Originally Posted by Nightwatchman
Originally Posted by poorcountrypreacher


We used to have 3 floats that we made - put in at Sprott and float to the old Fikes Ferry; put in at Fikes Ferry and float to Suttle; put in at Suttle and float to the old bridge just below Okmulgee creek. I'm not sure you can still get to the river at the last one, but the other 2 floats are still doable.

The river is much different in these floats than those already mentioned. It's below the fall line and has changed from rocks to sand and gravel, along with the somewhat unique soapstone.

We used to get soapstone rocks out of the river and on to the bank, then break them up with a screwdriver and pick out the willow grubs to use for bait. Just about every fish in the river would bite them. I've read accounts of people who snared redhorse suckers in the Cahaba, and they always explained that you couldn't catch one in a hook. They never tried fishing with willow grubs; I've caught a bunch of them. A 4 pound redhorse on a fresh cut rivercane pole is a lot of fun.


Okmulgee creek cuts our family land in half. One side is perry, one side is dallas county. I have always wanted to float from our place to Old Cahawba on the Alabama River. Never have though.


I always wanted to put a boat in the creek where 14 crosses it, and then float to the mouth of the creek and down the river to the old iron bridge. I never got the chance to do it, and now never will. The state shut down access to the creek, and I don't think you can access the Cahaba at the old bridge either. It's a shame to have such nice rivers and the public can't even get to them. We never floated Okmulgee, but we wade fished it a lot in the late summer and fall. I was going to try to wade fish it last fall, but they don't allow any access at the bridge.

I killed my first gobbler in 1966 about 300 yards above the mouth of Okmulgee on the Perry side. And I also caught my first walleye about a mile below the 14 bridge. I wonder if there are still any in the creek? I think that might be as far south as they have ever existed.

All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.