WELCOME

to the Fishing Island Surfing Homepage (F.I.S.H.). Surf around on the island and discover the wonders of fishing.

The Place

I fish my nearest stream, the Harpeth River, and the fishing is good there. I also fish Priest Lake from time to time, but now my main fishin' hole is the Harpeth near Franklin, TN.

Keep it clean

The river is fairly polluted; the HRWA is working to keep it "healthy" and restore the river. So far, it has been going well. They say fishing and swimming are safe yet, and they're still improving it. Visit their site at Harpethriver.org.

My trophies

My trophy fish caught at the Harpeth.

18" freshwater drum caught below overpass.

13" 1.25lb. Largemouth Bass - caught at the Harpeth.

Fish

I've caught drum; largemouth, spotted, smallmouth, rock and redeye bass; channel catfish; bluegill, redbreast, longear, green and pumpkinseed sunfish; shiners, and I've heard there's carp, brown trout, and I've seen gar in the Harpeth, and there's many more fish in there.

LINKS

Some of my preferred fishing sites:

LandBigFish.com

That's it. Sorry I've got no other favorites, but LBF is totally awesome.

Help Out

If you live anywhere near the Harpeht River, read this article from Harpethriver.org.

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Landscaping and Water Quality

By DON GREEN Special to Williamson A.M.

A healthy yard is important, with many residents of Tennessee maintaining their own lawns. And like all activities that alter the landscape and introduce chemicals into the environment, these practices have the potential to contribute to water quality problems. How these practices are performed, soil and mulch stored, amount of fertilizer and pesticides applied, and timing of these activities can determine their effectiveness and potential contribution to water quality problems.

Nutrient loads generated by suburban lawns can be significant. Pesticides can contribute pollutants that contaminate drinking water supplies and are toxic to both humans and aquatic organisms. According to U. S. Department of Agriculture, if lawns were classified as a crop, they would rank as the fifth largest crop in the country on the basis of area, after corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay. In terms of fertilizer inputs, nutrients are applied to lawns at about the same application rates as those used for row crops.

Here are some tips to follow when maintaining your lawn that prevent water pollution while keeping a yard green:

Fertilizer Application:
* Get your soil tested at U. T. Agriculture Extension Service to determine the right mix of fertilizer for your lawn. You may need less than you think.
* Avoid fertilizing in drought conditions and when heavy rain is predicted.
* Calibrate fertilizer spreaders to ensure proper rates are applied and use slow-release forms of nitrogen
* If fertilizer is spilled or lands on paved surfaces, sweep it up and apply it to the lawn, then irrigate the lawn to minimize runoff.
Pesticide Application
* We discourage any use of pesticides on lawns. These chemicals are toxic to some degree and can pose a threat to people and pets if overused or carelessly applied. They can also kill beneficial earthworms and organisms, disrupting the ecological balance of your lawn. Use alternatives whenever possible.
* If for some reason you have to use them, read the pesticide label and follow directions BEFORE you handle or apply it.
* Avoid applying pesticides when rain is predicted.
* Mix chemicals where any spills can be cleaned up before they reach a waterway or street.

Grass and Yard Clippings
* Don't blow grass clippings and leaves in the street or down a storm drain! These extra nutrients can reduce oxygen levels in water and potentially cause fish kills.
* Recycle clippings and leaves.
* Use a mulching mower to reduce the amount of grass clippings or just mow where the grass is blown on the standing grass so you will mow it again.
* By keeping your grass length longer (3 to 3½ inches high), the roots of your grass go deeper and can reach more water during dry periods. You save water, money and time. Longer grass also creates more shade and makes it harder for weeds to get established in your lawn.
* Compost plant clippings, leaves, excess grass clippings and other plant material (see Williamson County Recycling: http://williamson-tn.org/co_gov/depts/recycle/home.htm about composting, Household Hazardous Waste and Recycling Collection Days ph. 615.790.5848.)

Prevent Erosion
* If possible, schedule grading and excavation projects for dry weather.
* Cover bare areas with plants or mulch.
* Leave a vegetative buffer along stream banks undisturbed.
* Cover all storm drains before hydro-seeding an area.

Equipment Maintenance and Clean Up
* Don't wash equipment where wastewater can drain into a storm drain---they drain straight into the lakes and streams!!
* Dispose of old oil, gasoline and yard chemicals properly. Do not pour them or other pollutants in the storm drains!
* Don't litter. Cover your load.
* Don't use cleaning chemicals where wastewater can drain into a storm drain.

Additional Information
Do not dump or store soil, mulch or other organic materials on sidewalks, roads, parking areas, cul-de-sacs or other impervious areas where stormwater runoff can wash it into storm drains that go straight in to lakes or streams.

Water only when it hasn't rained for seven days. The best time to water is in the early morning hours before 10 a.m. Grasses naturally grow slower in the summer, so brown grass usually means your lawn is just dormant, not dead. The vegetation will have a better opportunity to absorb the water before it evaporates in the heat of the day.

Consider planting drought-resistant native trees, plants, and grasses. They tend to be low maintenance, healthier for area wildlife, and also quite beautiful. Overall, native species support a healthier ecosystem.

Choose the right grass for your climate. Select grass seed that is well suited to your climate and other growing conditions such as the amount of sunlight and rain your lawn receives. Over-seed your lawn each fall by spreading seeds on top of the lawn. A thicker lawn helps to crowd out weeds. U. T. Agriculture Extension Service can advise you on which grasses grow best.

Be A Solution to Water Pollution

If you practice pollution prevention techniques, you'll not only be preserving the environment but saving money.

Help protect our Harpeth River.

For more information contact: Franklin Stormwater Program: (Thanks to the Clean Water Campaign)

Take The Poll

Take my monthly poll.

NOTICE!!!!!!!!!!!

YOUR TIME HERE ON THE ISLAND IS LIMITED! The weather station predicted severe rainstorms and flooding just a 20 miles upstream! You have only less than ten minutes to explore before the island is covered in brown milky floodwaters. HURRY UP!

My first nice-sized fish

Well, I used to just go down to the river and fish with worms by the bank. All I caught were small sunfish, and I wanted badly to get a good fish - especially a catfish.

Well, I was out fishing one afternoon, and I decided to throw a live crawfish into the current. (Well, it wasn't live by the time it wass back in the water.)

I had seen a large fish under the bridge where I fished (seen in the trophy picture), and I started casting for it. At the time, I thought it was a blue catfish, but it turned out not to be.

I had my rod rested on a rock with my line in the current just below the bridge, and was getting bites. I was expecting a catfish, and when I set the hook, I saw the fish rise and then sink back into the murk. I assumed it was a cat, and when I brought it up, I saw the broad scales and strongly arched back. I figured it was a freshwater drum, and after researching I found that I was correct. The fish was 17" in length, and my first drum (a). The next month I hooked onto a channel cat (b), and that was what I had been looking for ever since I caught my first cat by accident in my early fishing days.

My animations and Artwork

I have made many animations and pictures. These are only a few. Most of these here are animated.