kevthebassman

Many thanks, I may do just that. I can cover some water if I have to but it's no fun passing up fishing holes in a rush.

I have booked my trip for the year, we are doing a long trip and camping two nights on the river. I have never floated the Jacks Fork, and I know that even if I had, it has changed quite a bit. The object was to find peace and quiet, and get some quality fishing in. Any help on what the fish are biting on, good spots to camp, and if I'm a crazy person for thinking that I can float 39 miles of this river in two and a half days would be much appreciated! Oh and if you should happen to see a couple in straw hats floating, give us a big wave and stop to socialize!

I booked a float from the prongs to Eminence, 39 miles with two nights on the river, hoping the fishing are biting!

How big of a party crowd does the James River draw? I can deal with some floaters but the huge party crowds are zero fun to me.

With all the crazy flooding I have been putting off booking my float until I have a better idea of which outfits are up and running and which river is in the best shape. We did the 11 point last year, booked through Brian Sloss who is always an excellent host. I was thinking about the Jack's Fork or Current this year, but I don't know what kind of shape the river will be in by the weekend of June 10th. I could be talked into floating the upper 11 point above Greer if the smallmouth bite was hot. Looking to do a two day float with an overnight camp on the river if possible, and trout or smallmouth to chase are a must. Like to avoid the party crowds as much as possible but I know that I don't own the river.

You're a scholar and a gentleman Brian.

Many thanks for the replies gentlemen. I will be sure to have a full report when I get back.

I will be floating June 10th through the 12th, Greer to Riverton. I've been following the river level closely and praying for an end to the rain. The only other time I have been to the eleven point was in November, several years ago. The river was nearly deserted, and my brother has I had no company in either of the float camps we stayed at. I am coming back knowing that we're unlikely to have that same level of solitude, but my girlfriend and I are hoping to have a nice, quiet, relaxing trip. Can anyone give me some insight as to what to expect in the float camps? Should I plan to stop early to get a decent spot upwind of the smelly, huddled masses? Is camping permitted outside of the float camps? I'm also thinking it's safe to assume that the paddling will be significantly more exciting, with the river the way it is now versus a trip in November. Not necessarily a problem, I can paddle competently and know enough about my own limitations to actually wear my pfd and get out of the boat and check a rapid from the bank before I run it. I'm outfitting through Brian, but I don't recall if he sold flies in his shop or not. I plan on bringing my fly rod but I know that the river calls for different flies from what I usually fish.

Are the river camps usually full up? We're planning to be down there too, fly rods and guns in the boat to take advantage of all the area has to offer.

I liked you on facebook and gave you a good write-up on your google page after (I believe it was) Megan from your place emailed me for feedback. Our stay at your place was incredible, by the way.

My brother and I are getting into froggin, we floated the Meramec for them between the palisades and allenton, with some success but the float is too long, low, and slow. Brother went to the Catawissa pits and said the place is cleaned out, so we're looking for some place to go without having to do a full float. All we've got is a canoe. Not so much wanting people's secret spot as just some suggestions on alternate accesses or maybe spots we haven't thought of hitting that are fairly close to St. Louis, Jefferson or Franklin counties.

Does anybody make a canoe out of that stuff?

Wow! That's some extreme boating there, to be sure. They're lucky they didn't kill anybody. That kind of behavior is generally a self correcting problem, they'll trash their boat, or wind up dead or in prison, before too long.

If you don't count little trips to the subdivision ponds around town, I'd say probably ten trips.

Justin, like Al and a few others have said, I don't see how it could hurt business to tack a couple of extra bucks onto a rental. People pay more for a pack of smokes than I'd ever ask them to pay to float the rivers. You yourself have said that you don't allow that kind of wild debauchery to take place in on your campground, and you do it to keep the place family friendly, and your bottom line is why you do that. It's all well and good to have a family friendly campground, but if your family friendly campground serves a river full of wild drunken debauchery as seen on the Meramec and other rivers close to St. Louis, the families are still going to stay away.