I'm finally getting caught up with work and have a bit of time to recollect about recent outings. Todd's KY trip was a blast and i have had several swims in the cement pond enjoying their spring spawnings and decided to return to some local native waters.
Memorial day, about noon, i was drove to the other side of the Tennessee River and snorkeled in one of my early favorite sites. I had been going there for years but had not been back in the last couple. The only time it is available for snorkeling is in the spring as it turns green and dries during the summer at this particular location. The water flows off of the mountains from old acidic coal mining areas but then flows underground through limestone which nuetralizes the acid. Further downstream is a high flow cave spring which the Hixson community gets it water from. I've canoed to the spring and eventually made it to the Tennessee River just above Chickamauga Dam, but it took 3 Sundays to do it. I think it is a couple miles of railroad track walking to reach the spring head but is worthy of a revisit and snorkel one day. That canoe trip was quite an adventure years ago and had been the first time i had ever seen a Redline Darter, caught by dragging a dipnet though a riffle as floated by. It got me to wondering what was in all the water below us.

A couple years ago Ranger Bob and i counted 21 species at this North Chick site, none of which were minnows. It was one of my favorite snorkeling experiences.
however this time i did not see that many species but did observe...
Bright blue banded Speckled Darters, handsome Tennessee Snubs, Log Perch. Absent were Redlines and Rainbows. Ive also seen a school of Yellow Perch here as well.
Stonerollers and lots of fry. Lots. Some looked like little suckers, fry schools stayed at the surface.
Rainbow Trout, as they are stocked.
Hogsucker.
Carp.
Spotted Suckers.
Sunfish: Bass, Warmouth, Longear, Green, Redbreast & Bluegill. No Crappie. No Rock bass.
Black Spotted Topminnows. I'm sure Gambusia were in the shallows somewhere. Never seen a Studfish here.
Visually it was very pretty with lots of lush vegetation and the sunlight streaming in. A beautiful day. Plenty of pond Sliders and Musk Turtles.
I found a dead beaver, thought its tail was a Gar at first. A creepy boney, wet hided mess but i kept its skull with its yellowed chisel teeth. Found another spare new snorkel from someone upstream playing at the pool laden pocket wildness, more river booty for the stockroom.
A 2' Spotted Gar lay on a mass of green sprig grass, log like and was either waiting for a quick snack of sunfish or more likely Topminnows. It and the Spotted Suckers were fairly content to let me observe them closely for a good bit of time. Gars are one of my favorite fish to encounter, great predator dinosaurs.
Nice, clean Sunfish nests were guarded by bullish, well patterned Bluegills, Redbreasts and Longears. A Warmouth seemed to have a site staked out below and among snags but no "pit nest" per se.
I cant recall any other species. I ventured a few hundred yards downstream but did not encounter anything else. The spring did beckon tho. I found a nice riffle and deep plunge pool but just 2 species of Darters and a hoard of Stonerollers. And always lots of Sunnies.

Since the water was so clear i decided to try further downstream at a bridge crossing, i guess about 3 or 4 miles to Boy Scout road. Tho not as clear, i could still see a murky 6 feet or so, maybe even 8' when the light shone right. It was a deep, wide flowing pool beneath a Southern Railroad bridge. The water next to the banks were cloudy from all the Suckers mouthing the silt. I eased into a big log jam and came face to face with a massive Carp. I suspect it was 3' long. Big diamond scales, a golden sheen and a Fu Manchu barbel trailing from its lips. What a beast to come up on! Another two made an appearance and one was trailing a yellow Lamprey attached dead center to his forehead. I sure would hate to climb out of the water and see one of them things dangling from me! Gruesome, disgusting. It would have been cool to yank it off but i could not get closer than a couple feet and would have had to be wearing gripper gloves. I poked around the log jams and floated downstream but riffles were not seen, heard or beckoned. Light was getting low and i decided to gain my speargun and work on dinner. Several Redhorse had appeared in the deep middle flow and i was able to pin one 16 incher and a bit later a Drum of equal length in a brush pile. I struck another Drum but it shook out the spear point. This is frustrating because i suspect it to be a mortal wound yet in such a large stretch of water my odds of finding it were minimal. I have learned that a head shot within 12" is the only near sure way to make and hold a kill. And the point has to be sharp, sharp, sharp. If i'm in a pool area blocked by riffles up and downstream i can often find a wounded or dead fish jammed among rocks are limbs if i spend sufficient time.

The Carp were tempting but those fish were huge! I would have to have a house full of willing Carp eaters ready to give them a try. The next evening i wrapped the two fish in foil along with onions, seasoning and butter and laid them on the grill for 15 minutes or so flipping them a couple times. The Redhorse was delicious and flavorful but the Drum was rubbery and lacked flavor. The way to cook Drum is in chowder or gumbo as the flesh does not break apart. Gasper Gou, i think the cajun creoles call it. No rolly polly fishheads this time on the menu. I did find both eggs and milt sacks but decided to skip the fried caviar this go around.

Not to bad for a Memorial Day. Thunder and hail followed me home. A good day.

It would have been cool to yank it off but i could not get closer than a couple feet and would have had to be wearing gripper gloves.

I thought the only good Cox way to grab those slimey, slithery guys was with one's teeth?

Yancey would be upset, Casper!

Todd

Brings back memories when I lived in 'noog and tromped around those areas. I'm jealous.

Nice trip report! You're a good writer.

Yancey style eh? He was wrestling eels. Biting on a lamprey creeps me out. Disgusting, gross beasts. A parasite, engorged with stolen body fluids from a hapless host. I have stood waste deep with a fellow who swallowed one live. It writhed for quite a while in his gullet and gut promoting fits of wretching and gagging. I've shared skewered sculpins with him but i dont think i will ever swallow a lamprey cooked, or writhing.
I did see Andrew Zimmer eating them grilled on one of his global Bizarre Foods tours. Probably the orient somewhere. That guy will eat anything! Fun show tho, i'm a big fan of the Travel Channel.

trygon, your gonna have to come back to Chattanooga when you can stay awhile. I much enjoyed your visit a few months ago, though we never got our feet wet. I see your learning to use a bit of salt on your southern coastal swamp forays. I'm headed back to Carrabelle in late June but will be content to eat what i catch and leave the rest. Again, great job designing the CFI logo. Very creative.

Thanks schambers, it was pleasant remembering the day. Writing helps retain memory at my age.

I see your a fellow Todd Toledian. Did we meet at the premarital OcoberFishFest? A most excellent adventure.

Thanks schambers, it was pleasant remembering the day. Writing helps retain memory at my age.

You don't look so old. I'm at that awkward age myself where I have a different pair of glasses for each activity.

I see your a fellow Todd Toledian. Did we meet at the premarital OcoberFishFest? A most excellent adventure.

No, I missed that. I just joined NANFA last fall. I'm glad I found you all!

Yeah, Susan has been out with us a couple times already this spring. Haven't got her snorkelling yet, but I don't think that's too far off after poking around with a view bucket at River Raisin

She gets the Zimmerman experience this weekend. I'm jealous. Hopefully the weather holds off for them!

Todd

Yeah, Susan has been out with us a couple times already this spring. Haven't got her snorkelling yet, but I don't think that's too far off after poking around with a view bucket at River Raisin

She gets the Zimmerman experience this weekend. I'm jealous. Hopefully the weather holds off for them!

Todd

Yippee! I've been running back and forth throwing stuff in the van all evening! LOL. I just wish I had more tank space to bring fish home. I did remember to include a rain poncho, but I think the rain will pass through tonight and tomorrow will be dry.

Thats what it's looking like, I think the rain will pass through over night lets just hope we don't get enough to bring the rivers up much, it will take some time to effect our larger river sights anyways so we should be ok, things are pretty low right now. Looks like we will start with 5 people in the am and end with 10 by evening on sat and then have 18 sunday! should be a good weekend.

Casper, your story here makes me want to dust off my snorkel. Problem for me in northwestern Ohio is that it's a drive to find anything with visibility over 3 feet. The rivers here are just so turbid. I did visit the Raisin River with Todd and if he's going around those parts sometime, I'd like to join in. Your story was really captivating though, please put some more up soon.

Yeah, I'd love to go back to the Raisin River, too. After wrecking my camera last weekend, I treated myself to a new one. I made sure to get one that's submersible and I can't wait to try it!