Riff-Raft

Launching from Rush Landing, it sounds like you have the right plan on hand lining down your boat through the Clabber Creek rapids starting out so you don't damage your boat. I floated that section last year in a canoe while the water level was under 3 feet. I'm not familiar with the rock garden shoal that you speak of but the only other place I would recommend hand lining your boat is a small stretch of the river which I believe is past Elephant Head Rock... the river pools up and there is a slight downhill gradient to the right where the river flows and then it button hooks around to the left. I only know the spot when I see it because I wiped out there one summer in a canoe.

Good luck. You sure had a lot of nice pictures in your blog and I really liked the picture of the first smallmouth you have posted in your blog.

I would imagine that there are some big smallmouth and largemouth bass in that section of the Buffalo. I like how the river widens out on the lower end of the Buffalo. On that note I have seen some nice schools of big fish in the deep/long holes but they looked like river Red Horses. I managed to catch a nice sized largemouth on my 2013 trip in the extreme lower section of the Buffalo, the fish hit my lure as soon as it hit the water. It would be nice to float and camp the lower 24 miles of the Buffalo for a solid week which would give me a bit more time to see what lies at the bottom of those deep holes.

I've seen some large smallmouth in that stretch, just couldn't get them on the end of my line. Good luck on your expedition.

I've never fished that far up river but would like to someday.

Thanks, it's the first double hook-up that I've ever had. They both tied getting to the lure and it was a sight to see when they went airborne.

I was wondering if anyone has caught a smallmouth over 18 inches in the Lower 24 mile stretch of the Buffalo River from Rush Landing to the confluence of the White River. Has anyone landed a trophy fish? During my 2012 trip I caught a smallmouth that measured 16 3/4 inches and another one during the same trip that measured 16 inches. In 2013 my largest smallmouth was caught between Rush Landing and the White River confluence that measured 15 inches, simultaneously a 4-5 inch sunfish also went after my lure and I caught both fish with one cast. My catch of the year and both were released. During that same trip I know I seen one smallmouth that had to have been 18 inches or slightly larger.

I have caught some catfish in the Lower Buffalo region and they become very active near darkness and at night. I've caught channel catfish and a few flatheads and have seen some channels or blue cats well over 10lbs while paddling down river. I would recommend finding a good wide deep section to set up your camp which I think would increase your chances of catching a big cat and tight line fish with your bait on the bottom of the river. As far as baits go, night crawlers have worked well for me as well as live or dead bream which can be caught for bait during daylight hours using a fly rod with a popper, or the original worm and bobber.