The Kayak Kid

I'll be interested to hear how your experience with Wilderness Ridge goes, Casey. I'd like to have another option for that "lower" stretch. I used RLR a few years ago...sketchy, at best. Ever since then, I've used Boiling Springs upstream, and couldn't be happier. Very nice couple there - always accommodating. joeD is right, there is productive water above 6x. Caught a 3+lb'r above Slabtown last year, and plenty of nice ones above/below during other trips. Good water throughout. From my trips on the BP, I have definitely learned to trim back my mileage for 2-3 day floats. Some of those "lakes" will wear out an Olympic athlete! Best of luck!

Anyone live near the Hwy K bridge? Willing to give a fellow smallie angler a quick ride for a few bucks? I'll be doing my 4-mile kayak-fishing day trip a few times this year, and I finish up at the K Bridge. Google Earth tells me it's a 7-mile walk (or 3-mile walk-plus-descent off bluff) back to my property/put-in/vehicle - after which I drive to pick up my yak. Part of me says this would be good exercise, and a way to feel self-sufficient. The other part says these 2 hours would be better spent working that last hole that promises a feisty 16-incher. Sometimes I schedule this far in advance, other times I just decide work stinks, and I head out the next day. If anyone is interested, I would be happy to return the favor via another shuttle, cold Budweiser from my Necky Manitou dry hatch, or a few greenbacks to buy your next Rebel Crawdad. NB Arnold, MO

Thanks Daryk - much appreciated. Glad I'm not going crazy. Yes - good info, indeed.

Glad to hear, Greasy. Ditto - a privilege I have and always will treasure. Kills me when I float by a fire ring (what's the point anyway?!) from someone's previous canoe-camping trip. My 5-yr old knows better. Keep building memories, Greasy.

Thanks Jerry. Yeah, I was kind of thinking the same thing. Something to monitor as we go through summer, I suppose. Hey, different topic - help me, because I hope I'm not going crazy....I was at work last week on another computer (not logged on; just a guest) and read some recent Black River topics/threads. Now they are gone. Nowhere to be found. They were from the last few months (spring 2012). Am I just water-logged?!

Anybody think the Black (specifically, the stretch between Cave Spring and the K Bridge) has more brown algae than normal right now? Noticed a lot of the stuff this past weekend. Not sure if I am identifying it correctly. Just seems like I didn't notice it the last couple years. Maybe it's just because the river was relatively low (dry lately) when I was there. Just curious if anyone has made this observation.

burninworm - Did you already do your float? I can echo Al on this one - a trip from Lesterville to K Bridge is a nice 2-day trip. 12-14 miles, as I can recall. I am one of the property owners near the pavilion (about 4 miles upstream from K Bridge), and I certainly do not mind you guys overnighting on our gravel bar. In fact, there is an island just a couple hundred feet downstream from the pavilion that is nice for camping. I've used it a couple times. Or, just downstream there are a few large gravel bars. Private property, but I've never heard of problems. Ran into a couple guys setting up camp this past Saturday night - wasn't you, by chance? Had a nice conversation with these guys. I was wade fishing with the kids. Anyway, happy to help. I live in Arnold, but I'm down there 2-3 times each month. Thanks for being "conservation-minded"....music to my ears!

Just turned 5. Still working on setting the hook consistently. Does use a spinning reel and knows the difference between his jig bouncing off the bottom, and getting a strike. Now...if I can just get the girl into some smallies next summer...she might get hooked, too.

Thanks. Hey, that's one heckuva yak in your thumbnail photo. Wood strips?

Thanks! Probably the latest-in-the-year smallie I've caught. Ever catch any in December? I've tried a couple times...with no luck.

Two thumbs up for Mast Portable Buildings. Anyone else know these folks? I went through a dealer (Shed-Spot, right off I-44 in Sullivan), and so did my brother. We each ordered cabins, with lofts. After a few years of considering my options for putting a cabin on my property, I am glad I found these guys. Very high quality, excellent customer service. Great little weekend cabins or you can go custom, and they will build one as big as you want. Prices seem quite reasonable. Just visited my brother's cabin yesterday. Nice and level, they dropped it right onto his gravel pad. Arrived on a trailer, they slide it off and use a Mule to move it around. I get mine...as soon as my dirt/gravel guy is done preparing the site (I wish he would hurry up!). Anyway, just wanted to mention this to folks who are considering a cabin. The people at Mast and Shed-Spot are very easy to work with. Responsive, and friendly. Plenty of photos on their websites, especially Mast's website. PM me if you have any questions...

Floated from Boiling Springs to Slabtown over the first weekend in November. Took the boy, so he could conquer another river in his kayak. Camped 2 nights on the river. The second night, we were hoping to camp where Paddy Creek enters the river. Lo and behold, the only humans we saw the whole weekend....were sitting right there. Turned out to be a blessing, as a large gravel bar was just downstream, but far enough to be out of site (and sound). The folks at Boiling Springs are great. Not the first time they have taken care of us. Curious if anyone has been fishing this stretch. I've caught plenty of nice fish here in the past. Of course, I had to manage my expectations for a November float-fishing trip. Fished all the usual fishy holes, no luck. Not even a bite. Temps were up, too. Windy, but warmer than par. Well, we stopped at a small gravel bar to simply eat a snack and let the boy get out. Casted to a spot I normally would ignore (middle of river, basically). Ended up with the only fish of the whole weekend...a 18+ incher that was nice and fat. Probably a good 3 lb's. Thank goodness the boy had been practicing his camera skills lately. Great overall stretch of river, but wow, can it be slow. I call one stretch "Lake Geneva". Even though I've paddled this stretch before, I seem to always forget how long some of the pools are! One of the guys who shuttled my vehicle commented that folks have been saying the middle of the river has been more productive, than the usual holes. Interesting, I thought. Or maybe I should expect this pattern of behavior in late Fall...? Anyway, here are a few pics. Had a bald eagle fly very close to us. http://www.flickr.com/photos/69582903@N04/ Flickr Photos

Curious how other folks display the flag while fishing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking? A few years ago, a friend of mine started taking a flag on our multiple-day float fishing trips. I now take a flag and attach it to the back of my kayak or canoe. Several ways to do this, of course. I buy a 3-pack of small flags, on sticks, at Walmart. The stick is easy to slide in between my gear, cooler, bungees, etc. Default method is, what else, duct tape. Always feels good to display the flag while experiencing one of our beautiful streams. Just makes you appreciate those who have made sacrifices so we can enjoy the great, yet simple, things in life.

jdmidwest is spot on. Delorme's Missouri Gazetteer is invaluable. Never leaves my vehicle. I'm convinced you could drop a 50ft stretch of gravel, and they would show it on the map the following year. Regarding the temps, I can tell you my best day of smallie fishing came during the first weekend of November a few years ago. Just get used to monitoring the water temps/air temps/river level. If you can catch the right combination in late Fall, you can walk into a feeding frenzy. For instance, a rather wet October might have them duck and cover for a while, but a subsequent warm-up and declining river level often brings them out to play "catch-up". Sounds like you're finding some good places. Have you considered the drive over to the Eleven Point? Probably about 1hr 45min for you....maybe a bit less. The stretch from Cane Bluff to Greer can be very productive. Doesn't get much pressure, since most folks prefer to put in at Greer. Good luck on the solo canoe purchase. My buddy has a Mad River Legend (15ft)...absolutely loves it. I know he's done some cool things to customize it for fishing, too. Cheers!

Positive. Caught enough redeyes to recognize them, even when they're in the water. That's why I'm so darn curious. The ones I saw were close to the canoe, that I got a good look at them. Didn't see any color, 'cept black.

No, not exactly family-friendly. This was at night (for whatever reason, we chose to make camp right around that big gravel bar at 6X). I believe it was our first BP trip...I doubt we realized it was an actual put-in. This was several years ago. Let's just say we had unexpected guests visit our campfire...and one (let's call her Tonya) was rather outgoing. I'll always remember one of my buddies (new to the multi-day canoe camping trips) asking "Does this stuff always happen?" No, never ever, I said. We usually just catch fish, drink beer, and tell stories. Well, ever since that trip, we've had another good story to tell.

I would also recommend camping above 6X. Of course, ask me (or GloryDaze) sometime about our close encounter with some locals, at 6X. Crazy. Anyway, you will find the fishing above 6X equally productive or better (better, from my personal experience) than below. I've put in at several points upstream , including Mason Bridge and Boiling Springs, and stayed quite busy with smallies and goggle-eyes. Something to consider (pretty sure you'd have enough water, but you could double-check with Rich's LR)...there is a great little camping spot where Paddy Creek meets the river. A few boulders underneath create a nice rapid...we've caught several nice smallies here. As you know, the rapids are few and far between on the Big Piney (rowing, anyone?). Of course, you really have to move slow the next morning...because Slabtown comes quick. The other guys are right...6X is definitely past the "half-way" mark between Slabtown and Ross. Also, your chances of seeing river clowns increase significantly...compared to above 6X.

Sounds like a great trip! Congrats to Dan, especially, on his 19-incher. That's a really nice smallie. How many miles past Two Rivers did you float? Encounter many jet boats? I've always taken out at Two Rivers on my trips, so I'm curious. Ever done the Jack's Fork above Buck Hollow? Bay Creek? I know you probably didn't have enough water this time. As you may know, the upper section is absolutely gorgeous, and primitive. Very productive fishing holes, especially ones like Gar Hole. Several fun rapids in this stretch, to keep things interesting. Cool section we have named "Chainsaw Jungle" (always a nice little surprise for the new guy). I use to go all the way to Alley, but now I cut out the 5 or so miles between Bay Creek and Alley. Prongs to Bay Creek is a really nice 3-day trip. If you ever want help interpreting the Mountain View USGS gauge, just holler. Me and my buddies have done the Upper stretch at various levels...low, high, and in-between. Cheers!

Anybody familiar with the section below the Highway K Bridge? Specifically, the fishing, gravel bars, paddling? All of my fishing/paddling trips have been above K Bridge. Curious about... *Put-in/take-out around CC (32.2) Any issues/challenges? *Take-outs after CC, but before Clearwater? *Water - any less clear than upstream sections? (which, as you know, is absolutely gin clear) *Gravel bars/camping - potential to overnight in this section? Friendly/not-so-friendly landowners? Gravel bars just as abundant as upstream (which are sometimes gravel "fields"). *Overall fishing - good amount of holes? Other species mixing in near start of Clearwater?

I hear ya. Was a bit surprised myself, but certainly not going to say anything once they were locked and loaded. Great service, overall. My preference is always a Discovery, Buffalo, etc. Actually, would have been a perfect day to have the yaks out (Necky Manitou...son has a Jackson Tripper), but with all the strainers, figured I just give him bow duty for the day. I'll probably repeat this trip (or put in at Wesco) in the Spring. Seemed fishy all the way. The short drive is tempting, but I'll gladly spend the time/gas to hit the Upper Jacks, Eleven Point, etc any day.

Thanks, Al. On another note, I noticed several all-black fish (small...4-5 inches) while paddling. Thought I'd seen every species in Ozark streams, but quite frankly, I'm stumped. Didn't seem to have a carp profile at all. Any idea what I could have been seeing? Always amazed at the aquatic diversity of streams like the Meramec, Big, etc.

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Decided to put in at Cedar Ford, and float to Woodson K Woods. Great service from Green's Canoe Rental. Skip and Frank were quite helpful. I told them I didn't mind dragging; had a hunch the smallie action would be good in this shallow stretch. Can't be much fishing pressure on it these days. Shoved off by 8am. Started off slow, but started to find some productive holes halfway through the trip. Hooked plenty of fish. No real biggies...a nice 15-incher put up quite a fight. My boy got a kick out of a Kentucky we caught. Eakins Jig + craw/trailer did most of the work on this trip. Definitely could have used the wife's GPS watch on this trip. Paddled hard the last couple miles, and passed up a few nice holes. Plenty of fun, but Dad was happy to hear cars on the Hwy 8 bridge. We definitely took our time in the first 4-5 miles. Just enough water. Dragged several times, and 1 decent portage (outfitter warned of a spot that doesn't see a chainsaw). Overall, well worth the effort. Steelville gauge was at 1.66/230 or so...probably wouldn't do this stretch any lower at all. Saw several whitetail crossing the river, near the portage area. The guys at Green's said to come back after some rain, and try the few miles below Wesco. Sounds like sound excellent potential up there. Might also try wade-fishing above and below WKW access. Looked decent around there...plenty of fallen timber just above the access, and I bet the section just downstream from the access gives up some smallies.

Yep. Thanks for the reminder, stlfisher.

I hear ya. I'm taking my boy with me, so worst-case scenario, we have fun swimming and canoeing. But I'll be grumpy if I don't at least catch a couple nice ones. I know a guy who swears by the stretch around Birds Nest. He has caught some heavies around there, and has always encouraged me to check it out.

Thanks Gavin. Planning on grabbing a couple inline spinners, an extra countdown minnow, and experimenting with a Rogue. Thanks again for the rec's. Might decide to do another stretch, after I meet up with the outfitter in the morning.