NANFA-- RE: Alabama creeks

B.G. Granier (bgkajun_at_worldnet.att.net)
Sun, 29 Apr 2001 19:19:14 -0500

Hi members,

You should have been there with Casper and his son Coby and I! It was a
memorable trip to say the least!

We met at the little town of Centreville, Alabama which is just about 30
miles south of Tuscaloosa, Alabama at the Bar-B-Que haven named the Twist &
Tween.......after a quick huddle, we decided to go check into a motel, 2
double beds at the Woodwind motel.....I brougth Casper and son a bag of
Cajun Boudin on which they quickly supped! After a good nights sleep we
awoke at about 8:30 AM and after getting our directions and our heads
straight, we proceeded to chech out the Cahaba River, Sandy Creek and
another creek that was hidden away high in the forest uplands just south of
Centreville. We encountered a smoky haxe and also a road-block by county and
wildlife officials ther, so we back-tracked our way back to Centreville and
continiued to the Cahaba River.....

After a quick look-see, we decided to check out the Shultz Creek and while
it was very inviting to Casper, as far as snorkeling goes, we then set our
sights on the Little Schultz creek, home of the beautiful Rainbow shiner,
_Notropis chrosomus_! As soon as we arrived and started to survey the
smallish creek with it's rocky substrate and pockets of sand and gravel
between the riffles of current, we began to see many flashes of neon-blue
and red coloration, denoting the presence of the Rainbow shiners!

Casper and I waded down the creek, Casper in full snorkeling gear,, until we
had spotted a huge gravel mound that was built by a Nocomis species known as
the Bluehead Chub, and he proceeded to go downstream while I removed myself
from the creek so as not to stir the sediment up and obscure his vision of
these wonderful fish!

He observed many species of Alabama native fishes , the most fantastic of
which was the afore-mentioned Rainbow shiners, many darters and other
various and un-identified (by us) shiners.

After a most gratifying visit at the Little Schultz Creek, Casper then
proceeded back to the Schultz Creek ( a non-connected stream) and proceeded
to snorkle there. Un-knowling to him, my trucks starter failed to start my
engine and after a wait of an hour and a half, Casper came back to rescue
his son Coby and I!

As soon as he arrived, he knew that just a couple of sharp raps on my
truck's starter motor should get it going, and so it did! I was relieved
that me and Coby wouldn't have to walk back to the motel, my legs were tired
I'll tell you!.......

Casper then related the fishes that he'd seen while snorkeling in the other
Shultz Creek and the inventory of fishes was quite amazing! By then, I was
too tired and my legs were just about giving out, to join him and Coby in
the Shultz Creek, but I sat on the bank while Casper reported to me what
he'd seen under the water!

After we returned to the Motel and had a great meal at the afore-mentioned
restaurant, we had a really good nights sleep, being so tired...........

We awoke at about 7:30 AM and had a good breakfast at BJ's Restrurant and
said our good-byes soon afterward! My truck's starter was failing, and I
replaced it today with a new new unit!

If ever you are invited to go on a trip with Casper Cox and son Coby, I
sincerely recommend that you take them up on it! You won't be dis-appointed!

BG

After a most gratifying

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