I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was volunteering with a graduate student, Andrea Davis, to help her conduct her thesis research. Her thesis was investigating the role of long distance dispersal in the response of stream fishes to urbanization (so cool!). I was only planning on helping her out this one time... Continue Reading →
South Fork Conservancy 2018 Creek Rising
Last night, I was fortunate enough to attend the South Fork Conservancy's 2018 Creek Rising event with my dad at Zonolite Park. This is an annual event held to thank the sponsors and to show the future plans for the trails/parks along the creek. My dad helped design the amazing pedestrian bridge and outlooks that... Continue Reading →
Trout Fishing in Georgia
This past Sunday, my fiancĂ©, Mark, took me trout fishing for the first time up at Wildcat Creek. Wildcat Creek is located west of Lake Burton in the Chattahoochee National Forest and is about a two and a half hour car ride from Atlanta. After getting five Rainbows out of the two main holes beneath... Continue Reading →
Merry Christmas (Darter)!
Happy Holidays from the one and only Christmas Darter, Etheostoma hopkinsi! Most of the darter species in GA are beautifully colored, but I must say one of the most surprising colorations comes on the Christmas Darter, Etheostoma hopkinsi. I like to describe them as surprising because we found them in creeks that I wouldn't have... Continue Reading →
The Studs of the Wild
Studfish are in the fundulidae family (topminnows and killifish) and the males are definitely studs with their colorations. The two studfish I've seen the most are the Northern Studfish, Fundulus catenatus, and the Southern Studfish, Fundulus stellifer. The hard part is remembering which is which, but there is one obvious physical characteristic to tell them apart (other... Continue Reading →
Horny Heads!
If you're from the South, you've most likely heard of a fish with the nickname "horny head." This usually refers to several species of chubs found in small creeks, but most commonly refers to the Bluehead Chub (Nocomis leptocephalus). For those of you who haven't heard of horny heads, I bet you're wondering where that... Continue Reading →
Darters
Georgia is home to about 45 different species of darters. Unfortunately, it's difficult to keep a solid count because fish taxonomy is constantly changing. (Nonetheless, that means new species and improving our genetic libraries to maintain accuracy in Fish ID.) Darters are in the family Percidae which also includes logperches and walleye. Yes, there is... Continue Reading →