Seth Clarkson

A couple of guys from work and I are going to put in at Delaware and float down to Hootentown on Friday. I have floated Shelvin to Hootentown, but haven't done the section from Delaware to Shelvin. Is there anything we need to know about that stretch especially with the water moving quickly? I have read a couple posts that say to keep left at the splits in the river, but any other potential safety concerns or obstacles to look out for would be appreciated. Also any lure suggestions to use through that stretch while the water is moving fast, or certain areas we should try to pull up to the bank and fish from would be awesome. I know its a long float, but we figure with the water moving fast it will not take anywhere near as long and we may not be able to fish certain sections anyway. Thanks

Planning a trip on Friday and wanting to do a section that might have more slack water or Eddies. I floated Kerr to Galena last year on a day where the cfs read 1,200 at the Galena marker and it was what I would consider fairly tough to fish and sped through long stretches without really fishing. Today I see it's reading just over 1,000 but with all the rain coming in I expect it to go up a lot and maybe slow down to around the 1,200 mark again by Friday. I made a long trip from marble ground to Kerr and the last stretch of that seemed to be moving slower since we were tired and had to do a lot of paddling. Wondering if doing that would be a better idea since it's a much longer trip and also might have that long stretch at the end that might not be as affected by fast water. Any info or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you

Dad and I fished fine addition on Friday. Caught 8 bass total but sadly this just shy of 15 inches smallmouth was far and away the biggest. Caught it on an a-rig. Not much valuable info to report. We didn't catch a single fish on the main lake including points. Only fish we caught were inside the cuts/coves. Saw a lot of boats fishing inside as well but also saw a lot of boats on the move. More boats than I expected for a Friday, assuming the BBT event on table rock had people move over to Bull. Other than an a-rig we caught 1 on a spinnerbait, a few on a tube and a ned rig. No bites on a jerk or chatterbait, dark sleeper and had one follow a jig to the boat before swimming off. Did see a few fish busting the top but was never more than one and they wouldn't stay up long. Water temp most of the day was about 53 and saw 56 before 5pm. Still enjoyed the nice day off and the sun was out almost all day compared to the reports of cloud cover. Of anyone else was in that area on the 5th I'd love to know how you all did.

I put in about 7:30am and got off the water a little after 1pm. Caught 9 total with mainly small spots, but had 1 good spot, 2 good smallmouth and a nice largemouth. Largemouth was 17 inches, smallmouth were both around 16 and the spot was just short of 16 but fat. All but 1 came off of the same main lake point between 8 and 1030. Wind got to be too much for me to handle in the kayak after that and I found one little spotted bass around a dock with a teaser tube. Had 1 on a ned rig craw, but 7 of them came on the dark sleeper. Happy with that purchase, but the eyes fall off really quick and they are difficult to get out unless they are hooked perfect since they are so small.

Anyone know what the water looks like and the temps past Mincy and Tucker Hollow on the Missouri side? Planning to fish from a kayak and put in around Cedarcreek somewhere but not sure how cold and dirty of water to expect. I'll report back how I do, but depending on the rain, I may not be out long. Typically like to throw a tube, jig, and ned rig in that area. Will probably throw an A-Rig and some single swimbaits too, and I finally decided to pick up one of the MegaBass Dark Sleepers so I figure I will try it as well. Thanks

I know a ton of people have launched off the road there in the bottom picture before. I have never seen a sign blocking it before though? Is someone trying to say not to use that?

I had never floated the shelvin to hootentown stretch before. Usually too busy for me so I didn't know what to expect. Worked out for the most part. Didn't get wet, had some nice scenery and caught a few fish.

Didn't throw topwater long because it was really shallow for the most part. Had one nice smallie on a ned rig jig. Caught some other tiny ones and a few rock bass. Slower day for the most part and it was windy and cold in the shade for most of that stretch.

Would a moving top water or something that stays in the same spot for the most part have a better shot you think?

Planning to try shelvin rock to hootentown tomorrow. Tying baits on tonight and wondering if there was any use in trying a top water popper or something early in the morning. I know whopper poppers have worked for me on lakes after it starts to get cold and the bass start to feed. Haven't fished a river at that particular time during the weather change.

The pole shouldn't be all that deep. I was more concerned about tying to cat h my tackle box as it was floating away. Got lucky and got it, but with half a paddle and a little bit of shock I didn't try to get back up river to get the pole. I assumed I'd see the other half the paddle along the bank by the Ripple, but I didn't. The bridge in the pictures is McCall bridge. If you happen to find my ugly stick, the paddle or a bright green floating ruler let me know. Thanks!

I ended up floating solo from Hootentown to just be for ethe McCall bridge. Had a nice wake up call about midway through when the nose of my yak got stuck in a shallow riffle. Decide to try and shimmy off the bigger rock in front of me and it didn't go so well. Ended up having the back end continue to get pushed by current enough that it tipped me over. No real danger where I was, but I was barefoot at the time and lost a shoe, lost ugly stick combo, the other half my paddle (was using it split to try and push off the rock), a floating ruler, cooler and my tackle box. Was a couple of riddles close together with a deeper hole in between. Was able to grab my cooler but the tackle box, ruler and half a paddle got away from me. I was lucky to find the tackle box had got stuck on the bank a couple turns down and I dumped the water out and it should all be good for the most part. I may have been able to find the other half my paddle and my ugly stick combo if u fought the current and took the time, but I was hoping to catch up to my tackle box and ruler. Just a reminder to everyone to strap down what you can, especially your phone, since I was by myself it could've been a lot worse. Also don't overlook currie t even if it's only inches deep as If I had lost my whole paddle or gotten a leg pinned or something it could have been much worse. Ended up calling my pickup and had them come get me rather than go to Marble ground liked is planned. I did end up catching 1 nice 15 inch smallmouth before I dumped. If anyone finds half of a no limits kayak paddle, a lime green fishing online tournament ruler or an ugly stick Shakespeare micro lite please let me know.

Well that's unfortunate. Hopefully I can have a nice report for everyone. I plan to throw those Sliders on a 1/8 ball head, some different rooster tails (yellow is my got to), finesse jigs and Ned rigs. Not sure if I will mess with much topwater. The water is lower and moving less than any time I have been before so I might actually be able to work a spook this time. Do you remember what weight of swimbait head you used?

mzrealfish, I had read this thread awhile back and tried the bait below with some success based on your firetiger posts. I am doing another float this weekend and was curious which firetiger swim baits you were using. These are a 3" Charlie Brewer slider. I didn't know if the swimbaits you were using were that much larger. What type and size of hook/head do you use?

Well the guys I were going with had to back out, so i'll be going solo, but do have a transport back up. I think I will put in somewhere lower down the river so my transport doesn't have to drive as far as well as I have floated that section before, so I know what to expect for the most part. Hopefully water will be a little higher as well.

There shouldn't be too much of the crowd that strictly floats and doesnt fish this time of year with the weather we've had though, right?

I floated hootentown to Marble ground last August. It was the first time I had floated James and it had rained earlier that week then had one dry day beforehand. Water was fairly fast in a lot of areas and dirtier than it was my last couple of trips. Between 2 of us we caught 1 smallmouth, a couple. Goggle eye and a few panfish. It also seemed like a lot shorter trip than I'd want, but like I said I think some sections were moving fairly fast. I had a great day from marble ground down to Kerr in June. But not looking for that long of float, we paddled the last probably mile which didn't have a lot of current in the afternoon heat.

I have fished lower sections a couple times. Didn't produce too big of smallies. I floated marble ground to Hl Kerr and caught a ton of fish, but only a couple smallmouth over 12 inches. Kerr to Galena didn't produce much for me and I did hootentown to marble ground once but it was after rains and didn't do well. Whats the water level typically like between marble ground and Kerr compared to the area between Delaware and hootentown?

I see a lot of posts of people fishing Delaware to Shelvin, but not a whole lot showing Shelvin to Hootentown. Can someone tell me why that is? Is the first stretch better for some reason, better fishing, less traffic, safer, shorter or longer? Trying to decide what to float this weekend. Also if anyone has an idea of how the water might be in either of those areas right now please let me know. I have not floated either one before. I will be in a kayak, a buddy in a 16ft 9in old town canoe and a jr high kid taking his new kayak out for a maiden voyage. Thanks!

Pretty sure it is all boats. A couple buddies and I tried to go on the "no boats" section of fellows and was told that included kayaks, and even tubes. So knowing city utilities I am sure it is the same restriction at Mcdaniel.

I should have, but I let it go. Most of my family, including myself doesn't really eat fish. I just enjoy catching and releasing them. Someone else will catch it again and have a bigger meal at that point.

I just assumed I happened to drop that tube on its head and got the reaction haha. My hands sure smelled after dealing with it, but glad to have caught it.

Is there a campground or something on top of that hill by where people snag for spoonbill? The only time I put in at Shelvin Rock was with my kayak and I was by myself. I tried to go up the river and come back but didn't get very far because the current was so bad. Right there before the bridge from the water I could see tents up on top of the hill. I'm pretty sure some of the people walked down somehow to try and snag. Surely you could do that right?