Big Sugar Trip Report And Pictures!

[GloryDaze]

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.

[chub minnow]

Great report. Sounds like a fun trip, you were really flying. You should have fished under that big rock in your last picture. I've pulled smallies out of there till my arm got tired

[ollie]

My neighbor and I fish another local stream and the water was really fast. I've turned over in those rapids before! Few years back my wife and I took the Old town from powell to Cyclone and the water was moving also. We watched another canoe with two women in it go through it with no problems. We hit a rock and it was all over! Sounds like a fun time. I may be doing that trip in May if I'm not on the Mulberry. When the water goes down a little more those will be strainers in those pics! A lot of water still for that stream.

[GloryDaze]

Ollie-

I can see where hitting a rock would flip you in a heartbeat- I was fortunate enought to have the water level that high and went righ over them. I probably committed the cardinal sin for going solo since I didn't scout before I went through them. But knowing the layout of the rapids like you do, it would have been hard to scout since the river is so wide there and the current is pulling you pretty good- The guy at cyclone told me when the water is real low that section is a shin buster because you have to line it to make it through-

I haven't done the Mulberry- maybe I should tame a look into that??

[wacky worm]

ken i can tell you the mulberry is a blast

give me a call and maybe we can run it some time soon

we went last evening and saved a hung up canoe for some folks

they were very happy to get there boat back

also ken from gracies said that a boy almost drowned at the narly spot down from sugar island

he also went up there with a chainsaw and the strainer is gone

keep in touch

it was nice to meet you & thanks for the kind words

russ

[ollie]

The Mulberry is a BLAST! Not worth anything for fishing when the water is rolling, but the rapids are great fun when the level is right. If the water is up in May would you want to go? That is for Russ also.

[GloryDaze]

I would be interested for sure- I only need 2 things to happen to get the OK

1) A weekend free from work

2) A yes from the misses

By the way- the only boat I have is my Mad River Syergy Sit on Top. Would that be able to handle the river??

[ollie]

I think at any level below 2.5 would be ok for that boat. I have a Pamlico 100 and I did it ok, except I did take in a lot of water with the open cockpit. The two things you need to happen I have already cleared! lol I don't know this will happen for sure, but if it does I'm there.

[chub minnow]

You could do it up to 3 - 3.5. I've done it at that level in an open canoe.

[wacky worm]

just give me the heads up

we will shut the campground down and go for a road trip

last time we went from high bank to turner

i am 100 percent in

ken dont get into the habit of asking

you have to pre-plan a trip and EXPLAIN to her how its gonna work

me my self i will be taking the missis with us its alot easier that way

russ