda :wink: .



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