H20 Dawg

Ah. Looks to be about just south of the horse ranch then. Thank you gentlemen for your help!

All, first time on the BP. I have tried to pin down the location of 6 crossings, but none of the mileages I am looking at add up on Google maps vs the paddle guides or outfitters maps. I have an idea close to where it might be, but cannot for the life of me find out the exact location of 6 crossings. I am planning on doing an Sat-Sun float from Slabtown to Ross, and would like to camp before hitting 6 crossings Sat night. Can someone show me on the map below where it is? Much appreciated!

Well I know the lodge is still taking reservations that weekend! Never been to Montauk in November, but I typically fish below the park anyway when I do go. Thanks for the clarification gentlemen. Tight lines.

Thanks for the quick reply. Duly noted. No limits downstream of the trout park on the Current, though?

So I poked around a little bit on here and the web, but couldn't find a quick answer, am I reading this correct, there is no fishing allowed November 1-10 this year at the park? March 1 - October 31 Daily limit: 4 of all species combined. You must stop fishing after have 4 trout in your possession. November 10, 2017 - February 12, 2018 Trout fishing is allowed from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Fridays through Mondays. Catch and release fishing only Allowed lures: flies only

Mark, From Buck Hollow down to Bay Creek didn't have anything an intermediate canoer on Ozark rivers couldn't handle. Its the usual root-wads, boulders, and sweepers, some just have shifted after the flooding. If you haven't been on it yet since last year's floods, then situations and locations of hazards might be a little different. I personally walked our loaded canoe through 4 spots that I didn't like the look of going into, but that was more caution on my part in deference to the 34 degree nights we had while on our float. The thought of getting some of our gear as well as ourselves wet when temperatures get that low is not appealing. Personally, I would have rather had around 150 CFS or a little more to run that section again. We go pretty light, but there just was not quite enough water for optimal floating with that set-up, IMO.

Well guys, it was pretty tough on the Jacks Fork this weekend fishing-wise. The winds made it all but impossible to travel downriver in a canoe loaded with gear for 2 people and a dog for 3 days and expect to fish much unless riding all day in the bow of the boat, which I unfortunately was not. There were a few smallies and google-eye to be seen. After talking with one of the locals at the site of a former deep hole that is now filled with gravel, he indicated that the flooding this past winter had filled in a lot of formerly productive areas full of gravel. There were a few good holes to be sure, but you could tell the river had dramatically changed recently with brush and new additions/subtractions to gravel bars. We did, however, have the luxury of being the only campers on the bar across from Jam Up Cave on Friday night and Chalk Bluff on Saturday. I can not believe how low the river is for this time of year. 115 CFS when we were on it. Had to drag in a few places and water was gin-clear. I only saw a couple of spawning beds all weekend, so I suppose they are just starting to spawn. I am sure I could have fished it hard and pulled up a few had I been on a shorter float and devoted the time needed to properly fish each run and hole. However, as I noted earlier, with the dogwoods and redbuds blooming, and the trees still not leafed out, the scenery was absolutely spectacular. I saw many rock formations, bluffs, and caves that would have gone unseen in another month once the trees are leafed out. Fishing aside, it was a beautiful spring float on an Ozark river.

Thanks everyone for your advice! It looks like it might be pretty challenging this weekend with the river running a bit low, and I'm assuming clear, for early spring, IMO. It looks to be relatively rain-free most of the weekend, though, which is great. Its really a crapshoot to be picking a date less than a week out around planned around spring weather in the Midwest. It appears that the wind will be around 20 mph for Friday and Sunday. Hopefully it doesn't knock around the canoe too badly. I was expecting the river to be up at least a bit from the thunderstorms that moved through down there yesterday, but the gauge barely budged. It being a relatively dry spring so far, the rain they did get must have soaked right in. The storms did bump the water temperature down a bit, but I think it might rebound pretty quickly after a couple of sunny days. At the very least, I get be on an Ozark river while the redbuds and dogwoods are blooming surrounded by great scenery. Will do a write-up post trip. Have a great weekend!

I am floating Buck Hollow to Bay Creek next weekend, and was wondering what kinds of lures to use? Looks like water temps are getting close to 60, and am wondering if they are still in the holes...Deep diving crankbaits to locate quickly, and then hitting with plastics is what I was planning. Too early for topwaters? Starting to move into shallower areas yet? Shallow running crankbaits? Spinners? Jerkbaits? Never been on the Jacks this time of year and any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Great to hear. I will be fishing that area for the first time ever Sunday on my way back from Arkansas after Christmas. I have always wanted to fish the Niangua trophy section, if the flows aren't crazy high. Offhand, does the spring rise much slower than the river after a big rain? I know many spring branches that can be fished a couple of days after a huge rain until they start to get huge cfs flow and murky. Just wanted to at least get my line wet if the river is blown out if I am stopping anyway......... Thanks for the tip!

Guys, thanks for all your info. We has a bit of rain the morning we got down there, I was hoping it would just knock the clarity down a bit.......and no luck. I had been so dry that the ground just soaked it up. Water was gin clear. Threw a few casts in at fishy-looking spots, but mainly was down to look at the colors, springs, and wildlife. I saw Welch, Pulltite, Cave, Round, Blue and Alley Springs in 2 days. Wildlife included a pair of ospreys and the usual eagle in the stretch we did. I had never been on this stretch of the Current River before. Probably 20 people were canoeing this section all day. I cannot even begin to imagine what it looks like on a summer weekend based on the size of the campgrounds, canoe liveries, and cabins we passed, and don't intend to find out any time soon. Colors were spectacular, and overall had a superb time taking all the natural beauty the area has to offer. Only time I broke a sweat was paddling upriver back to Pulltite access after going down to Pulltite spring. I hope to devote more time to fishing on our spring float on the upper Jacks Fork in April or so. I have never been on that stretch either. Looking forward to it!

I was going to try and do Cedargrove to Pulltite in a day. Am I biting off more than I can chew? The more I read the more I am leaning towards Akers to Pulltite for a good day float. We really wanted to see Welch Spring and old Hospital ruins, but might just hike in on Sunday or Friday instead. We are primarily going for the fall colors, but I can't be on water and not fish. I have heard the trout water thins out, and the smallies just start to pick up in this stretch, so that this is a kind of in-between and not great fishing-wise water. Does anyone have recommendations for spinning tackle and tactics on this stretch in a couple weeks? Thanks!

I agree, while some of us, including myself, might feel that these proposed additional regulations and expanded areas do not go far enough, we need to express support for them collectively to the MDC. Believe me, they are going to get a LOT of local feedback at some of the open houses located out state that will be vehemently against any new additions/regulations, especially the proposed new areas on the Current/Jacks Fork Rivers. The more of us that generally express a clear, concise voice in favor of these regs will generally, I feel, be more powerful than multiple tiresome suggestions and additions the MDC staff will have to wade through and compile. I know personally, I had a 2 page response to the MDC comments sections ready to be fired off, but have significantly chopped it down after reading others comments and thinking more about it. On a side note, the only time I have ever been checked for a fishing license after a decade in Missouri, is, and I am dead serious, at the Carondelet Park Boathouse Lake in the south side of St. Louis City. Can't make that up.

Floated from Greer to Riverton Sat 8/29- Sun 8/30. River running slightly high, as I understand has been all summer. I found it easier running it at @ 700cfs than the norm for this time of the year @ 500cfs. You will still have to paddle the pools obviously. Clarity was slightly dingy, but it rained Sat A.M. Cold and soaked all morning. Kept the float/jetboat traffic down a little I imagine. However, the fishing was fantastic and kept the spirits up. Seemed like every other cast landed a respectable trout above 15 in. including this 21 in. bruiser pictured. Leisurely float with the gf, so didn't hit every sweet spot hard on the way down. I imagine I could have caught and released nearly dozens all weekend had I fished it hard. Every single fisherman I talked to remarked how great the fishing was. Spin-casted with Rebel Wee Craw in stream pattern modified with single hooks/barbless. Didn't change lures once. Released all fish. Picked up a lot of other people's trash on the gravel bar we camped at overnight. Disappointing to see some folks not cleaning up after themselves. However, overall great time. Hadn't been on the Eleven Point in 9 years. Good to be back.

I finally joined after reading this forum for a few years now. Time to give instead of take. It is great to be on this forum and see the dedication and knowledge that fellow anglers have for our beautiful Ozark rivers and lakes. Hope to get out soon once the rivers get back down, which might not be until August............. Good fishing everyone!