Cahaba River Fishing Spot

• Elevation: 940'
• Last Modified By: vinny60 on 08/29/09 11:34 PM
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The Cahaba River is a major tributary of the Alabama River and part of the larger Mobile River Basin. It is 191 miles (307 km) long and drains an area of 1,870 square miles (4846 km²).
It is the longest free-flowing river in Alabama and has a wide diversity of plants and fishes due to the variety of its physical habitats and ecology. Flowing through the Birmingham area in the heart of Alabama, the river attracts many canoeists and kayakers. The Cahaba River also offers recreational opportunities in the form of fishing, rafting and bird watching for many outdoor enthusiasts.

One hundred thirty-five fish species are known to occur in the Cahaba River and its tributaries. Several rare fish found in the Cahaba River have been assigned special conservation status. This group includes the Alabama sturgeon, Cahaba shiner, crystal darter, freckled darter, goldline darter, and frecklebelly madtom. In addition to rare fish species, the Cahaba River supports many popular native sport fish species such as largemouth bass and spotted bass, bluegill, long ear sunfish, crappie, chain pickerel, and many others. There are two sub-species of spotted bass, and the spotted bass in the Cahaba River are called Alabama spotted bass. Alabama spotted bass grow much larger than their northern cousin does. Channel catfish, flat head catfish, and blue catfish are among the most popular non-game fish caught in the Cahaba River.

The Cahaba River is the longest free-flowing river in Alabama and is among the most scenic and biologically diverse rivers in the United States. The Cahaba River is a major tributary of the Alabama River and part of the larger Mobile River Basin. It is 191 miles (307 km) long and drains an area of 1,870 square miles (4,800 km2).