Mark
----- Original Message -----
From: "William Hoppe" <whoppe_at_leadhill.net>
To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2002 3:37 PM
Subject: Re: NANFA-- A quick trip to southwest Missouri
> Hey Mark . Ill send you several info links having to do with next years
> gathering . Scuba diving and spearfishing are popular in the area and I
> think snorkle folk can find a lot of interest to them . Water clarity
> depends on the weather conditions at the time but is most often very good
.
> Bill Hoppe
> Yellville Arkansas
> A gathering of fish heads --its smelly but fun.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Roselawn Museum" <roselawn_at_mindspring.com>
> To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
> Sent: Monday, June 10, 2002 10:22 AM
> Subject: Re: NANFA-- A quick trip to southwest Missouri
>
>
> > Nice report, Mark!
> >
> > Wish I coulda' hung out with you on that trip. Did you get a chance to
> take
> > any pix? Just a little south, and a little over a hundred miles east of
> > there is the area that Bill Hoppe is inviting us to next spring, so save
> > your maps. Getting some cardinal shiners would be worth the side run for
> > me. Who knows? The clarity of the water may even attract that ol' gilled
> > critter just north of me. (-:
> >
> > Steven A. Ellis
> > Kennesaw, GA
> >
> > At 07:16 PM 6/7/02 -0500, you wrote:
> > >Hi. I had a week off from work and got the okay from the boss (Deb) to
> do a
> > >fish expedition for several days so I shot down to southwest Missouri.
> By
> > >my standards it was a quick trip (less that 12 hours). I left early
> Friday
> > >morning and by 3:30 that afternoon I was checking out fish spots.
> > >
> > >I snorkeled four different rivers - Big Sugar Creek (Neosho drainage),
> Flat
> > >Creek (White River drainage), Niangua River, and the Gasconade. Big
> Sugar
> > >Creek had great visibility and it was full of Cardinal Shiners
including
> > >some still in full breeding colors. What really struck me was the
> absence
> > >of Common or Striped Shiners. It seems like any river you go to in the
> east
> > >if full of one of these species or its cousins. The Cardinal Shiner
> seemed
> > >to be the most common fish. There were also lots of Northern Studfish,
> some
> > >with some good colors.
> > >
> > >The second day I drove to Flat Creek and on the way hit the upper part
of
> > >the Spring River where I found Arkansas Darters and I believe a Least
> > >Darter. Flat Creek was full of Duskystripe Shiners, but most didn't
> have
> > >too much color. I found a Yoke Darter and a couple of Ozark Madtoms.
> There
> > >were tons of Rainbow and Greenside Darters and Logperch. When I got
> further
> > >down stream I found White-tailed Shiners. After hitting this creek I
> went
> > >northwest through the hills and came upon a very beautiful spring.
There
> > >was water running off the limestone cliffs into it and the water was
> crystal
> > >clear (the clearest I've ever been in). It was a absolutely wonderful
> spot.
> > >It was full of Southern Redbellied Dace, Duskystripe Shiners,
> stonerollers,
> > >sunfish, bass, Rainbow Darters, logperch, sculpins, and Ozark Shiners.
> > >
> > >Next I hit the Niangua River and worked my way downstream. As soon as
I
> > >jumped in I observed a Bluestripe Darter working the edge of the water
> > >willows. The Bleeding Shiners and Ozark Shiners were still spawning
over
> > >gravel piles and it was wonderful to just float and observe them. I
> looked
> > >like crazy for a Niangua Darter, but like his cousin the Arrow Darter I
> was
> > >unsuccessful. I did manage to get some Missouri Saddlebacked Darters
> > >though, so I was happy to see two of the three Missouri endemic
darters.
> > >
> > >Finally I snorkeled the Gasconade, but I struggled to find clear water.
> > >Oddly enough it seemed to get clearer down stream (in the Mark Twain
> > >National Forest) and here I got to observe Missouri Saddled and Gilt
> > >Darters. I also saw two more Bluestripe Darters.
> > >
> > >Altogether it was a good spur of the moment trip. Not as good as
> Tennessee,
> > >but not bad. I was struck by the abundance of Southern Redbellied Dace
> and
> > >I even came across them in the larger rivers. The other thing that
> struck
> > >me was the nice country in the extreme southwest corner of the state
> > >(McDonald county). If there is a right was to do agriculture this has
go
> t
> > >to be pretty close. There were fields of tall grass used for hay and
> this
> > >appeared to be the dominant form of agriculture. There were cattle but
> they
> > >didn't seem to graze the land to death. There was an abundance of
> > >Dickcissels and Eastern Meadowlarks and a lot of Scissor-tailed
> Flycatchers
> > >in the open country. Very nice.
> > >
> > >Mark Otnes
> > >Fargo ND
> > ---
> > >/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not
necessarily
> > >/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
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> --
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-- > /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily > / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes > / Association" > / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association > / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word > / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to > / nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to > / nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead. > / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org /----------------------------------------------------------------------------- /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes / Association" / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to / nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to / nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead. / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org