East Tennessee mountain rivers, biodiversity, fish attract snorkelers
As I stumbled around in the current, getting my bearings, I saw a flash of orange downstream. A tangerine darter danced through the current effortlessly. It swam past us and around us unafraid, almost mocking our lack of coordination. This was the darter’s element, not ours. Over the next few hours, I’d see dozens of fish species, many in the bright, iridescent colors of freshwater aquarium fish. It was mating season so even some of the dullest darters flashed brightly. Schools of shiners and minnows followed me up stream, taking shelter from the current. Lumpy sculpin, utterly confide...
Source: oakridger.com