GloryDaze

Check out this description: http://www.missouricanoe.org/river-maps/jacksfork.html Maybe Bay Creek to Alley Spring??

Well I got to float the Big Sugar this weekend and here is my trip report if anyone is interested! Thanks to Russ at Hog Heaven for taking care of me this weekend- If you ever want a place that will treat you right and hook you up with great customer service check them out!! You can view my pictures from the trip here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/glorydaze/ FRIDAY EVENING: I took off at the intersection of Mikes Creek and Big Sugar Creek with the gauge at Powell reading 4.4 on Friday evening. I was going to spend 2 nights on the river so I could really enjoy the weekend. The water level was about perfect, I only scraped once or twice! I was expecting to run into many strainers left over fomr the flood before I got to Cyclone- Much to my surprise, I didn't have to portage one time other than a low water bridge. There was one strainer about an hour in with two trees crossing the river, but I just put my head down and paddled through the branches. I fished for a few minutes, caught on smallie 8" and that was it for the night. This section of the river is beautiful since there is not as much private land as there is below cyclone. As I started to look for a place to camp (2hrs after I left), I came around a left turn and could hear the sound of loud rapids! I could see they crossed the entire river and were getting louder as I approached. It was actually a rock garden, but the water was so high I didn't drag- What I didn't know was after about 100 yards of being in the waves it takes about a 2-3 foot drop and front half of my canoe was completely under water!!!! NOW THIS IS THE KIND OF EXCITEMENT I HAD BEEN WAITING FOR!!! I manged to run the rapids and continue on with my lookout for a camp site. I ended up camping on gravel bar about a mile upstream from Cyclone and called it a night- (3 hours of floating and almost 7 miles covered) SATURDAY: Woke up at 6am to a bunch of fog in the valley and tried some fishing (no luck) The weather was cold last night, but I could tell it would be a warm day. Broke camp at 10:30 and was going to have a casual slow float today so I was not in a hurry. The weather was so nice (felt like it was 80 or so) I decided to not fish and just enjoy the beauty of the river. I was at cyclone in no time and spent 30 minutes talking to a local there who was real friendly. Soon after that I saw the first sign of other people downstream. There were 2 portages on the section below Cyclone due to strainers that I didn't want to mess with being by myself. The stream seemed to get wider as I got closer to the Elk. There was one spot where the river splits, I decided to go right and about a 1/4 downstream it was a dead end! I had to walk all the way back upstream and take the left channel (oops). As the day went on, I realized I was going to finish my trip way early since the water was up and I wasn't fishing much. In my opinion, the last 3 miles were the trickiest of the trip (once you get past sugar island) there was about 2 miles of "S" turn after "S" turn that could be tricky for those less experienced- I thought it was a fun little stretch though! The river really widens once you hit the Elk and I only had about 1 mile left. I couldn't believe how high the trees were stacked on the banks from the flooding. Going under the 71 bridge the water read at 4' on the gauge painted on the bridge support. I couldn't imagine the water at 18' a week earlier! I finished the trip at 4pm on Saturday. A whole day earliet than what I expected. (Today I floated 14 miles in 5 hours) What a great stretch of river to float on a perfect weekend!! The only thing I wished were different is I could have floated 50 miles instead of 21. Next time, you can bet I will be on the hunt for smallies and hopefully that next time will not be too far in the future.

Orb- Enjoy your trip this weekend- I'm actually doing a solo trip as well this weekend on Big Sugar Creek just west of you! FYI- when you fish for smallies this time of year, fish the end of the riffles (rapids) where the eddies are (it is usually about 2-3 foot deep)- Jusy imagine where a fish would wait to ambush food coming out of the riffles, Not usually in the middle of the current, but just on the outside of it..... Man, I hope you lay into a 20"- you will be hooked for life of you catch one of those babies!!! By the way, if you would, please practice catch and release- a 20" smallie can be estimated to be 10-12 years old/

Russ- I'm still coming down today- I've been watching the gauge on the Big Sugar and it's slowly creeping, but looks like it should be OK. I'll give you a call when I head out, it should be around noon or so-

Here are a few options for you to consider that have not been suggested- Big Piney River in Rolla ( One of the best, if not the best smallmouth streams in MO) plus with your limited canoe experience it is a relatively easy river to float. It is the typical pool and riffle stream. You will have long pools of still water followed by an easy section of riffles. Thw water level is up, but not even near flood level- here is my suggestion foran outfitter-google "Rich's Last Resort Bug Piney" The guy is a little strange, but will give you the conditions on the river as well as a decent option for floating. The Upper Jack's Fork- from the Prongs- to Buck Hollow or even Alley Spring is the most beautiful trip you could take (besides the Buffalo National River in AR) However, it is quite a technical trip for your paddling skills. As of today the water level would be good, but it might be dangerous because the floods may have left behind quite a few strainers for you to deal with. Your option for an outfitter- google "Harvey's Alley Spring" and they can shuttle you there. Good luck and be safe!

Hey Chub, Ollie- Looks like I'll get out this weekend- I've got the scoop from Wacky Worm regarding the water from Cyclone to Hog Heaven. Any inside scoop fom Powell to Cyclone? Is there any real danger as long as I am careful (I will be floating by myself) By the way, are the smallies still in their winter holes or have they moved out to the shoals, riffles and eddies in the faster water- this will be my first time out this year fishing?? Thanks!

It depends- What are your thoughts on fishing right now? If it's worth my time to fish, I would probably want to do around 12-15 miles total (2-3 on Friday...7-9 on Saturday and 1-2 Sunday morning) if I would be wasting my time fishing (if there is such a thing), then 20 would be about perfect. I'm assuming the water flow would be somewhat quick? Oh and by the way.. my name is Ken Thanks Russ!

So I have been watching the gauge on Big Sugar and the Elk- seems they have both gone down to a reasonable level as of today. The weather is showing some possible t-storms on Thursday. If these storms don't dump a ton of rain, does anyone have a guess on how much the Big Sugar or Elk could handle and still be safe to float? I guess it's safe to say I have the itch to get out on the river, but it's so hard to plan when I am 3 hours away- that's why I hope someone can guide me in the right direction.... Russ- I am still interested in floating this weekend if the water isn't too high- I would be there around 3 on Friday... do you have a number where I could reach you to set things up?? Thanks!

Does anyone have good advice on how long the smallie fishing takes to pick up again after a river has flooding like we have had in the Ozarks? Or any suggestions on how to fish after the river has flooded and gone back to normal flow in a week?

Thanks Russ- I'll keep checking back in on the board for conditions-

Russ- Thanks for the advice about Big Sugar Creek this week- Anyway, I'm looking at heading there next weekend since the long range forecast looks good so far. I'm not sure if you just shuttle or not, but I'd be interested in your service if you do. I would be interested in your advice on a good trip where I would be on the water on Friday around 4pm and off the water Sunday around 10am (I'd prefer to float back to my car). I would love to fish if the conditions were good and if not I wouldn't mind just floating. I'd be by myself- Thanks alot!!

Franklin Floats- His name is Bob Franklin ansd his # is (573) 673-2205.. he will hook you up and is open now

Thanks for the advice- I really want to fish the creek, but I would also love to kayak it when the water is up like it is now. When you suggest to not float over 5 or 5.5- is it mainly because of the bridges or because the waves get so big they will swamp an open canoe? I have a Mad River Synergy 12 SOT- but it has a cover to make it like a kayak and it kept the water out on the Jacks Fork, but I also do not want to swamp or get pinned by a strainer when I'm by myself- Thanks!

I've seen couple of reports on here about the Big Sugar recently- I am thinking of floating it this weekend (Powell to Pineville) and camping on the river if the weather permits. I have a couple of questions for you guys- What water level is good for floating and what would be considered too high? Does anyone recommend an outfitter to use for shuttling my car for me and my kayak? I just floated the upper Jack's fork from the prongs to alley spring at flood level 3 weeks ago- if anyone has done that, how would you compare the skill level needed to floating the Bug Sugar? Anything else you would recommend? Thanks!

I've seen couple of reports on here about the Big Sugar recently- I am thinking of floating it this weekend (Powell to Pineville) and camping on the river if the weather permits. I have a couple of questions for you guys- What water level is good for floating and what would be considered too high? Does anyone recommend an outfitter to use for shuttling my car for me and my kayak? I just floated the upper Jack's fork from the prongs to alley spring at flood level 3 weeks ago- if anyone has done that, how would you compare the skill level needed to floating the Bug Sugar? Anything else you would recommend? Thanks!