Jump to content


2014 NANFA Convention


  • Please log in to reply
116 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_fritz_*

Guest_fritz_*
  • Guests

Posted 12 October 2013 - 12:01 PM

MORE INFO ON THE 2014 MEETING

The 2014 NANFA annual convention will be held June 5-8 at the North Carolina Forest Service Training Facility located on the banks of the Linville River in Crossnore, North Carolina, which is about 30 minutes southof Boone. This place is closely located to the Catawba, Nolichucky (Tennessee) and New River watersheds.While the event runs from 5-8 June, arrangements are being made to stay on the 4th and depart on the 9th for those who want to do this.
There are 5 dormitories available with 45 rooms for a maximum of 88 beds. Most rooms have 2 single beds and a sink. Buildings A and B are closest to the dining facility and each have 14 double rooms and 1 single, all with sinks. Building A, which will be our primary gathering place, has separate men and women’s restroom/showers. Single women would most likely stay in this building, as well as couples. Our registration andauction can be held here. Building B has the same number of rooms but only one unisex shower/rest room. Both have microwaves, refrigerators, and TV. There is a large burn pit outside these buildings for gatherings. The Mountain Lodge sleeps 11 (1 single) and has a unisex shower/restroom. It also has a full kitchen. The River Lodge is the newest and sleeps 9 – one room has 3 beds. No sinks in these rooms. There are 2 shower/restrooms in this building so couples and single females could stay here also. Large gathering room upstairs. The Helitack Building is about a ¼ mile away and sleeps 10, no sinks in the rooms. It has a full kitchen with 2 bathrooms.
Costs to stay here are very reasonable. If you come in on Thursday and leave Sunday, room and meals will be $144, plus registration. Registration will be $75 for members, $100 for non-members (includes 1 year membership), $ 35 for students and collecting spouses, and $12 for non-collecting spouses. All registrations include cook out on Friday. Since the Forest Service needs to know how much food to buy, you will need to send your final payment to NANFA by May 9th in order to allow them to buy the right amount of food (but see below about early registration). Late comers may be able to stay at the facility but keep in mind that numbers are limited and they DO NOT take credit cards.
There are a number of campgrounds in the area including the one at Linville Falls operated by the National Park Service, which is only 6 miles away. Two motels are located in Linville Falls and 1 in Pineola, both about 5 miles away. There are a number of good restaurants in nearby Linville Falls, Crossnore, and Newland. The nearest airport is in Asheville some 70 miles and 90 minutes away.
Friday will consist of collecting/snorkleing in nearby watersheds with arrival back at the facility at reasonable time to enjoy the cook out and auction. Saturday will also be more collecting/snorkeling but there will also be a collecting challenge between 2 teams who will visit the same 4 sites, in reverse order – all catch and release. Numbers will be limited on these teams so when registration opens up, if you wish to compete, be prepared to register. There will an extra fee ($10) for this which will go to the funding of t-shirts for the winning team. Announcement of when registration opens up will be in the first 2014 American Currents and on the Forum. Sunday will be more of the same with some groups heading in different directions on their way home or staying in the area.
We will try and get trip leaders under the scientific collecting permit of the host so no other licenses will be needed unless you decide to collect on your own, before or after the convention.

Below are some of the collecting sites and several endemics I caught last week:
Attached File  north toe river.jpg   431.18KB   17 downloads
North Toe River
Attached File  south toe river.jpg   272.64KB   15 downloadser
South Toe River
Attached File  south fork new river.jpg   372.84KB   6 downloads
South Fork New River
Attached File  pigeonroost.jpg   232.76KB   3 downloads
Pigeonroost Creek
Attached File  Kanawah highlands shiner.jpg   44.01KB   7 downloads
Kanawha highlands shiner
Attached File  Kanawah minnow.jpg   48.36KB   6 downloads
Kanawha minnow
Attached File  New River shiner.jpg   54.5KB   3 downloads
New River shiner
Attached File  tonguetied minnow.jpg   54.67KB   5 downloads
Tonguetied minnow
Attached File  kanawha darter male.jpg   60.09KB   7 downloads
Kanawah darter - male
Attached File  Kanawaha darterfemale.jpg   60.45KB   5 downloads
female

#2 Guest_jblaylock_*

Guest_jblaylock_*
  • Guests

Posted 12 October 2013 - 01:39 PM

Just curious, why catch and release for the Collection Challenge?

#3 Guest_Dustin_*

Guest_Dustin_*
  • Guests

Posted 12 October 2013 - 01:50 PM

To keep Matt from takinga purse seine and emtying each spot he visits before the other team gets a chance. Doesn't really matter I suppose. His team would still lose.

#4 Guest_jblaylock_*

Guest_jblaylock_*
  • Guests

Posted 12 October 2013 - 01:53 PM

Oh, I get it, because each team is going to the same location you want the odds to be even.

#5 Guest_fritz_*

Guest_fritz_*
  • Guests

Posted 12 October 2013 - 06:04 PM

Bingo!

#6 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

Guest_Irate Mormon_*
  • Guests

Posted 13 October 2013 - 06:40 PM

This does not take into account 'learned seine avoidance behavior'.

We will need detailed sampling protocols which will factor this into the contest. Also supporting research to validate the protocols, so that we can be certain it's fair.

I say we just Rotenone the whole thing from the stream bank - it's the only way to be sure.

#7 Guest_fritz_*

Guest_fritz_*
  • Guests

Posted 13 October 2013 - 08:53 PM

There will be detailed protocols - same number of seines, time collecting (probably 45 minutes) and personnel, etc. I promise not to use my shocker. No need to validate anything. it was my idea for this competition and it will be fair. And Dustin and I will win. :-)

#8 Guest_Skipjack_*

Guest_Skipjack_*
  • Guests

Posted 15 October 2013 - 02:33 PM

We shall see Dustin. We do need an official bookie to take bets on the side though. We could do this during the auction, folks could bet on the winning team, the winning better's get their grubstake back, and the loser's money goes to NANFA. So as long as you bet on the" DeLaVega Darters", rather than the "Smith Smelt", you won't lose a penny.

#9 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 15 October 2013 - 04:55 PM

Yeah, the trash talk is back! Ain't no smack like NANFA smack! :biggrin:

I'll put a fin on each team...
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#10 Guest_gerald_*

Guest_gerald_*
  • Guests

Posted 16 October 2013 - 02:17 PM

The Cantrell Chologasters micro-fishing team is gonna cream you both.

#11 Guest_Dustin_*

Guest_Dustin_*
  • Guests

Posted 16 October 2013 - 04:25 PM

Maybe we should require photo vouchers for the species to count. The photos have to be good enough to distinguish the fish. We call Uland.

#12 Guest_Skipjack_*

Guest_Skipjack_*
  • Guests

Posted 16 October 2013 - 04:36 PM

Oh, no you didn't. Apparently, I am gonna have to have a few tricks up my sleeve. I thought Fritz was to confirm ID's for you, and I was going to get someone assigned by Fritz to me. Already seems a bit biased. I think if we truly find an unknown species, then we do need to photo. Or bring a voucher in as long as it is legal, no listed fish, and covered on Fritz permits. Thing is we won't have time for many photos.

#13 Guest_itsme_*

Guest_itsme_*
  • Guests

Posted 28 January 2014 - 04:52 PM

If we decide to go that route, a photo of each fish in the palm of the hand should be sufficient as long as it is clear. May have to designate a photographer for each team to get it done quick and check that the display on the captured image is clear.

#14 Guest_Uland_*

Guest_Uland_*
  • Guests

Posted 28 January 2014 - 11:02 PM

Great looking convention plans Fritz...and dang guys, I'd like to actually have the time to photo fish.
Runnin' round stomping holes like madmen is what's gonna happen. It's always fun until someone in a hurry gets a madtom to the palm.

This is going to be one convention to remember.

#15 Guest_Skipjack_*

Guest_Skipjack_*
  • Guests

Posted 29 January 2014 - 12:45 AM

I plan to have a pocket full of madtoms to use like throwing stars should our teams cross paths.

#16 Guest_BenCantrell_*

Guest_BenCantrell_*
  • Guests

Posted 29 January 2014 - 11:04 AM

Runnin' round stomping holes like madmen is what's gonna happen.


Good grief, I'm going to have to stay quite a ways upstream from everyone!

#17 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 30 January 2014 - 08:29 AM

Ahh, crouching Skipjack, hidden Mormon. Much to learn, grasshoppers. I will be cowering with Ben...
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#18 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 30 January 2014 - 10:58 AM

Don't cower, get your mask and snorkel. Not everyone is going for the gusto... many of us are going to be face down in the liquid sunshine...
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#19 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 30 January 2014 - 12:02 PM

"Not everyone is going for the gusto... many of us are going to be face down in the liquid sunshine..."

That sounds rather ominous, too... ;)
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#20 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 04 March 2014 - 01:32 PM

Hot diggity dang! Just registered for the convention. Can't wait!

Who's in charge of weather this year? I hear whoever was in charge last year felt you needed to be challenged. Just for the record, Weather Guru, I feel no such need...
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."




1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users