Kayak Fishing on the Etowah
Local anglers reeled in some impressive catches at the Etowah River Open Kayak Fishing Competition on Saturday, March 16. From 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., fourteen anglers fished from the upper Etowah River to Lake Allatoona. The Etowah River is particularly significant to the Canton area and Cherokee community, as it winds through the heart of downtown Canton and is an ecosystem for many native species.
![](https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=234d916a12f39407baa9f646b1db7e60 320w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=9af03fb110add5e418950ef8cf07f3f4 540w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=b119c5ac041946b4264828040a7d8029 768w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=fbd67a02e9785e71774c1e98df17bf91 1024w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=6a8d45e9dd58200a0431428f274a4387 1200w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=fbb737fe39cb83c9078f3e1a1515db87 1440w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=535441ffcf9ec6e5d892887e74672622 1920w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=52caba1bdc68bc66f18589fc827af2a0 2560w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=5c5a28745c0bddc9be74554fb13f07b9 3840w)
Michael Murphy, founder of Murph’s Surf, a sponsor for the event, says, “Our events serve as a platform to showcase the unique beauty and biodiversity of the Etowah River, which is a crucial part of our community.”
He also discussed the business benefits of the Etowah River. “For several years, we have been organizing river trips, and this event is another exciting opportunity to highlight the river’s recreational potential. All our trips end at The Mill on Etowah, so 85 to 90 percent of our customers eat and shop in Canton when they are done.”
What a Catch
Anglers took photos of their fish and submitted them in the fishing app TourneyX.
Anglers ranked based on the total length of their five longest fish according to Travis Dockins, event organizer with Frazier & Deeter, whereas in a traditional fishing tournament, rank is determined by weight.
First place winner Craig Dye’s catches totaled 81.50 inches.
![](https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=85cefa186361aa83af98523d9bafc3a5 320w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=6a956c6289a0242c9ee9a715bb3bc858 540w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=e7f748085b9f9aaa767d55023110ddb5 768w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=8db5e0641465412d81c2ab5abe8bb5d7 1024w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=3d3951c170eabc5269575826f337c73a 1200w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=c7110a1d4c2c53cac8c0f584f18bb4a3 1440w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=00bbd252dfc13954cb41060cdf2791b4 1920w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=a468ca8f54167ef1bdee76da00239f89 2560w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=e3cf99161a46e6c0a2f729c3d7b01622 3840w)
With twelve years of kayak fishing experience, Craig knew what to expect from this competition.
“When we lived here in Atlanta I started fishing on the Chattahoochee River around Morgan Falls Dam,” Craig says. “My wife and I moved to Tennessee. That’s where I started fishing competitively in Nashville. I started fishing events all over the Southeast. It’s something I’ve always had a passion for. I grew up fishing in Louisiana. It’s something I’ve been doing for a long time, and it turned into something bigger than a hobby.”
This experience helped Craig learn the fish’s behaviors.
“When water gets muddy and high, fish go towards shallow water,” Craig says. “I did well in the tournament because I knew the water was muddy, and I knew the fish would be shallow.”
Craig also says his half-ounce Georgia Blade spinnerbait lure helped him reel in his winning bass.
While anglers had eight hours on the water, Craig won the tournament in just a few.
“I had to get off the water at noon because my son had a lacrosse game, so I actually didn’t fish for the last three hours of the tournament,” Craig says. “That made it a little more exciting for me, having to fish [fewer] hours than everybody else.”
Competitors paid into a prize pot, and the top 10 percent of winners received cash prizes. Craig took home a prize of $250.
Second and third place runners-up Andy Middleton and Rich Johnson’s totals clocked in at 76.25 and 69.5 inches, respectively.
![](https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=a890e3923c282e0a935e7857bfe943bf 320w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=eb6026e840dfd81393e571dbd36e2088 540w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=68ba2fc148cc98aac1fb5aa7497c691d 768w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=bf8c7209ec0faae6e39ebfa52d9038d0 1024w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=e5692adb563e6f1d72f4e6ed9ef9d76e 1200w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=643aecf0f3d603457d30bbb870a98c2b 1440w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=6c7772af10d4074bc21f359af811258a 1920w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=e6fab6384460810116ac0a1c48e90f31 2560w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/KAYAK-FISHING-AWARD-8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=a4e449409ad4fe1459c6edf2d3349d70 3840w)