[Floating The Lower Buffalo...again...]

Guys, stop looking at the water level graph on the gage, and look at the flow in cfs. Any flow less than 100 cfs and you'll be doing some getting out and dragging and quite a bit of scraping bottom in a loaded canoe, although I've floated that stretch with flows of about 65 cfs. You need a flow of at least 150 cfs to float the lower end of the river without scraping bottom in some places.

For the most part, when you're trying to figure out whether any Ozark stream is floatable, you can use this rule of thumb--wider streams like the lower Buffalo, you need over 100 cfs to float without some dragging. Narrow streams like the Jacks Fork in MO, you need about 75 cfs. Those are absolute minimums for "pleasant" floating, where you will get through nearly all riffles without having to get out and walk, although you'll still scrape bottom occasionally. If you're willing to work at it and don't mind walking some, not all, riffles, you can float most streams at flows as low as 50 cfs. And if you're a nut like me who likes those little creeks that most people never float, you can get a canoe down them at 20 cfs!

I appreciate the info, Al.

I'll keep that in mind for when I head back down...

[Floating The Lower Buffalo...again...]

Spiff- I'm thinking of doing the same thing in September, the 25 mile wilderness section. But, I always have the same question: where does one get out? I understand it's dependent on the level of the White, so I'm kind of concerned, especially if they're running 8 generators, as they have been. Seems awful big and fast for a canoe.

Joe, when I did the float back in May, the Buffalo river levels were around 6 (compared to around 3.5 currently) and the White river seemed huge - it took around 40 minutes to float the 5.5 miles down to Ship's Ferry, which is where our outfitters dropped off my vehicle. However, it wasn't that bad - we slid toward the left side of the river (that is what side Ship's Ferry is on) and just kept an eye out for debris.

[Floating The Lower Buffalo...again...]

The only thing that concerns me is the water levels. When we went in May, it was around 5.5 - 6 feet, at Harriet, made for a good, although sometimes fast float. With the levels hovering around 3...is that too shallow to enjoy that last 24 mile stretch? Will we be dragging a lot of the time? (I recall some large flat areas that were fairly shallow at the 6 foot level...)

Thanks.

[Floating The Lower Buffalo...again...]

It's me again...

I floated the last 24 miles of the Buffalo in late May, and had a great time. I'm looking at doing the same float in mid October...I assume the fishing will be good, correct? The river levels are much lower than what we dealt with in May...that can only mean for better fishing.

At what point does fall turn too cold to enjoy fishing there?

Thanks for your help again.

[Questions About The Buffalo - Lower Third]

Ship's Ferry is the public access point on the river. It's about five miles down the White River from the Buffalo / White confluence, on the north side of the White River, and according to our outfitter, pretty easy to see.

I'm assuming that Riley's station is at Buffalo City? (We're using Wild Bill's outfitters to shuttle our vehicle down to our take out point...I have my own canoe...)

That and having a GPS that will let us know when we're close...should make it easy.

I understand what you're saying about a loaded canoe in high / rough water - I've made over 10 trips to Quetico / BWCA and being in some of those huge lakes with a loaded canoe in high winds is enough to make you religious.

As far as the water goes, I have a purifier...just won't be *ice* water...

Thanks again for everyone's advice...I'll definitely post pics and let you all know when I return how the trip was. We do have a little over a week to let the water come down and hopefully clear up a bit.

[Questions About The Buffalo - Lower Third]

The take out point we've been quoted is 5.5 miles down on the White River from where the Buffalo River enters it.

(I forget the name)

The outfitter I spoke with said that the White is moving but didn't say anything about it being out of it's banks.

The websites I've checked don't show it being abnormally high.

I'll keep checking until our date for travel gets closer...

Thanks.

[Questions About The Buffalo - Lower Third]

I definitely will post some pics, and let you all know how the trip was.

The bottom third, specifically the last 23 miles, etc...are supposed to be fairly mellow. As far as the water levels, I checked with an outfitter yesterday and he said the water levels are returning to normal.

I'm not that frightened of heavy water, but I do use a fair amount of common sense as well, so all I can do is trust my partner does as well.

Thanks again for all the info, and I'll let everyone know upon our return...we're floating in a week and a half so hopefully the water levels and clarity will return to somewhat normal.

[Questions About The Buffalo - Lower Third]

Thanks for the information, guys.

Is there any word or rules for campfires?

I've floated the BWCA and they have certain timeframes where you can't have campfires. With the Buffalo being a National River, I'm wondering if there are special rules governing that.

Again, any help would be appreciated.

[Questions About The Buffalo - Lower Third]

Hey guys.

I'm taking a float from Rush to the end of the Buffalo in the middle of May.

I've done a lot of smallmouth fishing in the upper Ozarks (upper Niangua, Gasconade, Bourbouse, Meramac, etc) and had some relative success with anything that's crawdad or minnow patterned. I've wanted to float the Buffalo for a long time and finally got some time to do it.

My specific questions are as follows:

I've got a lot of smallmouth-specific lures...small watermelon / green pumpkin / pumpkinseed tubes and craws, jigs, some small cranks, smoke flukes, etc. Small buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. And some small topwaters. Is there anything specific that they hit the snot out of down there?

Is that section from Rush to the end fairly deep? Lots of nice holes to work? (We're taking almost four days to do it)

What's the rule for campfires in that section?

Any common targets for fly fishermen as well?

Thanks in advance for your time and any answers.