Photo by Mike GilesKathy Giles enjoys kayaking in her Ascend Kayak on Okatibbee lake. 

Carefully navigating the steep, slippery bank I maneuvered to the safety of the solid rock shoal and cast a spinnerbait slightly upstream in the murky river water.

Wham! A bass smashed my lure and almost tore the road from my hands. I held on for dear life and fought the lunker bass with all my might. A few minutes later I landed my first Chunky River bass. But something was very strange about this diminutive bass. He fought wildly, much like a 4-pounder, but he was only average size, but the strangest thing was that he had RED EYES! I’d never seen nor heard of such as that.

Rounding the bend, I nailed yet another Kentucky Redeye spotted bass and started hollering for my buddies. I was sure that this was a monster bass. But this one was almost a twin of the first redeye bass and taught me a lesson in their ferocity.

Those two Kentucky redeyes were caught some 40 plus years ago while I was on a Boy Scout outing with my Scoutmaster Blanks Jones at Leon Jones camp on the Chunky. Several of my buddies were camping there with us and it was quite a trip.

The memories came flooding back when we rounded the bend and I spotted the bend of the river and the spot where I caught those strange looking bass.

Memorial Day Fun

If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to have some fun this weekend, then head to the Chunky River and get outdoors.

You don’t have to go too far to have a great time kayaking, fishing or just playing in the water. The Chunky River is close to home and makes for an exciting adventure almost anytime. My bride and I ventured forth to the metropolis of Chunky a while back and enjoyed a daring kayak adventure. Along the way we encountered a few snakes, hawks, cool water and made plenty of good memories with a few reminders from yesteryears!

The folks at Chunky River Canoe and Kayak dropped a couple of kayaks off for us and we quickly launched the yaks. We paused a moment for a couple of photos of an old metal bridge that was state of the art at one time but relegated as a monument from the past now.

The Chunky River is full of legend and lore and many vintage landmarks of bygone days, some of which are obvious, and others passed down from generation to generation.

We’d only gone a short way when a pair of hawks sounded off in the treetops over the river. Their piercing calls served as a wake-up call to all rodents, birds and small prey, but they were music to our ears, alerting us to their presence in time for us to spot them swooping over the river.

The great thing about floating the Chunky is that you never know what you will encounter around the next bend. You can have a leisurely float and take your time, or you can make a race out of it. As it was, we took our time and we made the 7-Mile bend in about 3 hours.

Rounding one bend we saw a family group of kayakers navigating the shoals.

Cool waters

We continued to another shoal’s area, just below Redeye Bend, and stopped to take a dip in the cool, swift water flowing over the rocky shoals. Recent thunderstorms had the river up a bit and it was refreshing to say the least.

We floated the shoals with our life jackets on and enjoyed the leisurely pace while another family watched from a nearby sandbar as they took a lunch break.

The Chunky River is home to all manner of wildlife and is full of big catfish and a few redeye spotted bass too. Stuckey Bridge is an historic place further down river that is a legendary place with many riveting stories from bygone times.

If you want to shift gears and enjoy a little rest and relaxation this weekend then you might want to spend a few hours on the Chunky River, away from the hustle and bustle of civilization. While there is limited access to the river now, there are some local outfitters who can supply kayaks and canoes and put you in and pick you up.

Chunky River Canoe and Kayak and Dusty Jones can provide everything you need to enjoy a day on the river in a canoe or kayak. Contact Dusty at 601-527-6462, or on Facebook at Chunky River Kayak and Canoe Rentals LLC.

Contact, Wayne Smith or Peter Russell at Chunky River Recreation Trading Post for canoe and kayaks and camping opportunities 601-480-3045.

Call Mike Giles at 601-917-3898 or email mikegiles18@comast.net.