I just moved to Atlanta, and after years in the desert I'm pretty excited to live in a place with native fish (that aren't all endangered). I have a 55gal tank that I plan on setting up as a native planted tank and am hoping for some suggestions as to places relatively close by where I can get some nice plants and (once I'm read up on local laws) smaller fish, etc.
Apparently there is somewhat of a water shortage here, and with gas the way it is, I'd rather not spend a whole weekend driving between dry creek beds and stagnant cesspools.
Also, I guess summer is wrapping up, but if anyone wants a seining partner or something let me know. I want to start learning about local fauna firsthand as opposed to just reading about it.
Thanks in advance.
-Alejandro
Where to collect in Georgia?
Started by
Guest_alejandro_*
, Sep 16 2008 08:01 PM
40 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_ashtonmj_*
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Posted 16 September 2008 - 08:09 PM
Alejandro,
Welcome aboard. You did land in a hotbed of diversity. Unfortunately, while there is such a high diversity in the south, a good many are still imperiled, thereatened, or endangered, but proportionally speaking not as many as you experienced out west. There are quite a few active and knowledgable members in Georgia and I'm sure they'll pop up shortly to say hello. If you add your general location to your user profile it makes it a bit easier for members trying to get together with other members, especially new ones. You are correct, there is a dire water shortage in your area and has been for going on a few years now. While summer is wrapping up, fall is a great time to collect. Fish aren't as stressed and their colors tend to come back into vibrance.
Welcome aboard. You did land in a hotbed of diversity. Unfortunately, while there is such a high diversity in the south, a good many are still imperiled, thereatened, or endangered, but proportionally speaking not as many as you experienced out west. There are quite a few active and knowledgable members in Georgia and I'm sure they'll pop up shortly to say hello. If you add your general location to your user profile it makes it a bit easier for members trying to get together with other members, especially new ones. You are correct, there is a dire water shortage in your area and has been for going on a few years now. While summer is wrapping up, fall is a great time to collect. Fish aren't as stressed and their colors tend to come back into vibrance.
#3
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 16 September 2008 - 10:04 PM
I just moved to Atlanta, and after years in the desert I'm pretty excited to live in a place with native fish (that aren't all endangered). I have a 55gal tank that I plan on setting up as a native planted tank and am hoping for some suggestions as to places relatively close by where I can get some nice plants and (once I'm read up on local laws) smaller fish, etc.
Apparently there is somewhat of a water shortage here, and with gas the way it is, I'd rather not spend a whole weekend driving between dry creek beds and stagnant cesspools.
Also, I guess summer is wrapping up, but if anyone wants a seining partner or something let me know. I want to start learning about local fauna firsthand as opposed to just reading about it.
Thanks in advance.
-Alejandro
Welcome... yes, there is a water shortage... but there are still lots of places with fish... I ieto go collecting in the fall... even in the winter is good around here... had a great trip the week after christmas a few years ago...
Yes, I have been able to collect a lot of my own plants around these parts as well... Check out the forum and search for the word georgia in the title... we have a few threads that show some of the trips we have been on... and you are more than welcome to join us the next time we go out...
What I really need to know is where in Atlanta are you... Atlanta is known for it's sprawl... you can be almost anywhere in Georgia and still claim to be in Atlanta... Heck, I live in Athens, and half the time I tell folks I'm from Atlanta... If you are in the far north or the east, then you are pretty close to at least a couple of us and I am pretty sure that we can get you hooked up with some local fish... if you are further away, we may have to plan a special trip or something...
KHudgens and I have been out a couple of times and found some real nice spots in middle ga (couple hours of driving, but sure to get some nice fish... again, see the other threads)... but i also know o few places here in athens and at least one place out towards buford... so about where around atlanta are you?
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#5
Guest_alejandro_*
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Posted 17 September 2008 - 12:16 AM
Thanks for the welcome. I'm in Atlanta proper, pretty close to Decatur. While the city is big, I came from Phoenix (AZ) so I'm kind of used to this kind of urban metastasis. Which is kind of depressing in and of itself, really. I'll be sure to check past threads (although it was the one on Carroll Co that convinced me to ask for location tips- that picture was pretty depressing).
-Alejandro
-Alejandro
#6
Guest_birdpond_*
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Posted 17 September 2008 - 01:28 AM
Hi and welcome. I'm a newbie here, too, and haven't had a chance to get out in the field yet but am also looking at the fall. I'm in the Norcross area and go into the Decatur area often. It would be fun for a few of us to get together for a day and get our nets wet, wouldn't it? I'd be happy even if we turned everything loose. I'd just love to learn what's around here and spend a day closer to nature.
We're close enough geograpically we might be able to check out some local spots without too much trouble -- drop me a line if you you'd like!
We're close enough geograpically we might be able to check out some local spots without too much trouble -- drop me a line if you you'd like!
#7
Guest_Casper Cox_*
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Posted 17 September 2008 - 12:10 PM
If all you atlanta folks venture a bit north out of the sprawl i would descend southward.
I think michael would be ideal to select a day or weekend's worth of activity in a mountainous region between atlanta, athens and chattanooga.
i just spent several days near toccoa and was impressed. years ago steven, our former geogia rep, lead an excellent outing in that area.
maybe october, even early november?
I will be w/ michael in texas and maybe we can come up with a plan.
casper
I think michael would be ideal to select a day or weekend's worth of activity in a mountainous region between atlanta, athens and chattanooga.
i just spent several days near toccoa and was impressed. years ago steven, our former geogia rep, lead an excellent outing in that area.
maybe october, even early november?
I will be w/ michael in texas and maybe we can come up with a plan.
casper
#8
Guest_alejandro_*
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Posted 18 September 2008 - 06:32 PM
I'd be pretty excited to go on a trip far from Atlanta, especially if I'd get to meet up with people knowledgeable about natives. I'll keep an eye out for any posts on future trips, though I don't think that I'll be in town the weekend of 10/18.
#9
Guest_khudgins_*
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Posted 19 September 2008 - 10:30 AM
I know I need to get back out to Williamson Swamp Creek to get a few dollar sunfish. I'll have to remember to bring a rod and reel for that. ;P
I'll be available after the first week of October, except for the weekend of 17-19th Oct for some fishing.
I'd also like to go elsewhere to see some different fish. I'll be ordering me some collecting equipment as well, since I still don't have any of my own.
I'll be available after the first week of October, except for the weekend of 17-19th Oct for some fishing.
I'd also like to go elsewhere to see some different fish. I'll be ordering me some collecting equipment as well, since I still don't have any of my own.
#10
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 20 September 2008 - 09:37 PM
Yes, the cancer known as Atlanta. Just don't say that you're looking for sun perch... although I'm sure that Michael W. would show you one out of sheer politeness(!).
Of course, I can... many of y'all know my dad... he has used the term 'sun perch' before... that would apply to any sun fish that is showing any yellow/orange/red on the breast/belly... so lots of male sun fish are actually 'sun perch' and are clearly different than what dad refers to as 'ring perch' (Perca flavescens so called because the bands on the side extend pretty far down both sides... so they make a ring all around the fish).
Course dad's also mostly interested in catching it and tasting it... not really naming it... and certainly not using much latin.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#11
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 20 September 2008 - 09:57 PM
I know I need to get back out to Williamson Swamp Creek to get a few dollar sunfish. I'll have to remember to bring a rod and reel for that. ;P
I'll be available after the first week of October, except for the weekend of 17-19th Oct for some fishing.
I'd also like to go elsewhere to see some different fish. I'll be ordering me some collecting equipment as well, since I still don't have any of my own.
Well Decatur is on the east side (sort of) and Norcross is (sort of) northeast... so some of these other guys that want to take a trip could join us if we go back (which I would be up for... I would like to see some more of those blackside darters). I am going to the convention in Texas next weekend, and my son is playing a lot of travel soccer this time of year, so time is tight... but we should be able to get us a day scoped out if you want to go.
And just to be clear... Georgia fishing regulation indicate that fish are all classified as either game fish or not... in general, game fish can only be taken with hook and line... not game fish are considered bait fish and can be taken with a seine (there are regulation on these of course)... so now to the punch line... dollar sunfish are not listed as sport fish... so my interpretation would be that they are legal to take with a seine. The cool looking spotteds we saw however (at the other site), are sport fish and would have to be caught only with a hook and line.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#12
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 20 September 2008 - 09:59 PM
I'd be pretty excited to go on a trip far from Atlanta, especially if I'd get to meet up with people knowledgeable about natives. I'll keep an eye out for any posts on future trips, though I don't think that I'll be in town the weekend of 10/18.
Like casper said, we could certianly do something in the northern part of the state, later this fall... and like khudgins said, he may be ready to make a trip back to a place we have enjoyed a couple of other times... so we can certianly get you some fish... but like I mentioned in my other post, after the convention next week... and then we can look into something in the later part of october.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#13
Guest_khudgins_*
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Posted 22 September 2008 - 03:50 PM
Later in October sounds good to me. I'm called for the weekend of the 4th and 17th, but any other date is beautiful.
I'd like to go back and get some of those dollar sunnies, but a north Ga trip sounds like fun, too.
I'd like to go back and get some of those dollar sunnies, but a north Ga trip sounds like fun, too.
#16
Guest_alejandro_*
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Posted 07 October 2008 - 09:05 PM
I went out around Atlanta and found pretty much what I expected, waterways that were either dried up/stagnant or plantless. And I apparently lots the nearby lakes/ponds that show up on google maps are artificial and privately owned. Another weekend I went further out and got myself some plants from kind of a ditch on the side of the road and then some more from one of the nearby reservoirs. I'm not good with IDs and there's a good chance half of what I got won't actually live submerged, but I'm hopeful about the ludwigia, bacopa, quillwort, and some sort of grassy-looking ground cover. I also got some parrotfeather to help with algae until things start filling in. Then it dies.
I'm pretty impressed at the shocking amount of critters clung on to the plants throughout the collection, dry transport, and tap-water rinse. And not just snails and wormy things. They're all real neat but I just hope that I don't end up with an apartment full of biting things. No wonder I see so many posts about cleaning plants. Thank goodness I'm going for the messy ecosystem look.
Hopefully I'll get out this weekend for a longer trip now that the gas freak-out is ebbing. My tank's still pretty empty.
By the way, what ever happened to trip talk? Did you all get a chance to talk at the convention?
-Alejandro
I'm pretty impressed at the shocking amount of critters clung on to the plants throughout the collection, dry transport, and tap-water rinse. And not just snails and wormy things. They're all real neat but I just hope that I don't end up with an apartment full of biting things. No wonder I see so many posts about cleaning plants. Thank goodness I'm going for the messy ecosystem look.
Hopefully I'll get out this weekend for a longer trip now that the gas freak-out is ebbing. My tank's still pretty empty.
By the way, what ever happened to trip talk? Did you all get a chance to talk at the convention?
-Alejandro
#17
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 07 October 2008 - 10:05 PM
I know I need to get back out to Williamson Swamp Creek to get a few dollar sunfish.
I'll be available after the first week of October, except for the weekend of 17-19th Oct for some fishing.
If you are still serious about going back to that site, I would be available the 25th (that's a saturday right?) for a day trip down that way... looks like alejandro wants to get out... he has about an hour drive to our normal meet up spot... others in the area would be welcome as well.
Casper and I never really got the chance to talk much about a N.Ga trip, and I don't really know of any great spots up there (althogh I am sure there are some, I just don't have 'em marked on my maps Steven Ellis are you out there in the web somewhere, and do you have any places up north georgia way that you could point me to... I have a gazateer!... Casper, I know you have good spots everywhere... heck, you just landed a prime snorkle with the gator gar in Texas!... you want to take us someplace... or point us to a place?)
Edited by Michael Wolfe, 07 October 2008 - 10:06 PM.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#19
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 08 October 2008 - 09:09 PM
How about somewhere in the Etowah River system, like Shoal Creek near Waleska in Cherokee County? I'm not sure how far various people are from this area, creek access would be... easier... than metro Atlanta.
It's up the road a piece, but not that far really compared to where I was going to go... only thing is that I don't have any exact locations to go to... but I have been to Waleska before (Reinhart COllege) and I will look in the gazeteer to see if I can locate some access points... I always liked it up that way... good idea.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
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