Have any of you ever collected in the Tallapoosa River Drainage(Georgia)? I'm thinking about taking a trip there and was wondering if anyone knew of any good creeks/streams/etc. to collect at? I'm mainly going there to look for pickerel, bowfin, darters, bullhead minnows, stonerollers, and lampreys(or ammocoetes). I know I might not find the lampreys, but I'm still going to give it a try. Any tips on collecting are welcome.
Tallapoosa River Drainage Collecting
Started by
Guest_fishlvr_*
, Nov 10 2007 11:24 PM
10 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_daveneely_*
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Posted 11 November 2007 - 12:12 AM
I would not expect bullhead minnows; the Georgia part of the drainage is a bit on the small size for them. Southern brook lampreys are widespread in the drainage and just about any small stream you find with clean sand should pay off if you put a little effort into it (and this time of year they should be starting to transform). You'll likely need to hit a couple different places to get everything on your list. Any small trib with rocky substrates should have stonerollers, Tallapoosa darters and blackbandeds, and most also have muscadine darters. If you drop into 'Bama and get down by the Fall Line you'll have a much higher probability of getting bowfin and pickerel.
Cheers,
Dave
Cheers,
Dave
#3
Guest_fishlvr_*
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Posted 11 November 2007 - 12:27 AM
I would not expect bullhead minnows; the Georgia part of the drainage is a bit on the small size for them. Southern brook lampreys are widespread in the drainage and just about any small stream you find with clean sand should pay off if you put a little effort into it (and this time of year they should be starting to transform). You'll likely need to hit a couple different places to get everything on your list. Any small trib with rocky substrates should have stonerollers, Tallapoosa darters and blackbandeds, and most also have muscadine darters. If you drop into 'Bama and get down by the Fall Line you'll have a much higher probability of getting bowfin and pickerel.
Cheers,
Dave
Thanks. Tallapoosa darters are protected here, so I can't get any of those.
How big will the YOY bowfin be around this time of year?
#4
Guest_fundulus_*
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Posted 11 November 2007 - 12:39 PM
There are a lot of interesting, accessible tributaries to the Tallapoosa in Randolph County, Alabama, just across the Jawjuh line from you. Cornhouse Creek at Hwy 431 is one such spot; just leave the stippled studfish alone since you probably don't have an AL scientific collecting permit.
#5
Guest_fishlvr_*
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Posted 11 November 2007 - 12:59 PM
I go there all the time! Just never on collecting trips. My grandfather owns a few trailors that he rents out down there. In fact, he's there right now. I fished in a creek by my grandfather's property and all I caught were bluegill. There was a very red one though, which now that I know more about natives, I think was a longear. He wouldn't bite my hook for anything. Do you know where I can get all of the fish I listed?
P.S. You got somethin' 'gainst Jawjuh?
P.S. You got somethin' 'gainst Jawjuh?
#6
Guest_daveneely_*
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Posted 11 November 2007 - 01:44 PM
Yeah. Atlanta sucks too much water, and just keeps getting bigger and bigger. The suburbs are already wrecking a lot of really diverse tribs to the Etowah, Coosawattee, and others. There's still discussion of impounding much of the Georgia part of the Little Tallapoosa to fuel their demand for water, so you might as well go visit it now.
The 'Bama part of the drainage is bigger, and lower down in the system so it has higher diversity. Age-1 bowfin are going to be pretty good sized this time of year, probably 6-8." There's some nice swampy areas down near Auburn where you might have a shot at them... and like I said before, you're not likely to find all of the species you listed in one place; they have different habitat requirements.
cheers,
Dave
The 'Bama part of the drainage is bigger, and lower down in the system so it has higher diversity. Age-1 bowfin are going to be pretty good sized this time of year, probably 6-8." There's some nice swampy areas down near Auburn where you might have a shot at them... and like I said before, you're not likely to find all of the species you listed in one place; they have different habitat requirements.
cheers,
Dave
#7
Guest_fundulus_*
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Posted 11 November 2007 - 01:55 PM
I've never come across pickerel or bowfin in the Tallapoosa tribs I've visited, but I wasn't looking for them either. Certainly there's a variety of shiners and darters in these streams, including stonerollers and lamprey. And unfortunately it's like Dave said, Atlanta has become a vortex sucking in water resources while turning rural areas into suburban sprawl. But you know more about that than I do, I'd guess.
#8
Guest_fishlvr_*
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Posted 11 November 2007 - 07:17 PM
That's pretty much the gist of it. People in, water out. Most of our waters have become too polluted to keep shiners, chubs, etc. around. Don't get me wrong, there are some, for instance the yellowfins in my backyard, but we are lucky enough to live in one of the more "rural" areas around Atlanta. Not really rural, just on the out-skirts.
Will darters, minnows, bowfin, and pickerel all still be active? I'm probably going to end up taking the trip next week, but if not, then I'll have to wait until after Thanksgiving weekend.
Will darters, minnows, bowfin, and pickerel all still be active? I'm probably going to end up taking the trip next week, but if not, then I'll have to wait until after Thanksgiving weekend.
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