Etowah River Paddle | Euharlee to 411

With my Texas family in town again for Christmas, we deemed it a good idea to spend some time paddling on the river while they were here.

Now what's that you're saying? That the end of December is not really the best time of the year for paddling? And that there are much more comfortable ways to spend a cold afternoon? Well, you are not wrong, but I kept remembering American Grouch's recent post and then I'd feel a little warmer by comparison. I mean, it never really gets cold cold here in north Georgia, and it's all a matter of degrees! By now, we have a tradition of activities that are inappropriate to the season that is a running joke at this point. Besides, when you live so far away, you have to do what you enjoy when the chance presents itself.

We started off at the same spot as I put in a few weeks ago, with the exact same route in mind. I did pay quite a bit closer attention this time around to the relevant USGS discharge rates and we were fortunate to be on the water when there was a much lower flow than my own trip previous. The river looked a bit different with less water in it, and the trip wasn't as hurried either. We floated/paddled from around 9am to 2pm, and took our time to be sure. We fished like crazy, but only managed one small striper between us. I guess the cold, or the light rain, or our fishing techniques just weren't paying off today

Here's a good one of Dad. He'd sputter at the chosen photo, but this one displays a bit of my dad's true personality with it - smiling around a swimbait he's holding quite carefully. Much of the fun loving oddity of my family has come down to us from him.

The other two companions on this trip were my two younger brothers, and man will those guys go to great lengths to save a lure!

Near the spot where the eagles were hanging out a few weeks ago, there are some interesting cliffs with a couple small caves in them.

With the water level down, there was a bit more paddling this time, but it's still a great river for a relaxing float. Should you find yourself wanting to do the same trip, you should talk to Ron Thomas. He's the owner of Euharlee Creek Outfitters. He rents paddlecraft and offers shuttle services on a couple different stretches of this river. You can reach him at 770-655-3111.

Finally, after a few hours, the sun broke through and it was warm, pleasant weather for the rest of the trip.

Here's a parting shot of the last island (the actual island name escapes me) as we headed to the takeout spot.