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| Fishing |
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| Cahaba River: A Jewel In Birmingham’s Backyard |
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| By C.B. Crumpler |
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Originally published in the May 2012 issue of AON
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Chase Chandler, of Birmingham, makes a cast below the spillway near Acton Road in metro Birmingham.
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“Perhaps fishing is, for me, only an excuse to be near rivers” – Roderick Haig-Brown
Every so often I get an intense desire to be in a river, somewhere, somehow, fly fishing for some kind of fish... and by every so often I mean every day! For a good ol’ Alabama boy, that desire is sometimes met with a tinge of sadness with the realization I live in an area of the country where there is no coldwater trout fishing to speak of within 150 miles.
I have been fishing for most of my life starting at the ripe old age of 4 when my great grandfather took me to the beaver pond behind our family property in south Alabama. Cane poles and red worms were all it took back then for me to be thoroughly entertained, but it seems as I have gotten older there are more stringent requirements for me to enjoy my time outdoors. I do not understand why, but it is the case more often than not I want to be in a place that offers both scenic beauty as well as ample opportunity to bend the rod. This kind of “elitism” is something I have pondered and even struggled with the past couple of years. I often ask myself how it is that so many people, myself included, are so obsessed with the wonder and beauty of nature but are so reluctant to take advantage of the outdoor opportunities that are right outside their door.
One such opportunity I am specifically referring to in this instance is the Cahaba River, particularly the stretch that runs through the metro area of Birmingham. When I often tell people that I am “going fishing” on any given weekend, they naturally inquire as to the location I am fishing. When I tell them the Cahaba, they almost always respond, “The Cahaba! Are there actually fish in there?” This is the kind of misconception that exists regarding many rivers and streams around the country, and it is no different in the state of Alabama. I can tell you from years of personal experience; however, there are fish in there, and a lot of them, too! I can remember back to my childhood days when a group of friends and I would embark on long—and in retrospect dangerous—treks up and down the river just tempting it to surprise us at every turn.
The Cahaba River is a major tributary of the Alabama River and is Alabama’s longest free flowing river. The Cahaba is roughly 190 miles long. Heavy silt runoff and erosion have led to the misconception that the river is heavily polluted or deprived of aquatic life. In fact the opposite is true. In a recent study the Smithsonian Institute arrived at some interesting conclusions regarding the Cahaba, none of which are more telling than this statement: “Biologists have found that [the Cahaba] shelters more fish species per mile than any other river in the country.” A pretty astounding statement referencing a river that most seem to consider “trashy.”
One of the best things about the Cahaba is ease of access at several locations in and around the city of Birmingham and continuing on into the counties surrounding the Birmingham metro area. At almost any point during a trip through the streets of Birmingham, a visitor will have the opportunity to see the Cahaba several times as it meanders through the city and under numerous bridges.
In addition to ample fishing opportunities, there are also areas of the Cahaba that are prime for kayaking, canoeing and the occasional day-long tube float. Some of my fondest memories have come on those lazy, hot summer days when the only prescription for boredom and the ubiquitous heat is a cool river and two inner-tubes, one for yourself and one for your beverages. There are also many eye-catching scenes that can be observed on the Cahaba at any given time. During the spring and early summer, the bloom of the gracious Cahaba lily can be observed at several locations.
Although there are many access points available, there are a few that are more productive than others. Three access areas that are particularly accessible and fruitful are the Grants Mill, Old Overton Road and Alabama Small Boats areas and all are within 25 minutes of Birmingham proper. There’s a great interactive map online at <www.imrivers.com/cahaba> that’s part of the Cahaba River Society website. It includes access points and other information.
Perhaps the best access to experience the Cahaba for an entire day or weekend is the Cahaba WMA access near Centreville. The river at this access is quite a different animal than at many of the access sites upstream in and around the city. In the area around the WMA, wading is still feasible, but a boat will greatly improve the odds of success due to the width and speed of the river. A boat will allow an angler to access more areas that fish are holding in. Taking I-459 west toward Tuscaloosa will start you off in the right direction toward Cahaba WMA, with many signs pointing out the rest of the way.
Fishing the Cahaba is a proposition that is both challenging and rewarding. During certain times of the year, the Cahaba can struggle with high and stained flows due to the large number of feeder creeks that run into it as well as the high volume of runoff in urban areas as a result of development over the past several decades. Conversely, in the dry months of summer, the river can get quite low, which can be problematic as far as where to locate fish. If this is the case, focusing on deeper pools and long slow water can be a very productive way to combat the effects of low water levels and spooky fish. If one wishes to be prepared before embarking on a fishing trip to the Cahaba, discharge and gauge data can be found at <al.water.ugs.gov>. If the gauge height is greater than 10 percent of the mean gauge height at the location of data collection, consider taking a boat or maybe waiting until the water levels drop a bit.
The Cahaba is home to many species of gamefish, including largemouth, spotted and redeye bass. There are also many species of bream and catfish, and you’re apt to cross paths with a gar or carp as well. Areas that contain shoals and shallow-water riffles are the primary area of focus for a fisherman that wishes to wade fish, while deep slower-moving pools are accessible to fishermen with a canoe or kayak and offer plenty of opportunity to get into bigger bass and gar or carp.
The population of gar is a pleasant surprise on the Cahaba, and often these prehistoric-looking creatures can be caught using the old method of live bait or with a rope fly that gets snared in the gar’s mess of twisted teeth. Another species that is getting a lot of attention in the fly-fishing community is carp. These “golden bones” are especially fun to stalk in the Cahaba given their loud splashing in the shallows and their difficulty to catch on traditional fly gear. Starting in early spring and into the summer these fish will give a fly fisherman all of a fight that a freshwater fly rod can handle. The best way to go about catching one of these ugly beauties is to wait for them to begin feeding—the reddish glow of their dorsal above the water’s surface is a dead giveaway. Then lead them slightly with the fly presentation. Small weighted flies like wooly buggers or other bead-headed nymphs in sizes from 6 to 12 usually will do the trick.
Although carp and gar are a fun change of pace and a thrill to chase, the bread and butter of the Cahaba is its abundant bass population. Spots and largemouths are both native to the river and can be found in large numbers some places. Although bass are a commonly targeted gamefish for many Alabama fishermen, I suggest that the river fish found in the Cahaba are 10-fold stronger than their lake-dwelling counter parts. Simply having to hold against a current for one’s entire life would suggest these slabs of muscle are indeed a handful when fighting with a fly rod.
The best way to target bass is to find small drop-offs after shoals in the river and present your offering in an upstream fashion so the fly is in the strike zone as it falls off these shoals. In the warmer months of the year like April, May and June, popping bugs and other topwater terrestrial flies can make for some exciting surface strikes. In cooler months, the subsurface action with clouser minnows and EP fiber minnow patterns can be just as thrilling. In general, if water temperatures are above 70 degrees, throwing topwater flies can be very effective. If the water temperatures are colder, throw a subsurface fly. Crawfish are an ever-present food source for the gamefish in the Cahaba, and thus crawfish patterns are also very effective.
In most cases a 5 to 7 weight fly rod is more than sufficient to land the variety of species the Cahaba has to offer. A weight-forward floating fly line matched to the weight of the rod and reel is in general a great way to present a fly, but if the target species is in much deeper water, consider using a sink tip or sinking line.
Bream seem to always be biting on the Cahaba and can generally be fooled with any brightly colored topwater fly. Bream fishing in this way can be a great opportunity for young or inexperienced anglers to sink their teeth into the sport of fly fishing and can also provide a great amount of satisfaction for experienced fly anglers as well.
Overall, there is no wrong way to fish the Cahaba, and if you have ever fished other warm-water rivers, the tactics used there can more than likely be applied successfully on the Cahaba as well.
The Cahaba River brings to the table bountiful opportunity for sportsmen and outdoorsmen, and it’s easily accessible. If you want to enjoy some great river fishing in the heart of Alabama, then don’t be afraid to explore the Cahaba River. There are some good folks out there who can point you in the right direction as far as angling on the Cahaba, namely Rob Rodgers at Deep South Outfitters (205) 969-3868. The Cahaha River Society <www.cahabariversociety.org> has some great information on the river system on the organization’s website.
If you’re an out-of-town visitor, don’t be afraid to drop me an e-mail <reviveflyfishing@gmail.com>, and I will try to get you some relevant info.
If you are a Birmingham resident or native to this part of Alabama, then you might already know about this hidden jewel of a river and its fishing. If you didn’t, you do now. Get out there, and give the Cahaba a chance to surprise you.
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