Fishing & Paddling in Alabama

Hatchet Creek

2009-01-08T07:24:00.005-06:00

Flow: 2ooo cfs - peaking
Gauge: Hatchet at Rockford
Clarity: Muddy

Weather: Near 60 - Cloudy skies, Showers
Section: U.S. 280-U.S. 231.

This is the highest we have ever floated Hatchet. Weogufka was blown out at this level. We checked Chestnut Creek in Verbena and it was too low. The radar storm total showed most of the rain fell in northern Coosa County. The amount of water flowing in out of Jacks/Socapatoy, indicated that the Socapatoy run would have been decent Monday.

It was a fast run, maybe three hours of floating and a long lunch at the mid point. Some shoals were washed out, while others had decent waves. There are two solid class II rapids at this level.
The best level for Hatchet is about 1500 cfs...

It was a very pretty run, as usual. On the shuttle back, I took the moped for a ride up through Hanover. After impressing the ladies out in front of the local church with my peddles and 49 cc motor. I proceeded down county road 49. I was laughing about how funny it must look to see a 33 year old guy in a red and black paddling outfit on a retro moped. I looked over at a guy walking his dog in the front yard. As I waived, I realized that it was not a dog after all. The man had his pet possum on a leash. Out for a stroll with the pet possum, on a rainy day in Coosa County.

Locust Fork of the Warrior

2009-01-07T13:10:00.006-06:00

Locust Fork of the Warrior

Trip Report

Level: Medium Low
Flow: 2.8’ steady
Gauge: Locust at Cleveland
Clarity: Mostly Clear
Weather: Near 60 - Cloudy skies, Fog
Section: U.S. 231-Rt.160 ( 7 miles)

The Locust Fork of the Warrior is one of the more popular and dependable whitewater runs in north-central, Alabama. It is located 45 minutes northwest of Birmingham up HW 79. The stream begins atop Sand Mountain, and has a rather large watershed before dropping quite a bit in elevation near Cleveland. It is mainly a class II whitewater run, but at higher levels above 3.0’ - transitions to class III. The scenery is very nice with impressive bluffs. There is a little trash and debris along the high watermark, but overall it’s a pretty place. There are some very sizable homes along the river, mainly atop the bluffs. And, you also get a chance to see Swann Covered Bridge.

After leaving Mobile a little later than usual, Curtis and arrived at the Locust Fork of the Warrior early in the afternoon. We took the boats off the truck and I stayed at the put-in to finish rigging out my floatation. Curtis drove my truck and our new shuttle vehicle in the truck bed down to the take out. I took my time moving the canoes well away from a stinky dead coyote that I failed to notice while unloading. I had hardly finish blowing up my air bags when Curtis comes roaring in on the TFR moped. The shuttle took all of 20 minutes.

With everything locked up, we hit the river at a nice introductory level of 2.8’. The river looked really good from the beginning and you could tell we were in for a good ride.There are several class II rapids… We talked to a kayaker at the put in and he told us what to expect. House Rock is the first with an easily avoided undercut bolder on river left.

Tilt-a-whirl is next, followed by S-turn. These are all class II’s and scouting was not required on Sunday. We did stop at the island to scout out “Double Trouble” which was essentially a long II+ at this level.

The rapids are spaced out nicely by recovery pools. Neither one of us had any real difficulty in any of the rapids above Swann Covered Bridge. Though the most challenging rapid on the run is “Double Trouble”, the one that looks the most impressive is named Powell Falls. It’s an eight foot drop that is more of a slide, than a true waterfall.

Curtis hit it a little off line to the right and flipped at the base. The recovery pool is very forgiving. I made a clean run. This was nice feeling after swimming Weoka Falls at a very high level last spring. We also had some big fun in a stick play spot just before the take out. The take out is steep, and we were both pretty well spent by the time we got our big long boats loaded up.

Styx River Revisited

2009-01-07T12:39:00.002-06:00

Styx River

For the first time since Emma Krouse was born on 10/4/08, I had a special opportunity to take several days to do some paddling and fishing. In January, rain systems and temperatures play a big role in what is fishable and/or floatable throughout the state. The best plan is to have no formal plan until the day of the trip. I researched different ideas through the holidays, and the weekend of 1/3-1/4 finally arrived. We finalized the best of our options and hit the water on Saturday 1/3.The 2009 paddling season started out strong with big rains in December. There was a solid base flow throughout the state… However, we were a little short on recent rainfall for whitewater runs (other than the Locust and the Mulberry) by Saturday, 1/3. Big rains were expected Saturday night, so we chose to do a blackwater floatfishing trip on Saturday, with the hopes for some Central Alabama whitewater on Sunday 1/4.

We started out with the Styx River for some bass action.

Styx River

Trip Report

Level: Low/good
Flow: 150 cfs, falling slowly
Gauge: Styx at Elsanor
Clarity: Clear
Weather: Near 70 - Cloudy skies, occasional showers
Section: CR 87 to Seminole

I’m not quite sure why I do this every 2-3 years. It’s a long paddle - approximately 13 miles. The river is pretty well trashed with beer cans, water bottles, and other remains. An outfitter sets up tubing and paddling trips on the upper section from Wilcox Road- CR 87 section. So, the river is a wasteland in the lower section. At this level there are 2-3 logs that you have to pull a boat over, and one major logjam to carry up and around. You also have 2-3 miles of flatwater and tidal flow at the end. The take out at HW 90 is also a bit of an issue. Parking is not allowed around the bridge, so you have to make arrangements with one of the stores in Seminole to leave a vehicle a ¼ mile up the road. The bottom line is that this float takes all day and you better start early.

Is the fishing worth it ? Well… I guess so. There are largemouth and spotted bass, along with a number of bream. We probably caught 30 or so fish between the two canoes.

Redfish on a Fly, Part II

2008-11-19T17:20:00.003-06:00

It's that time of year again. Tides are low and the water is clear. Reds are cruising in the bayous and tailing on the nearby flats. Vania and I shot some great video flyfishing for reds today.

This is one of three on a fly. We caught 12 fish total.
The biggest was 27" caught by Vania on a gulp.

Vania shows off a nice red caught on Gulp, from a different trip in the Mobile Delta...

Redfish on the Fly

2008-11-18T07:07:00.003-06:00

Curtis Wright shows off this fine 26" red caught on an 8wt flyrod.

Jason worked the push pole as we stalked this redfish in the shallows.

Misc Fish Pictures

2008-10-23T17:42:00.002-05:00

White Trout that a shark hammered.

Nice Mississippi Sound Trout - August 2008

Nice Limit of Trout from the Causeway 10/20/2008

Vania in the Native Ultimate filming Fox Ten Outdoors

Weoka Swim & Lower Hatchet

2008-04-07T07:35:00.001-05:00

We arrived in Coosa County, still raining lightly on Saturday morning around 9am. Looking at radar precip, it looked like Lower Hatchet, Swamp, and Weoka would be our best options. We opened the morning up with the easy 8 mile run from Kings Bridge to Lake Mitchell on Hatchet. I mtn biked the shuttle (about 9 miles) took the north side of the river route/CR 18, there is some dirt road here. River was around 700 cfs and rising fast. No problems, class I shoals, and some longer flatwater stretches. Scenic most of the way. Dogwoods, Mtn Laurel blooming. Some stripers were running up the creek too, from the lake, didnt fish. Deer, turkeys, ect. Light mist and 65 degrees, cozy. A glance at Swamp, showed it was running good. We had run this last year, so we opted for something different for run #2. Looked for a lunch spot in Rockford - no dice. We headed down to Weoka, knowing the bulk of the precip fell in its watershed. I would estimate 3" fell in the basin. Mike navigated, while I drove. We miscommunicated about the put-in bridge. We unknowingly unloaded our boat at CR 429/Buyck Road.. By the time I drove south I realized we were 4 miles up river from the Sewell Road/CR 432 put in. Oh well, I headed on down to the bridge at Lake Jordan, Weoka Mills. I left the truck here, and biked the extended shuttle without totally scouting the shuttle route. CR 433 above Titus/Grays Ferry Road was soft, muddy dirt - It was nasty. There was my second out-of-shape shuttle of 8 miles with no lunch. So we had a six mile paddle to the lake, with the time about 4pm, just enough daylight for the run. The river was pushing 3 chickens, muddy and strong. You have to look at the radar precip, not the Hatchet Gauge to get the idea. I would say there was easily a 800 cfs in the streambed at launch, with more dumping in from every tributary. The "upper" Weoka run wasnt bad. It moved fast, we had some I-II water here and there. Below the Sewell road bridge, the first mile was also I-II, and moving fast. Then we hit the bigger stuff at the end. The first good rapid was a straightforward II+. We both took on a little water, no problems. Then we got to the bigger boy. The site lists this at III-IV at higher water. I would give it that rating at the level we experienced. It has an initial drop that must be run left of center, followed by a left of center S-turn drop that had a big hole towards the center of Weoka. The washout boulder garden below was in the class III range and ran about 50 yards. We scouted, I decided to run it first, directly, with no throw rope set up.. Bad idea! I have run stuff this bad before, no big deal. No lunch, the last rapid of the day, 17 miles of shuttling on a mtn bike... Hit the main drop off line to close to the hole in the center and flipped. I hit a low brace and my paddle was in the hydraulic. I couldn't roll up the massive 15' MR explorer despite thigh straps and a pedesal. Screw it, I'm swimming .. I had my buddy Curtis' PFD on, and it was an adult small jacket, Not enough. So I off to swim the III washout for the whole 50 yards, swimming hard to avoid the holes and getting a mouthful of water everytime I needed a breath. By the time I eddied out down at the bottom, I was too spent to chase the canoe. I took about 15 seconds to compose myself on the river bank and Mike comes crashing down through the woods. "Are you alright ?" "Yeah, that Sucked ! " So... after a breather, or three, I talked it over with Mike. I would paddle the other boat through, cheating the drop to the far left, on the 3' and 4' double drop ledges, and avoid the bad stuff, navigate the washout, and paddle out tandem to go get the other boat. That went off without a hitch. We got to the old mill dam. I have seen pictures of it before, of people running through the slot in the dam. The river was pouring over the whole dam, and doing so too good for my taste, plus we had a canoe stuck in the washout below the dam. So, we carried around and ferried over to the canoe, One of the bow lines was wrapped in some debris, and she was a little hung up, but broke free with a little shove. A testament to not having bowlines, or having them secured. A few nicks on the IQ gunwale , but otherwise, in good shape. The unmanned canoe had run the dam upside down, without issue. A testament to full floatation. I lost a 54" or 56" bending branches wooden paddle, with rockguard... No major bruises, and just worn down to nuthin. Fun day of Central AL boating/biking and lots to talk about on the way home.

Hidden Delta Lakes

2008-02-26T07:36:00.008-06:00

Shallow and stumpy ditches lead to the lake

Sean and I drag the Lasarge, Vania works the push pole

We arrive at this lake in the Heart of the Delta

First Bass of the Day - Spinnerbait

Vania holds a 3 pounder, 7 Bass & 3 Crappie for us total

Alves shows off a solid slab

The Sullivan/Alves total, 20+ Crappie !

Walnut Creek

2008-02-24T19:07:00.013-06:00

Walnut Creek and its short drainage area begins on the upland hills just west of Clanton, AL. It flows under I-65 as a sluggish, pastoral stream. Just east of the interstate, Walnut takes on a significant change of character. Other small tributaries add to the flow. Below CR 32, gradient increases and you will find almost continuous action in the 3.5 mile section above Lake Mitchell. Three rapids are particularly challenging and reach class III. This is a tight, technical creek that has surprising drops compared to most streams in central Alabama. This run is for experienced paddlers. It is lot of fun at decent levels. The only real issue with this run is finding a place to take out. There is no public access point at the end of the creek on Walnut Creek cove on Lake Mitchell. If you do try to adlib your way into using someone’s lake house as a take out, please be very polite and courteous. The local people along the lake are generally very friendly and helpful.

Trip Report

Level: Medium/Good
Flow: 2000, falling to 1500
Gauge: Hatchet Creek
Clarity: Stained/Muddy
Weather: Near 40 - Cloudy skies
Section: CR 32 to Lake Mitchell

After a drought year in 2007, February of 2008 is turning out to be a nice return to more normal spring paddling conditions in Alabama. A very nice 3.25” rain fell Thursday night (2/21) and early Friday morning (2/22) in Central Alabama. Calera reported over 3 inches in the rain gauge. Alex City also showed 3+ inches. Radar estimate precipitation verified that the Walnut drainage saw similar amounts. Hatchet Creek peaked at an impressive 7,000cfs on Friday around noon. We talked to a local paddler who checked out Walnut on Friday. It was blown out on Friday – too high.

Two gum trees at the put in, upstream of the bridge/north side (upstream river right)

When we arrived Saturday morning, the level was just about perfect. It was exactly 24 hours since the last rain. Normally you might miss the water at this point, but it was a big rain. We could see the water line was a good three feet higher the day before. For reference, the Hatchet Creek gauge was at 2000cfs when we launched and continued to fall to around 1500cfs by Saturday evening. Alabama whitewater lists 700 cfs on Hatchet as the minimum for Walnut. This level would work if Hatchet is rising or, in the process of peaking. The Hatchet Creek watershed is very large, and the gauge should only be used as a general reference for the small watershed of Walnut.

David having fun in a nice class II drop

We met a couple of kayakers from the Tuscaloosa area at the middle Clanton exit (208). From there, it was only a short drive to the put in. The river level looked good at the bridge. The forecast called for 62 degrees and sunny on Saturday. Wouldn’t you know it was 38 degrees and cloudy. The high on Saturday was only 40 degrees and we never saw the sun… Good thing I had a wetsuit, a layer of capilene, and a nice MTI jacket and pants. This outfit (along with wool socks doubled with neoprene socks and paddling shoes) proved to be adequate, on what turned out to be a wet day near the end. Curtis and I have paddled several creeks in the Coosa/Chilton county area, and this one is by far the best.

Curtis landing into a sticky hole, straight on drop

We found that Walnut starts off quick and is pretty much non-stop until the lake. The class III rating is very accurate. Three of the rapids are genuine III’s. The first drop reminds me of a miniature version of Dick’s Creek Ledge. The second good rapid is more “straight on”, but has a sticky hole at the base. The final rapid before the lake is a classic III. There are also only small eddies and very short pools to recover in, along this creek. Running this thing tandem without flipping would be a significant accomplishment.

Stickier hole for some of the kayaks...

I will protect the identity of the guilty in this report, but one our kayaking friends who paddled with us was really caught by surprise Saturday. Lack of sleep, no breakfast, a thin wetsuit, a trip or two on the lower mulberry, a recreational kayak with a lake paddler’s spray skirt, no roll, temperatures in the 30’s at launch, swimming very early in the run, almost non-existent recovery pools… You get the idea. I think we lost count around swim number six or seven. Once you start to get as cold as that, it’s hard to get you confidence up and paddle effectively. After multiple rescues and recoveries, we tried a different approach. Towards the end of the run we had to load the kayak up on top of Curtis’ 15’ Explorer. I paddled him out tandem in my 16’ for the last two miles. The other kayaker that was with us had a clean run and really liked the creek. Curtis had a clean run and even survived the III at the end with the kayak fastened to his canoe. My tandem attempt on the last rapid was not so pretty. For the first time since owning the 16’ Explorer, I swam. To be honest, it was probably the most fun I have had paddling in along time.

Swifty extraction :)

The lake paddle at the end was about a mile more or less. We lucked into a fantastic take out spot on river left. This was on the north side of the lake, off CR 264. The shuttle is painless, the lake paddle is not too bad. The run is definitely on the do again list. I honestly would have liked a little more water for the big long canoes that we are currently paddling. I want to try Walnut again a little sooner after a rain. 3 miles of II-III water 3 hours from Mobile. It’s the closest good water to my casa. BTW, the El Torito in Prattville is pretty good. Try the “M.”

Lasarge 14 Tunnel V-Jon

2007-10-20T05:53:00.000-05:00

Assorted North Carolina Photos 2007

2007-08-09T08:31:00.001-05:00

Nantahala Falls in Our Open Canoe

Upper Tuckasegee River, NC

Backpacking in Panthertown Valley, NC

Big Rainbow Trout on Fly Blue Ridge, GA

Swamp Creek

2007-04-17T05:36:00.000-05:00

Swamp Creek

Swamp Creek is a headwater stream with a short watershed located in southern Coosa County, AL. It doesn't look like much of a run from the road access points at US 231 and HW 22. However, this stream offers one the most challenging stretch of rapids this far south in the central part of Alabama. There are two other shorter runs in the area that have good drops too, Weoka and Socapatoy Creeks, that we hope to paddle another time.

Swamp Creek is not as consistent as Hatchet Creek in its shoals and drops, but its definitely more challenging in places. It does have two short sections of surprising gradient, with rapids that approach Class III in the upper section. This bi-polar creek begins with a long stretch of flatwater, followed by an intense sections of drops and falls.

The scenery is pretty decent during the sections of increased gradient. Rock banks bend and twist among mountain laurels and hardwoods. There is very little sign of civilization. You will pass the occasional deer stand or small camp along the way.

The clarity of this stream is poor when water levels are high enough to run. The streambed is also choked with sediment in the flat sections, due to clear cut logging along its drainage. It is also prone to logjams in places. The fishing might be decent if you wade it during low water periods. It is silted in pretty good and I bet snakes are a problem in the summer. Watch for red Mad River Explorer paint on some of the rocks at lower water.

You need to catch this small creek right after significant rains. Alabama whitewater lists the minimum for the stream at 700 cfs on the Hatchet Creek gauge. I wouldn't try it any lower than 1000 cfs, and make sure the Hatchet level is steady or rising when you put in. Hatchet Creek's watershed is a good bit north of Swamp Creek. So, it would be a great idea to check out the latest storm total precipitation levels from the Birmingham Radar site. You need 2-3" of very recent rain on top of a decent base flow.

Trip Report

Level: Too Low
Flow: 950, falling to 700
Gauge: Hatchet Creek
Clarity: Stained/Muddy
Weather: Mid 50's - Cloudy skies
Section: US 231 to Kelly Crossroads Bridge

Upper Swamp

The Hatchet level peaked at 1,200 cfs at 8am Sunday, April 15 as we drove up to Coosa County from Mobile. We were optimistic about the run of Swamp Creek, which has listed minimum of 700 cfs. Unfortunately, the low water table and short watershed didn't work in our favor. The Hatchet gauge fell to 950 cfs by the time I had biked the 13 mile shuttle. Curtis noticed the visual level on Swamp had dropped 2-3" in an hour or so while he got the boats loaded out with floatation. Little did we know that the Hatchet level would fall to 700 cfs. Swamp was probably down to a mere 100 cfs or so by the end of the day.

Swamp Creek starts out flat, with a shallow silted bottom. Several tributaries join the flow along river right and add some volume. The first signs of gradient appear about 2-3 miles into the run. Swamp goes abruptly from virtual flatwater, to significant rapids and drops. The first real good rapid is a boarderline class III drop of about 6'. After scraping through some of the initial shoals, there was good reason to hope for decent day after running the six foot falls. Curtis ran it first with no trouble. I ran it too - clean -with no scraping.

The next class II drop of about 4-5 feet was not runnable as the river became wider. The shoals were also rocky and troublesome. There is a small dam in the midst of the whitewater, but its easily portaged on the right side. We did technically run the double drop below the dam. This is definitely class III with some decent water. Both Curtis and I survived the double drop, only to get hung up on the rocks at the base of the rapid. After a good stretch of rapids that lasted for about 2 miles, the gradient ended and we paddled out through logjams strewn along the streambed for the remaining 2-3 miles. A tornado must have gone through the day before just above the CR 22 bridge. A dozen large trees with fresh leaves lay in the streambed. All in all we dealt with 10-15 logjams that required some significant maneuvering. At this level, we were able to squeeze over and around most of them. Higher levels would get you over some logs more easily, but the strainer danger would be higher too. Be careful.

Lower Swamp - 3 miles

We paddled both sections for a combined 11 miles of dragging and dodging rocks in low water...

Lower Swamp is an easy, short run that also starts out very flat. I did not scout the access point at the HW 22 bridge as we paddled past it... But, reports are that you can find decent parking and access. The gradient picks up a good bit in the sedcond half of the run. You will find a number of ledges and smnall drops. The drops on the Lower Swamp are not as challenging as the two decent class II+ drops in the upper Hatchet (280-231) run. This is also a much easier run than the Upper Swamp.

It also widens out quite a bit in places, yet has a much smaller drainage than Hatchet. The result is that you need a lot of water. I would recommend at least 1,000 cfs on the Hatchet Guage and/or recent significant rain to enjoy this section. I wouldn't float this section again unless:

#1 I had a lot of water - 1500 cfs+ on Hatchet
#2 I was in the area and short on time
#3 I had beginner paddlers and was/or floated it tandem

Yellow River

2007-03-19T06:56:00.000-05:00

The Yellow River begins above north of Opp, AL as a small creek. It joins Lightwood Knot Creek and these two streams form Lake Jackson. As the Yellow continues to flow through Covington County, it makes the transition from a small stream to a full sized river. The Yellow is normally run below HW 55 at Watkins Bridge. This section in southern Covington County forms the border of the Conecuh National Forest. There is very little development along the river. You will only see the occasional camp or access point.

Both largemouth and spotted bass are found in the Yellow River. The spotted bass are more common between Watkins Bridge (HW 55) and Givens Bridge (SR 4). You will also pick up small bream. This section is ideal for small boats and canoes. You best level for floating is 300-800cfs. There are no significant shoals or rapids. You may have to get around a logjam or two, especially near the confluence with Five Runs Creek.

The river becomes wider and the current slows down below Givens Bridge, largemouth become more common. Redbreast, redear and bluegill sunfish are also plentiful. Keep in mind that motorboats are also more plentiful below Givens Bridge and into Florida, because of deeper water and easy access with public boat ramps.

Trip Report

Level: 81.3 Flow: 500 cfs (steady)
Gauge: Yellow River at Oak Grove
Clarity: Clear
Weather: Mid 60's Saturday, Near 30 Saturday night, Low 70's Sunday, Clear skies
Section: HW55 Watkins Bridge, AL to SR 2 Oak Grove, Florida

Section I
Watkins Bridge (HW55) to Givens Bridge (SR 4)
Distance: 11 miles

The access below Watkins Bridge is downstream river right. There is a narrow dirt road that takes you 50-100 yards downstream. Here, the bank is not as steep as it is at the bridge. You will find an easy access for canoes or perhaps a small jon boat. There is no boat ramp here, and this section can contain minor logjams and obstructions. This is mostly a section for paddlers.

This upper portion of the Yellow River winds along with occasional rock formations. Low sandbars are present as the river makes deeper bends and turns. Most of the sandbars are suitable for camping as long as the gauge is below 800 cfs. Higher water will result in challenging fishing conditions and fewer possible camping spots. The river is not quite as clear as other blackwater streams in the area. However, you will notice very clear, spring fed tributaries entering on both the east and western banks. Wildlife is common along the river. If you are quiet, you may see deer, turkey, wood ducks, and the occasional beaver. Kingfishers, pileated woodpeckers, hawks, and owls are also prevalent along this remote waterway at the edge of the national forest.

There are two distinct areas with small rocky bluffs and deeper holes. One is found only several miles below the put in. The other is only a mile or two below the entrance of Five Runs Creek. There is good potential for spotted bass in these areas. There are also small boulders scattered along the bottom of the Yellow in a few spots. The woods can be very pretty in the early spring with dogwoods in bloom, red maples budding out, and the trees pushing out bright green leaves. Cypress trees are also common along the banks of the Yellow. The fishing was extremely challenging considering the post frontal/midspawn conditions. However, the scenery was nice, and we saw a lot of wildlife. Compared to other rivers in South Alabama, you may be surprised at how clean the river was. There is very little trash along the way.

Section II
Givens Bridge (SR 4) to Oak Grove, FL (SR 2)
Distance: 8 Miles

The access at both the put-in and takeout is excellent with public boat ramps at both locations. There are several long and straight sections as the river flows southward. You will also encounter several tight bends with logs along the banks. There is a clear route for small boats down to levels around 400 cfs in this section. Expect to see motorboats fishing for bass, panfish, and running trotlines for catfish.

There are several nice sandbars along this route. You won't find the rocks or boulders. There are also small sloughs and slack water areas off the main channel. Hardwood forests and cypress trees line the banks in many areas. There are some areas where pine trees come close to the rivers edge, but timber management practices seem to be more river friendly along the Yellow in both states.

This section is perfect for a half day of floating. Small plastic baits, crankbaits, and 1/8-1/4oz spinner baits are a good bet for the largemouth and occasional spotted bass along this section. Beetle spins, crickets, and worms will work for the panfish. With the increase in boat access, the fishing pressure makes the bite tougher here.

Styx River

2007-02-13T18:43:00.000-06:00

These are photos from Styx River, Elsanor/CR87 to Seminole.

Aaron White of Great Days Outdoors Magazine is pictured with a nice largemouth.

Aaron shows off a chunky Spotted Bass.

There are a lot of log jams on this section. Trip report is coming soon...

Big Escambia Creek 5/4/2006

2007-02-10T08:18:00.000-06:00

*Updated photos from our Fox Ten Outdoors shoot on Big Escambia February 2007.

*Vania Kuy, Fox Ten Outdoors photojournalist shoots video of likely fishing spot.

* Vania takes a break and hauls in a nice spotted bass at the confluence of Sizemore Creek.

*We boated 20-25 nice spots. The largest was close to 2 pounds.

Big Escambia Creek forms near Frisco City in Monroe County and flows south through extreme S'west Conecuh County. The creek is reported to be covered with numerous log jams between CR 30 and I-65 as it enters Escambia County, AL. However, below I-65 there are some interesting sections to float up to the town of Flomaton. There is a clear 12.5 mile section from Sardine Bridge(CR 27) to Flomaton, with another access point halfway down this run at Murray Branch Road.

Big Escambia is a typical clear blackwater stream, and is very similar to it's nearby cousin, Little River which flows on the Monroe Baldwin County line. There are gravel bars, rock formations and occasional white sand bars. Overall, the drops and rock formations are more interesting on Big Escambia, but water quality is better on the Little. Big Escambia cuts through rock and clay, and the first 9 miles from Sardine Bridge (Cr27) contain some minor shoals that are borderline Class I. Unfortunately, gravel mines and clear cutting take there toll on Big Escambia as you get further downstream. The sediment is an issue keeping the river pretty shallow as you approach Flomaton.

Trip Report

I had a business trip in the Huxford, AL area on Thursday morning, and the rest of my afternoon was free. It only took one quick look at the Delorme Map book and a trip to Big Escambia Creek was in the works. This trip ended up being a solo experience and it was a rare treat. I called a friend, Jerry Hawsey, from the Brewton area who was very kind to help me with the shuttle. Special thanks to Jerry! The trip turned out to be perfect.

We have had several months of drought across the Gulf Coast, and most rivers are running quite low. This makes for excellent fishing, however, the streams can actually be too low to float. After Driving to the Sardine Bridge and looking at the 2.2 foot level (usgs), I went a little further downstream. I decide to float from Murray Branch Road to Flomaton (Us 31) making for a 6 mile trip. Sizemore Creek comes in above this lower section and adds substantial volume .

I drove into Flomaton and checked out the easy take out access on river right (N'west side of US 31), ate at Hardees, and went back up to Murray Branch Road. The put-in at Murray Branch is good, you have to try several dirt roads to find the best spot. This is a locals hangout from the looks of the trash scattered around. The put-in scenery gets a D-, but this is soon forgotten.

I began my trip around 1pm and planned to fish hard and paddle very little. The first two miles of Big Escambia had some twists and turns, along with a few very minor rock shoals. I began to catch fish pretty quickly. At one shoal area, there is an interesting lagoon on river left that you can paddle into. I caught one fine bull bream there on my flyrod. I picked up some small spotted bass throughout my float, mostly behind log jams. I caught a fish on a beetle spin, and one on a worm.. The rest were all caught on a #6 Frugal Frog Betts popping bug. The river slows down and gets more choked with sediment, but I did catch three bass near the powerline cutover 1.5 miles above Flomaton. The highlight of the day came when I caught a 2+ pound largemouth on a fly in this area. Most of my bass that I caught on a fly, hit when I was wading. When you canoe float fish these blackwater streams, its a good idea to get out and wade from time to time. Whenever, I see a deep cut against a high bank, with log jams that create slackwater eddies its time to pull over... I stop on the adjacent sand bar and wade fish so I can make a better presentation

Overall, the put-in was trashed and the river was pretty in most spots. I did hear a gravel mine in operation, in one small section. Otherwise, I saw no cabins, and no people for 5-6 hours. There were a few herons, a red headed woodpecker, and a water moccasin along the way. The timing worked out well. Jerry said he would be done with work by 6:30 pm. I saw the Flomaton bridge about 6:20pm and called on the cell phone, which works well at the takeout in the heart of Flomaton.

Brushy Creek, AL to MS

2007-02-05T06:34:00.001-06:00

This Brushy Creek has a neat canyon feature a few miles below the put-in.

**This is not Brushy Creek in the Bankhead National Forest
***This stream is in lower Alabama (and MS)

There are countless small waterways that are named "Brushy Creek" in the state of Alabama. This particular Brushy Creek is a tributary of the Escatawpa River that has some interesting shoals, followed by very challenging logjams.

The stream begins in Greene County, MS near the community of Pisgah. It flows southward into George County, MS. Scarborough Creek and Tennesse Creek add to the flow. Brushy becomes just large enough to paddle at Brushy Creek Road. Then the flow begins to head southeastward for four miles, crosses the Alabama line, and flows another 1.5 miles before hitting the Escatawpa.

Here is another shot of the unique claystone ledges.

The stream cuts through a layer of sandstone and claystone with gradient of about 7 feet per mile. There are several extended shoal areas in this twisty, swift area of stream. You also will encounter one class I drop of about three feet. Much of the land along the creek is posted. Proceed with caution. You will see several cabins along the way. The flow flattens out two miles above the Escatawpa. The streambed becomes sandy in nature, and the occasional logjams become more numerous. Brushy enters the Escatawpa 2.5 miles above the HW 98 access.

The best way to navigate Brushy Creek would be in a small, light tandem canoe with two paddlers to help carry over the logs. A small sit on top kayak would also work very well. The creek is very narrow and paddling a longer sea kayak would be problematic. Sit-in kayaks like "Pungos" might work, but it would be more dangerous due to the logs and strainers. Pack a light amount of gear to make the portages easier.

Logjams and spotted bass co-exist along Brushy.

From a fishing perspective, it would be difficult to flyfish. The creek is just too tight. A short 5 to 5 1/2 ft. spinning rod with 6 lb. test is ideal. The spotted bass fishing is very good. They like 4" worms and small spinnerbaits. Bring some small beetle spins, because and there are also some very pretty longear bream that locals call "sun perch." See the report below.

The best way to gauge the level on this creek is the Big Creek level, above Big Creek Lake. This is a similar stream, though slightly smaller, that is located 5-10 miles to the east of Brushy. Here is my best guess in translating the levels between Big Creek and Brushy Creek. High levels could be dangerous due to the numerous logjams and strainers. For a visual level, if you can run the first shoal just downstream of the bridge, you should be fine.

5.5ft, 200 cfs - High
4.5 ft, 100cfs - Medium (Best)
3.5 ft, 50cfs - Low (Best for Fishing)
3.0 ft, 40 cfs - Minimum

Curtis shows of a nice Brushy Creek Spot.

Trip Report

Level: 3.0
Flow: 48 cfs (falling slowly)
Best Gauge: Big Creek above Big Creek Lake, or visual.
Clarity: Clear
Weather: Upper 50's, Cloudy
Section: Brushy Creek Road-HW 98 (5.5mi on Brushy, 2.5mi on Escatawpa)

Curtis and I paddled Brushy on Sunday, February 4th 2007 in a tandem Mad River Explorer 16'. A shorter 15' canoe would have been even better. The question is, are the logjams worth it? The fishing is really good and the shoals are neat. The logs are especially bad in the lower section, partly due to Hurricane Katrina. They slow the trip down big time. I am ready to do it again. Curtis says he would prefer a more open stream like Little River in Baldwin County or Big Escambia Creek.

Most fish were 1-2 pounds...

We set out from Mobile at 10:30am, arriving about at the Brushy Creek Road put-in bridge 45 minutes later. We unloaded the canoe and fishing gear. Curtis' road bike was our shuttle. We decided to flip a coin to see who was going to have ride the bike back up.

The idea was to drive the truck with the bike in the bed back to Escatawpa Hollow, and leave the truck there. The unlucky loser then had to bike it up HW 98. And, then turn right and peddle north on Beaver Creek Road until it merges with Brushy Creek Road and the bridge. The winner got to set up the canoe and gear, and then ease upstream and fish a little. Curtis called heads, the coin said tails. Curtis had to ride. The agreement was that I get to bike the shuttle next time.

I was a bad judge of time. Curtis waited 20 minutes at the bridge while I fooled around with some spotted bass upstream. We finally got on the creek about noon. I told Curtis I was sorry he had to wait. But, that he would love the creek. It was full of fish. Curtis said "I booked it down 98, and it wasn't fun with the 18 wheelers. But, the ride up the country road was great."

This pose is beyond cheesy.

We caught fish right away. We caught six fish out of one pool in the first mile. The spots were hitting 4" black finesse worms with a 1/0 EWG Gamagatzu hook and 1/8 oz. or 1/16 oz. screw-in head weight. I also had good look with the 5" Gulp shaky worm. Throughout the afternoon, we caught a good 20 or so fish. Some of the spots were smaller - around a 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound. We both caught several fish well over a pound. The fish were found in most of the deeper holes and bends. The ones we didn't catch were visible in the clear water as we canoed downstream. Later in the run, I switched to a small 1/8 mini king spinnerbait. It seemed to work just as well.

We encountered some really neat shoals in the first 3-4 miles. There were several sections where the light shoals would continue for 50 yards or more. One drop was a definite class I, even at this lower level. It was a good three foot ledge. I would imagine it would be very fun when Big Creek is running a 100 cfs or so. The upper section did contain a few logjams, but nothing major.

Holding onto a branch with your teeth keeps the boat still and both hands free for fishing.

The fishing seemed to slack off a little towards the bottom. We still caught a few, but the holes were not as deep. You also would find the holes right behind the log jams. By the time you got the boat over the jam, the fish were spooked. We were also in a hurry. We were running out of daylight. In the last mile or two, we were hoping the Escatawpa was right around every bend. Instead we found some tricky logjams. Most were low enough that we could slide the boat over the log. Some logs were low enough in the water to slide over. Twice though, we had to get out of the creek and carry through the woods.

Escatawpa at night. There are more photos on my 35 mm that show Curtis and the Creek. Coming soon.

We reached the Escatawpa just after sunset. It was pretty much dark. We had a good 2.5 mile paddle left. The Escatawpa was pumping at 1230 cfs so the current helped us along. The sandbars stood out in the fading evening light. A full moon rising in the east brightened the sky a little. We made good time in the swift current. It wasn't long before the noise and lights of HW 98 appeared in the distance.

It was a challenging paddle and six hours is not enough time if you plan to fish.

Sipsey River Photos

2007-02-01T14:58:00.000-06:00

Brushy Creek Photos

2007-01-28T18:21:00.000-06:00

Trip Report 1-23-07

Level: 5.0 ft
Flow: 300cfs (falling)
Gauge: Sipsey Fork at Grayson
Clarity: Ultra Clear
Weather: Upper 40's, Mostly Cloudy
Section: Brushy Lake FS 245- Hickory Grove Road FS 255

Brushy Lake

2007-01-28T17:04:00.000-06:00

The entrance to the Bankhead coming from the north side and Wren, AL on HW 33 .

After paddling the Upper, Upper Mulberry, I headed for my real destination - the Bankhead National Forest. My goal was to spend three days and two nights exploring Brushy Creek and the Sipsey Fork.

This all started in early January, when I learned that I had four vacation days left over from 2006. I had to take them in the next few weeks, or I would lose them. It would most likely be time off during the week, in the coldest month of the year. I was going to be vacationing by myself. Nobody else would be interested in running rivers and camping in the cold weather. To me, I knew it was an excellent opportunity to enjoy the outdoors in Alabama on my own.

Brushy Lake

I spent several days before my trip looking at computer models and forecasts. There were two possible trips depending on the weather. I was either going to Southeast Alabama to float the Choctawhatchee and the Pea Rivers, fishing for Spotted Bass and camping on sandbars. Or, I was going to the Bankhead to maybe hunt, attempt to fish, and definitely canoe camp in the colder weather. I also was going to be biking my shuttles. I found the roads in the Bankhead to be fantastic to bike on.

Wide open roads with little traffic.

The forecast pointed at a heavy rain the north part of the state on Sunday. That system was to stall out in the southern part on the state Monday through Wednesday, leaving the north dry. Monday through Thursday was my window of opportunity. I headed north through the rain, catching the higher water on the Mulberry Monday afternoon. I stopped ion Cullman for the traditional Mexican feast at the local Loopy's. Then, I pushed west on U.S. 278 through Addison, and north on SR 63 to Brushy Lake campground. There are two maps that are very helpful in this area besides the Delorme map book. You can order at water resistant Bankhead map from Carto-Craft Maps 205-822-2103, and you can download the Black Warrior WMA hunting map.
The Carto-Craft map is the best, and is also available at the stores in Wren, AL north of the forest.

I had the place to myself.

I found the campground completely empty. I was perfect. There was no water and no electricity. There was a bathroom with a chamber pot toilet that was fairly clean. I found 13 sites to choose from. I picked a spot with lake view that was in the central portion of the campground near the bathhouse. The sites were level, clean, and had a nice table to cook on.

A cozy site.

The 33 acre lake is clear and very pretty. Brushy Creek and Owl Creek enter on the north end and keep a steady flow of clean water that drains the protected forest. There is a day use area close to the lower end. Brushy Lake offers fishing form bass and bream. I'm sure it gets some fishing pressure in the warm weather months. A short paddle around the lake, and a fairly short portage around the dam on river right brings you to the start of the remote 10 mile paddle on Brushy Creek. It was a nice place to get a good nights sleep right at the put in for tomorrow's float.

Here is a shot using the self timer on my Pentax right after a 21 mile bike ride form Hickory Grove road.

A short paddle across the lake takes you to the put in for Brushy Creek.

Upper, Upper Mulberry Fork

2007-01-27T15:48:00.000-06:00

Mulberry Fork at the BCC takeout

The Mulberry Fork of the Warrior is one of the most consistent and popular whitewater runs in the state. Near the Cullman - Marshall County line, the Mulberry forms close to the town of Arab (pronounced A-Rab). The water quality is fair, and can get pretty muddy above the USGS gauge level of 4.5 feet. There are a large number of chicken houses in the area, as well as other agricultural impacts. However, the bluffs are scenic and the Mulberry is a nice low gradient, high volume river with nice waves.

Hawaii 5-0 Rapid at 6.5 feet

The Lower Mulberry Fork is the section below U.S. 31 at Garden City. It provides straightforward class II action with good play spots. This section can be run at levels as low as 3.8 feet, and is usually running in most of the winter and spring months. It also can develop some very impressive wave trains at higher levels of up to 7 feet. The take out for this short 3 mile section is at the Haiwai 5-0 wave playspot at the Birmingham Canoe Club parking area. This is also the site of the Mulberry Fork Races each spring. This is an extremely popular stretch of Alabama whitewater. The best fishing would be at levels below 4.5 feet. The river clears up nicely and spotted bass are plentiful. It would be interesting to float below the BCC takeout and fish the river to Black Bottom or Sloan. This could be done in a canoe at levels in the 3'-4' range.

The Upper Mulberry Fork is considered to be the 6.5 mile section between County Road 10 and U.S. 31. This section still receives the extra volume of the Duck and Broglen Rivers which enter just above CR 10. It does need a little more water - say around 4.5 feet - to be running well enough to enjoy the whitewater action. All the rapids are straightforward class II's and like the lower section, produces bigger and bigger waves at high levels. The section is a nice rollercoaster ride above 5'. Below 4.5' you might drag some, but the river runs clear and the fishing would be good.

There are some other options above these two sections if the water is up. But, like many Alabama streams at their headwaters, a good whitewater floating level is usually too high for fishing. The low gradient section between County Road 51 and County Road 10 could make a decent float fishing trip at levels around 5 feet. Above County Road 51, you pretty much have to wade it it at levels that are fishable. The minimal float for class I-II whitewater between U.S. 278 and County Road 51 is 5 feet.

So that leaves the section above U.S. 278. Alabamawhitewater.com refers to this as the Upper, Upper Mulberry Fork of Warrior. This is a nice class II+ section that can be run after recent rains of 1.5" or more. This headwater run begins at State Highway 67, and is only floatable when its too high to fish. Ideally you want a rising level above 5.5 feet on the Garden City Gauge. As of early 2007 there are several logjams that you have to go over or around, but they are worth the effort if the water is pumping. There is very little flatwater, and the pools are short.

Trip Report 1/22/07 - Upper, Upper Mulberry

A class I shoal near the put-in

Level: 6.2 ft
Flow: 2100 cfs (falling fast)
Clarity: Stained
Weather: Upper 40's, Cloudy
Section: HW 67 - US 231 (Near Holly Pond, AL)

I had some leftover vacation days to take in January, and choose to head to north central Alabama for some solo camping, paddling, and cycling. My goal was to spend most of my time in the Bankhead National Forest, but I wanted to catch the Mulberry or the Locust on my way up.

A good soaking rain fell on Sunday the 21st, pushing the Mulberry Fork level to 6.8' that night. I left Mobile around 5am Monday morning for the Cullman area. I chose the Mulberry Fork as my destination because I figured it was the best chance to meet up with some other paddlers. The reality of the situation was though, that it was cold and cloudy Monday in January. Nobody was on the river that day.

I considered paddling the lower Mulberry, but the 6+ foot level was a bit pushy for a solo open canoe trip. I had paddled this section at a similar level in the early 90's and remembered the lunch stop rapid to be pretty impressive. After taking some pictures of the Haiwii 5-0 at the put in, I headed up river for the more technical and less pushy upper Mulberry.

The river at HW 67 put-in had crested overnight. It was running fairly clear and looked to be fairly close to the minimum for this run. This was a much safer option for a run by myself. This is actually considered to be a class +II run, but that rating is for levels above 6' at Garden City and rising. The gauge is far downstream from this section and represents what happened upstream a good 12-24 hours earlier. I would consider it borderline class II at 6.0' an falling due to the strainers and logs, and the technical nature of the drops.

Setting up a shuttle by myself was a new concept to me. The main thing I wanted to accomplish, was to leave the vehicle at the bottom of the run - at the take out. That way, when I was tired and wet at the end of the run, I didn't have a bike ride to deal with.

Floatation is a good idea anywhere on the Mulberry

So, first I drove the canoe up to State Road 67. The access is steep, but a short carry around the rock ledge on the downstream river right side was possible. I took my 16' Mad River Explorer (with my new carry yoke on the center thwart) off the truck, carried down to the river, and locked it up. I stashed my extra gear in the woods nearby. Secondly I drove my truck (with a Trek Road Bike in the back) back down to the take out. There is great parking at the downstream river left side at U.S. 231. I left the truck there and began my first serious bike ride in probably ten years.

My shuttle route was west on U.S. 278, then north on County Road 1742. The traffic was heavy on 278, but the distance was short. Traffic was minimal on 1742, but there was the occasional chicken truck passing through with it's wonderful aroma. I also encountered a few loud, but harmless dogs along the way. I took a right on County Road 1725 to shorten the distance slightly. I then took a right on State Highway 67 and peddled the short downhill ride to the put in. Overall the ride was about 10 miles, but none of the hills were especially steep. It took 30 or 40 minutes in all.

The word is that the owner of the property at the HW 67 bridge downstream river right is friendly. I did not meet him, but be careful not to block his gate to his craft shop if you park there. There is enough room on the shoulder to park 1-2 vehicles here.

The run itself started out with a number of minor shoals and a few interesting logjams. I can only recall one logjam that I had to carry over. You could squeeze over or around the rest at this level. At higher levels, some of the log jams could become serious strainers for the unprepared. The whitewater action picks up, and the logjams disappear after Pan Creek on river right adds to the flow after the second mile.

Nice Bluffs!

I enjoyed several nice drops. There was some good scenery with picturesque bluffs along the way. The river did have some trash in it though, and there was that faint smell of the chicken farms. Apparently many of the property owners along the river don't care about keeping the stream clean. I was surpirsed there were only a few cabins. However, there were a several areas with rope swings that looked like places where the locals party and swim in the summer.

The best of the drops (a little blurry)

I'd love to run it again directly after a big rain when the lower Mulberry is too big. I imagine the redeye and spotted bass fishing would be pretty decent when the the water warms up, and slows down - in the late spring.

Hatchet Creek 07' Photos

2007-01-12T17:42:00.000-06:00

Click to Enlarge...

Hatchet Creek 07'

2007-01-06T22:00:00.000-06:00

Hatchet Creek (trip report coming soon)

The river was at 1,110 cfs and falling when we launched at US 280.

The waters were muddier than usual after hard rains. All rapids were clean and most class I's were closer to being II's.

We left the fishing rods at home for this float. The rapids did not dissapoint.

Sepulga River

2007-01-02T21:31:00.000-06:00

This is the Sepulga on 01/02/07 at a great level for paddling...

Level: 5.25 ft
Flow: 825 cfs (steady)
Clarity: Muddy
Weather: mid 50's, Partly Sunny
Section: Us 31 - US 84 (near Evergreen, AL)

We paddled this section as part of my weekly outdoors segment on Fox Ten News. You can see the story and the video at fox10tv.com on the lower half of the weather page. Most of the minor shoals were washed out at this level. The main drop did contain some nice waves to play in. My photographer Vania paddled the rapid in a tandem canoe with Curtis Wright. They took a nice wave over the bow on the main drop. Again fisherman were catching mostly catfish.

Here are the low water pics from 11/28/06...

Level: 4.2 ft
Flow: 290 cfs (falling)
Clarity: Stained
Fishing: poor due to cold weather
Weather: Low 50's, Partly Sunny
Section: Us 31 - US 84 (near Evergreen, AL)

I paddled the Sepulga River for the first time on 12/28/2006 with Curtis and Hillary. There is a fast shoal right after the HW 31 put in. Then, the action is slow for the next 4 miles. I picked up one small largemouth on a finesse worm, despite stained water and chilly temperatures. Fisherman were catching blue and channel catfish from boats.

This cabin on river right sits at the begining of the entertaining shoals section. Curtis and Hillary paddle this South Alabama Class I. The gradient picks up in the next mile with a few drops and ledges.

Here is the first drop of Sepulga Falls. There are actually two drops in this rapid. The first is a decent ledge. The second drop creates some nice standing waves at higher water.

Escatawpa River

2006-11-04T21:50:00.000-06:00

Trip Report Coming Soon

Spotted Bass are very common in the river.

Curtis shows off a nice largemouth.

Redfish on a Fly

2006-09-20T18:22:00.000-05:00

This Redfish was caught on an 8wt Temple Fork TiCrx, Orvis Battenkill Mid Arbor V Reel, and 8wt Bonefish Mastery Series Line. I was using a straight 20 lb. flourocarbon leader, and a large gold clouser type fly. I hooked this fish very near the Mississippi/Alabama line in area called Grand Batture. Dr. Tom Dempsey of Mobile worked the push pole and the camera.

The fish weighed right at 30 lbs on boga grip hand scale. I fought the redfish for about 15 minutes. This is a very, very large redfish for inshore waters. We spotted the fish cruising in about two feet of water just off the bow of Dr. Dempseys Maverick flats skiff. He took the fly on the second offering. What a battle!

Dauphin Island Redfish

2006-07-24T10:28:00.000-05:00

This bull redfish in the 25-30 pound range hit a live croaker on the Dauphin Island Shoals. It was also shown on video on Fox Ten News Friday July 21, 2006 as a part of the 2006 Alabama Deep Sea Rodeo Preview.

The fight lasted approximately 15 minutes. I caught the fish on 14 pound Berkley Trilene XL, and a Shimano 200b Curado Reel, and a St. Croix 7 ft Medium Action Avid Rod. Curtis Wright is pictured left. Curtis took Fox Ten News Photographer Vania Kuy and me out on his 17ft Cape Horn.

Eleuthera, Bahamas

2006-06-18T18:00:00.000-05:00

Perdido River

2006-06-18T17:00:00.000-05:00

Doc and canoe, with motor mount

The Perdido River forms in Western Escambia County Alabama. It flows south, down the Alabama/Florida border as a typical blackwater stream before ending up in Perdido Bay near Lillian, AL. The Perdido offers several challenges to float fishing and paddling, but can be a good fishing stream in the right places. Hurricane Ivan, along with heavy logging practices, has resulted in some substantial log jam areas along the upper Perdido. In past years, the river could be floated from CR 61 near Phillipsville, by launching on Dyas Creek. Based on visible log jams just downstream of Dyas Creek, and similar jams a good 16.5 miles downstream, I would estimate this section is virtually unfloatable at this time. There are two access points on the Florida side in this upper section that would be worth investigating. Three runs access. And, Waters Ferry Road access.

There are sections of this river that have fewer log jams. One such is between Barrineau Park and State Road 112. This section also sees significant recreational use during the summer. There are reports of log jams at I-10, and then a clear river, with motorboat traffic down to HW 90 and Ruby's Landing..

The future for the Perdido could be brighter. The Northwest Florida Water Management District, working with The Conservation Fund, will protect 5,533 acres in Escambia County along the Perdido River. The purchase safeguards about 15 miles of riverfront on this outstanding Florida waterway and Florida Forever priority land. For the first time in several decades, the Perdido River and Bay will be accessible to the public for resource-based recreational activities, especially for canoeists and kayakers, as the property will be incorporated into Escambia County’s Recreational Water Trail program. This key river corridor purchase complements additional state, federal and private conservation lands downstream along the Perdido River and Bay.

Upper Tallapoosa River

2006-05-22T09:12:00.000-05:00

Tallapoosa River

The Tallapoosa River forms near Buchanan, Georgia at an elevation near 1,200 feet. The headwaters are approximately 40 miles west of Atlanta. Here it is mostly wade fishing for Redeye and Spotted Bass with good water quality. This Piedmont stream begins to take on a much more pastoral nature near Tallapoosa, Georgia.

The Tallapoosa then flows generally southwest in to Alabama just north of I-20 at an elevation of 900 feet. The water becomes more stained, but the river still cuts through some scenic bluffs lined with Mountain Laurel. The rock formations are igneous and metamorphic. They often appear folded and faulted along the deep river bends. The river is generally placid and floatable most of the year, all the way to Lake Wedowee. The gradient in the 18.7 mile stretch from the Georgia line to I-20 is 2.6 feet per mile. There are occasional minor rapids and ripples that occur below I-20. The gradient below I-20 is 3.74 feet per mile. Also, you can find occasional gravel bars for river camping. The 44 mile stretch above Lake Wedowee has been designated as the Loyd Owens Canoe Trail. There is an outfitter, Lex Brown at Tallapoosa River Outfitters, who makes this float very convenient.

Doc Looks Downstream

Trip Report

It was late May and the streams of Alabama were setting into typical summerlike levels. Curtis Wright and I were looking for a overnight canoe camping river in Alabama with an outfitter service. Temperatures were also heating up and we wanted to get far enough north for pleasant overnight temperatures. The only other option was the Cahaba and this looked more interesting. I have not ever floated a piedmont stream and figured this was a good opportunity to experience a new area in the state. We loaded up the truck with my Explorer canoe, Curtis' Necky sea kayak, canoe camping gear, and my dog Doc and headed north. We floated on a section of Choccolocco Creek (running 600 cfs) on Friday and camped at Cheaha on Friday night. Saturday morning, we met Lex Brown (256-239-6399) at Tallapoosa River Outfitters.

Day One
Access at Liner Road Bridge-Campsite above I-20
Distance 15.25 miles

Lex helped us load our boats and gear on his Chevy Suburban and took us to the Liner Road Bridge near Tallapoosa Georgia. His shuttle service allowed for us to paddle a 26 mile trip through a remote section of the river. It hadn't rained in 6-7 days and the river was running just under 4 feet (380 cfs) on the USGS gauge. On Saturday morning, we began fishing along the Georgia/Alabama line and I caught a decent 1 pound spotted bass on my first cast. He hit a 4" finesse worm rigged Texas style. This was a bad omen. We didn't catch another fish until after lunchtime. And, we fished very hard.

Gear, Dog, and Redeye Bass

I finally switched to a small beetle spin and picked up a decent 3/4 pound Redeye Bass. I released both the spot and the Redeye. We had plans to have fish for dinner, but initially it seemed that catching a few fresh fish in the evening wouldn't be problem.

Fishing hard, and paddling very little, we average about one mile per hour as we floated through a low gradient section of the Tallapoosa. This upper section was mostly forested. A railroad track follows the river on the north side for the first 2.5 miles. Also, we noticed a Georgia State flag dangling across the river on a rope, at what was presumably the state line at mile 1.2. The river had a clarity of about three feet with a muddy tint. There were very long stretches between riffles. In the long flat stretches, the water averaged 3-4 feet in depth. The banks were muddy and lined with fallen trees.

We saw a large number of wood ducks. I trained Doc, my lab, to hunt ducks with me in the winter. He was very eager to keep track of all the waterfowl. Occasionally, we would encounter small rock bluff areas, and blooming laurels. The water clarity seemmed to improve in the small riffle and shoal areas. The upper river probably would have been more memorable if the fishing was better. Curtis and I felt that the fish were there, they just weren't biting.

Upper River

After an MRE lunch, the fishing picked up somewhat. I had nice battle with a 4-5 pound flathead catfish that hit a 1/4 ounce spinnerbait. I lost the fish on a stump in mid-river towards the end of the fight. I was also surprised to catch a Rock Bass on the spinnerbait. As the afternoon progressed, the I switched to a beetle spin and picked up numerous redbreast and bluegills in efforts to catch dinner. At mile 8.0, we squeezed passed a log jam at the CR49 bridge.

Redbreast Sunfish

Fortunately, Curtis stayed with the worm. He caught a nice 2 1/2 pound spot. We didn't get a picture of it. He said it was a very tough fight that lasted several minutes. So, with dinner on the stringer, we picked up the pace with our paddling.

Redear Sunfish

We passed the Dryden's Mill campsite and access at mile 12.5. It was loud with music, crowded with vehicles and local kids. We pushed on. After paddling a total of 15.5 miles for the day, we camped about one mile below the CR 66 bridge. We found a decent campsite on a gravel bar on river left. Two deer were on the site as we approached. The bugs weren't too bad. We had the ThermaCell going just in case. Curtis' fish ended up getting lightly battered, and pan fried for dinner. It was very good table fare. In addition to the fish, I cooked some Orzo with peppers and onions. It was tasty.

Day Two
Campsite above I-20 to Bell Mills

Curtis Runs a I-II Rapid in the Necky

After a nice breakfast of bacon, eggs, and grits... We paddled and fished on, at a bit faster rate through the remainder of the trip. The gradient increases to almost four feet per mile below I-20. The scenery was a little better through this stretch. We also caught more fish. I stayed with the standby 1/8oz roostertail spinner on my Loomis ultralight. I had no trouble catching various sunfish species. We caught mostly redbreast and bluegills. I did catch one redear sunfish (shellcracker). Curtis caught a bream or two, and also picked up two spotted bass.

Curtis with a Small Spot

We passed several bridges on the second day trip. The areas of fast water and shoals were a more frequent sight. We also saw more impressive rock formations along the way. The best rapid on the trip was just above a bridge, I believe it was CR 71. This could be a better play spot at a level of five feet. Next time, we might try floating from CR 71 to an access point further down below Tallapoosa River Outfitters. When we made to Lex's place, it was mid afternoon. Our truck was waiting for us behind a private gate.

Curtis Shows Off a Bit Nicer Spot

Some notes about canoe camping

There are several items that I have found very helpful over the years. The bottom line is: When you have a 16' open canoe with plenty of room, why not camp in style ?

1) Seal Line Dry bags are mandatory. You need your tent, sleeping bag, full size therma-rest, and clothing to stay completely dry. Don't forget to lash or clip these bags in the boat...

2) The ten gallon bucket with tight fitting lid. This is part one of my kitchen. My round MSR guide cookset fits perfect in the bottom of this bucket, along with my plates. I also store my mugs, bowls, seasoning and utensil kit, paper towel rolls, water purifier, and canned /dry goods in the bucket. It seals water-tight and serves as a mini-table at the campsite. You can use a caribeener or rope to lash it in.

3) The Rubbermaid container. This is part two of the kitchen. My Coleman double burner stove and extra fuel bottle fits perfect in the bottom. And, I measured the container to make sure it fits nicely between the gunnels and thwarts of any canoe. Your tarp, tarp steaks, tarp poles, ground cloth, Lantern, and even a towel can fit in too. You probably want to run a rope or bungee strap around the container and a thwart to keep it secure.

4) The cheap lawn chair. Why not be completely comfortable ? In a 16 foot canoe, you have tons of room. This is a great comfort around the campsite while cooking or sitting on the river bank. If you feel stable enough and you are not in a hurry, you can even sit in the chair while you paddle. The standard folding lawn chair only weighs a pound or two...

5) Other items. Nalgene bottles. Extra Rope. Waterproof matches. ThermaCell/Deet. Bull Frog Sunscreen. Soap/Shampoo. Flashlights. MRE's for lunch. Small cooler. All the comforts of home...

Choccolocco Creek

2006-05-22T08:05:00.000-05:00

Choccolocco Creek begins in Talledega National Forest east of Jacksonville, AL. After leaving it's forested headwaters, this creek flows south through a pastoral setting and a portion of Ft. McClellan Military Reservation. The state record Redeye bass comes from its waters. Terry Johnson brought in a 3 pound, 2 ounce bass while using a 5- to 6-inch sucker for bait in March 8, 2000. The fish was caught, presumably in the lower Choccolocco.

Here, agricultural and urban runoff take there toll on Choccolocco, especially below HW21 and the Anniston/Oxford Exit on I-20. In fact, there is supposedly a high level of PCB's and a health warning on the fish below Anniston. This is a low gradient stream with rock bottom, and occasional class I shoals. It is very similar to Big Wills Creek in nature.

Trip Report (Wild Goose Chase)
Choccolocco Creek
Mellon Bridge Road to boiling Springs Road

The plan was to drive up from Mobile on Friday in the direction the Upper Tallapoosa River. Curtis Wright and I had plans to paddle on an overnight trip on the Tallapoosa Saturday and Sunday. We wanted to camp near the river in the Talladega National Forest, and wade or float a stream nearby on Friday Evening.

We scouted a National Forest Primitive Campground east of Ft. McClellelan on Shoal Creek. It looked good on the map. But, the site was low and marshy. And, the creek was soft bottom and the banks were lined with nettles and snakey looking grass. We were riding down the road in one Toyota Tacoma Truck loaded down with one 16ft Explorer canoe, one 16 ft Necky Sea Kayak, and my 90 pound yellow lab named Doc. Our options were limited.

We backtracked south on HW 9, and kept noticing Choccolocco on the Delorme map off to our west. There are a significant number of access points above and below I-20. It was May the 19th and the all the rivers in the state were low. However, Choccolocco is surrounded by mountains. It's lower elevation and large watershed make it floatable for most of the year. So, at the late hour of 5pm, we squeezed in a short float. Curtis dropped Doc and I off at Melon Bridge. Curtis then drove downstream to Boiling Springs Road Bridge. He paddled upstream there and fished the lower section.

I had the luxury of portaging an easy logjam at the bridge, and then ran a straightforward Class 1- rapid and the float was on. This is the only significant rapid on this stretch, but the flow was swift. I caught one decent redeye, one decent spotted bass, and numerous bream. Some of the bluegills were over a 1/2 pound. I also caught redbreast and green sunfish. The fishing action was good. The smells from the nearby pastureland were occasionally a pit pungent. After about an hour and approaching dark, I met Curtis. He had made it up about a mile above the takeout, paddling against the current in his Necky. Curtis caught a few fish too. We headed downstream to the takeout in time to load up in the fading daylight. We camped that night at Cheaha State Park at 2,400 feet in elevation.

Hatchet Creek 5/6/2006

2006-05-04T06:59:00.000-05:00

Upper Hatchet Creek
US 280-US 231

I took the fairly short 200 mile trip (3 hours) up I-65 from Mobile, meeting my friend Curtis Wright coming from B'ham at the Verbena exit on I-65 at 8:30 Saturday morning. After discussing the river level and wanting to both paddle and fish, we opted for the 280-231 run of the Hatchet.

We ran it in my 16 ft Mad River Explorer and probably scraped rocks a dozen times, but never had to drag or get out of the boat at this level. I want to run it again when weve had some rain. Overall, we were glad we made this very scenic upper run.

The whitewater action was a little better than I expected. The shoals are spaced between short pools. There is one solid class II drop and two or three other drops that are borderline II. Lots of class I-II shoals. The river widens a little in the last two miles and this is were we encountered a little scraping in the shallower ledge areas. I would think that above 1000cfs, this would be a real nice solid class II float. We had a few minor splashes in the boat and got a little water while surfing a small hole about halfway into the run at this minimal level..

The scenery is outstanding, especially for Central Alabama. The water was very clear, lots of wildlife. We had two deer swim the river ahead of us in a class I-II shoal area.. We got very close to them as they reached the left bank, they panicked and scaled directly up a 25 foot semi vertical rock face. One fell back into the river, regained her footing and scrambled back up like a mountian goat.

The fishing conditions were very tough. Strong north wind and a cold day in the mid 50's, but the spotted bass were still biting surprisingly well. We did catch 2 of my favorites - Redeye Bass. Lower Hatchet CR18-Kelly's Crossroads We camped Sunday night in the Hollins WMA below Cheha Mtn., ate in Sylacauga at Old El Paso (Mexican), and then drove to Rockford Sunday morning to run the "Lower Hatchet."

Lower Hatchet Creek
Above Lake Mitchell

This is a wider run that starts of with some flatwater stretches. Its not as scenic as the 280-231 run but it has its moments, and was perfectly floatable at the 450 cfs level. You could likely padlle this section at 400 cfs, but below that level, it would be pretty bony. The fishing was not as good on this run, probably because it sees more pressure than the upper runs. Curtis is pictured with one of the few fish we caught Sunday morning.

Again, there is one class II drop and and the other shoals are I-II and overall a little easier than the upper run. It is 8 miles long with numerous cabins along the way. It was a good second day, half day paddle. This was one fine creek overall.

Little River Canyon 5/6/2005

2006-05-03T05:27:00.000-05:00

Little River Above HW 35
River Forks to Just Above Little River Falls

Starts as easy Class I, then rapids have one class II drop and numerous shoals from Hartline Ford to HW 35. Total run is 6.0 miles. Access along FS road 5 and FS road 3 is fine in 2wd if you have good clearance. Numerous hard bottom stream crossings, but gravel improvements have made the roads much better. The roads can get a little tough on 2wd rear wheel drive pickups after a hard rain. 500 cfs is the minimum for this section, and 750 or above is a much cleaner run. Can be run at lower level than the East Fork, which needs at least 1000 cfs... This is a nice lower water alternative for the intermediate boater.

Trip Report

Tim Cook from Jackson met me in Birmingham on Friday and we drove up in two vehicles to Valley Head, Alabama. We set up shuttle and squeezed in a trip from Hartline Ford to HW 35 Friday afternoon. Putting in at Hartline Ford has more action and is a shorter - about 4 miles. This great short run that can be done in 2-3 hours.

We ran it at the absolute minimum 450 cfs. I had to get out and portage the class 2 drop in this section because it was too low. Minimal whitewater levels translate into great fishing levels though. The bass bite best when the water is clear and falling. We catch and release all fish in this river.

We had no trouble picking up nice Redeyes and some decent sized bream. I picked up an impressive 14" Redeye on my flyrod. I had to jump out of the canoe and wade in the current to keep this fish off the rocks. Wade fishing is ceretainly a lot more effective than canoe float fishing if you are going to pull out the flyrod. What a fight!

Tim caught a nice redeye wading up the East Fork. The black 1/8 oz roostertail was magical. We returned to this section of the river after a canyon run for a more scenic evening float on Saturday.

We paddled and pulled upstream to the river forks. You could wade up the West Fork too. The rocks are slick and the pools are deep. Tennis shoes and shorts are the best option. Even in May, the water is warm enough to enter without waders.

Tim also caught several nice fish as we floated back to Hartline Ford. I focused on the bream with a 1/16 hellgramite jig and had consistent action. We caught redbreast, warmouth, and green sunfish. This is a quiet and scenic stretch of river that makes for a good canoe float trip..

Little River Canyon
Powell Trail to the Mouth Park

My friend Tim Cook and I paddled this section in an old tandem Blue Hole with questionable floatation, so we didn't want to deal with the Bottleneck section of the river, thus putting in at Powell Trail. We were in my great old friend Larry Longshore's boat, if anyone remembers Larry - a die hard paddler from the Tennessee Valley Canoe Club who was from the Valley Head area. Larry passed away a little over five years ago unexpectedly. He was one of the first to canoe the Nantahala in the 70's, as well as the Little River sections. In an open canoe, even the 350 cfs run we made was the extreme minimum.

A few clean rapids, most were bumpy at this level, and there is one solid class III about two miles down from the Powell trail - better to run it solo. To be honest we flipped it running it tandem. I ran it successfully solo, and then we survived a second tandem attempt, only to T-bone a rock at the lower end of the rapid. I wouldn't make this run it again unless I had 500 cfs or better. Absolutely outstanding scenery and water quality. We did not fish. I saw plenty of very large gar in the rapids above the mouth park. This is a good set of rapids and we figured it was best to leave the rods in the truck instead of watching them sink in the canyon. One day at low water, I want to go back and wade this beautiful spot.

Buffalo River 6/13-6/15/2005

2006-05-01T10:08:00.000-05:00

The Buffalo National River is a free-flowing, low gradient waterway that cuts through the heart of the Arkansas Ozark Mountains. This plateau-like range peaks at the headwaters of the Buffalo near Red Star and Fallsville at an elevation of 2,200 feet. The river begins as Class II+ seasonal whitewater stream above Pruitt, Arkansas. It then quickly settles to a class I-II float river, ideal for extended canoe camping. The distance from Boxley Bridge to Buffalo City is 131 river miles!

The best whitewater action is in the upper third of the river. The scenery is great throughout the river, especially in the middle third of the river from Pruitt to Gilbert. The lower Buffalo is extremely easy stretch with long pools, limited access, and dramatic bluffs. The entire stretch of the river is protected by the National Park Service, controlling over 100,000 acres. The Buffalo sees plenty of crowds on summertime weekends, especially on day trip sections. There numerous outfitters along each section of the river and theaccess points are easily accessible. If you like clear water, gravel bars, and wary smallmouth bass the Buffalo is the place for you...

Trip Report
Woolum to Gilbert

We loaded down the Toyota Camry in St. Francisville, LA. Emily, her brother Adam, and I began the long journey to the Arkansas Ozarks and the Buffalo National River. We camped the first night at Richland Creek out of the car. I caught a few smallies wading here near the campsite. We slept here and prepared for Day One on the river.

Arkansas was in the middle of a serious drought by the time we made our trip. River levels were an issue at 3.8' at St. Joe, closing all of the Upper River. We opted to drag a little bit of the section just below Woolum in order to have more privacy. And, we did indeed have to do some dragging, especially the inflatable kayak. We also had the section of the river to ourselves for the most part. I also chose a shorter overall trip for this three day, two night paddle. In 1996, I paddled a 47.5 miler from Pruitt to Gilbert with little effort, the level then was a brisk 7 feet.

The springs at Margaret White Bluff was a neat area at this level. The river went from being virtually devoid of fish, to a stream full of all species. The water was refreshingly cooler here. We camped the first night at the Slay Branch/Cemetary area. The site was level and large, but the view wasn't exactly spectacular. There were visible scars of the 2004 flood at our site, with washed out banks.

We made a short paddle on day two earning a very fine campsite at the rivers edges near Whisenant Bluff. We specifically camped 1/4 mile up river from a spot labeled the "hangover" on the Trails Illustrated map. The river was all ours here, with a nice smallmouth hole down below. We enjyed a nice class I shoal chuckling over the rocks right by the tent. The weather was outstanding, with overning lows near 60 and low humidity. We passed another outstanding looking campsite at Peter Cave Bluff. I found that laying your map out in a Seal Line Map Case made it very easy to track our progress down the Buffalo. A GPS also comes in handy. Other items you need are Seal Line Dry bags, a water tight 10 gallon bucket, and of course - lawn chairs.

Day Three on the river was a 12 mile paddle to the landing at Gilbert. The scenery on the stretch is absoutely outstanding. I jumped off the rock at 40 ft. high Smart Bluff. Make sure you go river right at Arnold Bend. We noticed a lot of new faces on the Buffalo begining near Bakers Ford. This is a day launch area. Even though there were lots of people on the river, it was still strikingly beautiful. The limestone bluffs are amazing.