NANFA-- Augusta trip

Steven A. Ellis (sellis2000_at_mindspring.com)
Sun, 12 Mar 2000 22:16:18 -0500 (EST)

Hello All,

I usually don't post my collecting trips. However, someone on the list
recently asked about collecting near Augusta, GA. This weekend, my 13yr old
stepson and I visited Little Brushy Creek just south of Augusta, near a
little town called Wrens, just below the fall line. We had planned another
stop to the north of Augusta, but thunderstorms shortened the trip. My
stepson has a heathier fear of lightning than I do! What we were after on
the southern leg were grass pickerel.

The stream is less than 10' across in most places, with a muddy bottom
occasionally punctuated with gravel. It appear to drain a large swampy
area, so there was little or no current. The snakes were out as well,
although they still acted sleepy. In less than an hour of
seining/dipnetting, we caught at least four species of darters, two pirate
perch, three black redhorse, four orange-spotted sunfish, one very small
channel cat, and numerous brook silversides and duskystripe shiners.
Finally, just before we quit, we found the pickerel. I had earlier caught
the pirate perch by dipnetting under partially submerged tree stumps. I
tried the same thing under some vegetation that overhung the bank, and
there were the pickerel...not just grass pickerel, but redfins! Made my day.

The brook siversides lived up to their reputation, and promptly died,
even with the aerator going. I do need some advice. I was shocked the get
the pirate perch, but pleased. I have no idea what to feed them. Right now
I'm trying bloodworms, but they haven't come out of hiding yet, unless they
ate some overnight. Also, one of the pickerel is an infant less than 2"
long. Any suggestions on what to feed him would also be appreciated.

The other big surprise of the day was the presence of shrimp. If you
haven't pegged me as a novice yet, this should do it, but I'll confess I
didn't even know freshwater shrimp existed. I only took a few of those as
feeders. So, for the person who asked about Augusta, let me know when you
want to go.

Steven A. Ellis
Kennesaw, GA
(Still in the learning curve)

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