With the cost of everything going sky high many people have decided to spend their vacation closer to home. Some of them have actually found out they can have fun on a very small budget. The four east central counties of Talladega, Clay, Coosa and Tallapoosa have dozens of creeks just waiting for someone to enjoy them.
Fishing opportunities are excellent with a wide variety of fish just waiting to bite a hook. Some of these fish, such as the redeye bass, can only be caught in small, fast-moving creeks and streams. These fish may not be very large, but they are a challenge to catch. Look for them around rapids and waterfalls.
Another advantage to creek fishing would be the large trees that hang over the creek making much of the creek shady and cool. With a little research you can find large sandbars on most creeks. These are good places for swimming or just basking in the sun. There is a sandbar that you can drive your vehicle to on Hatchet Creek near the double bridges. Actually there is only one bridge there, so I don’t know how it got that name.
There is another sandbar on Hillabee Creek just out from Alex City that you can drive to as well.
Wade fishing is lots of fun. All you need is a small tackle pack with just a few basic things like your favorite fishing lures, needle nose pliers, a few jigs and worms and a couple of bottles of drinking water.
Wear an old pair of sneakers and watch for slippery rocks. You might be surprised at how big some of the bass get in these creeks. Live earthworms freshly dug from the creek bank and fished with a small weight might catch anything.
Fishing from a canoe, kayak or flat-bottom boat would allow you to carry more tackle, food and water as well as travel a longer distance. It also requires a prearranged put-in and take-out place.
If someone tells you the trip you have planned will take about four hours, they are probably talking about straight through. If you stop and fish along the way it could take as much as eight to 10 hours, in which case you might need a flashlight or two.
I do not recommend night fishing in a creek. Believe me, the fun stops when the sun goes down. Try to be at your take-out place well before dark.
Creek fishing is loads of fun, but you need to be in fairly good physical shape to do it. Slippery rocks can cause serious injury. Anything you wish to keep dry, like a cell phone (which may not work on the creek anyway), billfold, matches, food items, etc. should be sealed in a resealable plastic bag. Insect repellant and sunscreen should also be included. A dry change of clothes and shoes kept in a larger plastic bag might feel pretty good on the trip back home.
If a vacation to the coast is just a little too costly this year, try several inexpensive mini-vacations on the creek just down the road.
