NANFA-- TN River Gorge Seinerama 4/27
Prizma_at_aol.com
Tue, 16 Apr 2002 11:21:58 EDT
OK... the trip is on!
( You will need to print this if your going. )
Tennessee River Gorge Pot Point Cabin Seinerama April 26 27 28
I did a thorough scout this weekend, checking out the cabin and sites. We are
in for a real treat. The large cabin is very nice with plenty of room. Right
on the river with 2 decks. Board walks and hiking trails. A fully equipped
kitchen, 2 showers and 3 toilets. 2 bedrooms with 5 twin beds per room...
clean sheets are provided. No towels so bring your own. A TV and VCR... so
bring any fish tapes to watch. There are lots of cool maps on the walls, but
we will not be spending much time here i think! I want us to head out at 10
am Saturday morning sharp. The first site is downriver several miles to an
abandoned coal mining community called Shake Rag ( that is how they flagged
down passing river traffic ). Neat old stone structures are still standing.
Here we will wade out into the Tennessee River and try our luck with sienes.
Then on down the road is another backwater area which looks promising...
minnows, bass, sunfish, snakes, anoles and turtles were observed Sunday.
Nearly leaving the gorge we will come to a stream that drains the Prentice
Cooper State Forest on top of the mountain. It was clear and calls for a
snorkle when it warms, but im not intending on snorkling this trip. We will
hike downstream and follow Mullens Creek the 1/4 mile to the Tennessee River
proper and see what kind of activity is at the joining of these waters. In
the creek i observed bass, sunfish and stone rollers... a good sign. This
site should yield some interesting fish both upstream and at the water's
juncture.
After these 3 stops we will be leaving the gorge and head to the Little
Sequatchie River. Ive often snorkled here and that will be one of the stops
as well as a spring, a cave spring and the Big Sequatchie River. This is a
lot to do and we should intend on staying out all day Saturday until dark. At
that time we will all head back to the cabin... probably catch a restaurant
on the way home for dinner. We may not get to hit all the sites. This
combination offers great diversity. Big flowing river water, sloughs and
backwaters, small mountain streams, springs, spring caves and finally the
most excellent Little Sequatchie river. You can study this area in advance if
you have a TN gazateer on page 24 at the bottom. This is a very valued,
unique and protected region for Chattanoogans and all of us. The Tennessee
River Gorge Trust is buying as much of this land as possible to keep and
preserve it as it is. We are staying as virtual guests in their cabin so mind
yer manners. Beer is allowed but it should be kept to a minimum. Dont trash
the place. The fish coolers should be kept outside on the porch as the floors
inside are polished wood. I may try to set up a couple aquariums for
observing... if i get time.
I want each of you to arrive at the cabin with TN fishing licenses ( a Kmart
is about 10 miles away ), a breakfast under your belt, a full tank of gas and
drinks and snacks for the day. We will be a long way from civilization on a
lot of this. This is about a 45 mile run and that many miles back to the
cabin tho we will use the freeway for a speedier return. To keep the length
of the caravan down lets buddy up. These roads are narrow with limited pull
offs. 4 maybe 5 vehicles max should be fine. We may be doing a bit of rough
road stuff, but low vehicles should be able to pull off the main road ok and
walk.
Directions:
For those arriving Friday afternoon or evening or by 8 am Saturday morning...
come to my home. I will be home all day Friday... the phone number is
423-485-9541. My work number is 423-624-0721. Immediately below the i 24 and
i 75 split and headed south on 75 is the East Ridge Highway 41 exit. Take
this exit and head south on 41. check your odometer, from the freeway it will
be a total of 1.4 miles to my mailbox. Go down HWY 41 less than a mile and
turn left onto Frawley Road. It is marked and a large white sign lettered
Frawley Baptist Church marks the spot. Turning left follow this windy road
til you come to a large bright blue mailbox on your right marked 354 Cox /
Blue Fish Ridge. Turn up the long windy driveway. Dont park in the cement
pond. Towards the end of the evening i will lead those arrived to the
apartment above my business... and will return in the morning to lead them to
the cabin. Arrive early... South Chickamauga Creek is behind my house as well
as all my pools and experiments. Lots to do while we arrive and welcome
everyone in.
Directions to Pot Point Cabin:
For those arriving late or delayed. We intend on leaving Pot Point Cabin at
10 am Saturday sharp. You may catch us by going down river... on the only
road... Mullen's Cove Road. To get to the cabin from i 24 in downtown
Chattanooga... the freeway splits off to 27 and crosses the river. After
crossing the river, exit at Signal Mountain Blvd. Head toward Signal
Mountain. You will pass a K-Mart tucked back on your right... a Hardee's or
McDonalds is out front. This is a good place to get a fishing license.
Staying on 27 go thru the light. Just before you can go up the mountain 27
turns off to the left. I think a light is there. Follow 27 for 4 miles. Cross
the bridge at Suck Creek and turn off of 27 to your left onto Mullens or
River Canyon Road. Follow this for 4.6 miles to Pot Point Cabin! Long and
Windy... you will wonder if you will ever get there!
Bring a Sleeping bag for the apartment... there is one bed and 2 couchs...
one that folds out. Plenty of floor space too.
Cell phones... i know Cingular works from the cabin. Steve how about bringing
your Walki Talkies.
Bring your seines... 10' max in Tennessee. You will need waders for some of
the creepy spots... you know... snakes and stuff. ive got a pair of 10's to
spare.
Sunday i have several other site options available and i will be prepared to
spend the whole day dipnetting. We will take a consensus Saturday night for
Sundays activities. Some of these sites are close by... others are further
depending on our time.
We will be seeing a lot of darters. Some require cool, oxygenated water. Be
thoughtful when collecting as to their survivability. The river fishes should
be pretty tough tho. In the Little Sequatchie i see rainbow, redline,
fantails, logperch and tn snubnoses. White tail shiners. N studfish. Horny
headed River chubbs building nests. Mountain Shiners w/ glowing heads.
Gapping full glory stripe shiners. Rock bass. Lots of fish i dont know... so
lets go!
Rain or shine! we will already be wet anyway!
At this time we have 7 financially comitted...
Stott Noble and his brother inlaw AL
Martin Moore MS
Chip Rinehart SC
Steve Ellis GA
Mike Whitfield TN
myself and possibly my son TN
and a not to good a maybe from...
Bruce Stallsmith AL
and maybe a couple guys from Chatt... Rob, Earl ( mr mushroom ) and Lamarr.
We have room for a few more... i think about 10 to 12 is the comfortable
limit.
We need ( and now have! ) 6 of us financially comitted at $25 each to cover
the $150 cabin rental. ( If you dont show you still owe! Please dont leave me
paying your bill! ) If any more folks attend we will collect $25 from them
and contribute it to NANFA. So... say 10 of us attend... that would be a
total of $250 of which the cabin rental is $150 and NANFA would get $100 as
an appreciation... as we are getting a big discount on the cabin rental fee
due to nanfa's non-profit status! This is a really neat opportunity. Im still
planning on doing the teepee fish jamboree but that will be mid summer... and
that's a long way away! As for now time is awasting and the river is calling!
casper
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