Questions About The Buffalo - Lower Third

[Spiff]

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.

[Wayne SW/MO]

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)

I wouldn't say its fairly deep, but there were a lot of nice holes. We went at under 3' and there was a lot of filament moss then, which hampered our fishing. Many of the holes are long and accompanied by nice gravel bars for camping.

[Al Agnew]

Not a lot of exceptionally deep water, but lots of big, rocky pools running 4-6 feet, perfect depth for good smallie fishing in the summer. The water is usually quite clear, clearer than you might be used to if you fish the upper Niangua, Gasconade, and Bourbeuse. There are a lot fewer logs and woody cover than you're used to, as well. Lots of gravel. Quite a bit of shallow, open water over gravel, sometimes over solid bedrock. As the summer goes along the fish concentrate more near the heads of the bigger pools where there is some current, but in mid-May, with the river levels the way they have been, there should be plenty of flow and the fish could be anywhere. In the heavier flows, about anything you mentioned might work, but if the water is clear, you might want to make long casts with topwaters and buzzbaits. And you might want to upsize your baits a bit, especially if there is a lot of flow.

[taxidermist]

Beetle spins #4 Colorado balde and school bus orange beetle if you can find them.!!!

[Spiff]

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.

[thatmikeguy]

Spiff, when are you going to be floating? Some friends and I will be hitting the upper 2/3's of the river the week before memorial day and I would love to hear about your successes. So please post some pics!

Also, I would like to thank everyone who's posted lure/fly info so far regarding the Buffalo. As a south LA fisherman, I love pulling in panfish (or sac-a-lait as well call 'em) and bass down here and have been trying to find legitimate help in selecting tackle for a new environment. So far ya'll have been the first ones I've run across who are trying to help your fellow anglers and it is much appreciated.

Thanks guys, and keep it coming!

[bobber]

the old river is not what it use to be! after two huge flooding events back to back.. the gauge system is all changed form the past... the river has moved gravel bars ...it just washed them away! the upper sections just have big rocks, no sand at all . note....the first rapid below rush is a class III.... and as bad as the river looked, i would be on my toes in the wilderness section !!

[Yakfly]

Class III rapid???? At normal water levels? I'm not doubting you, just didn't think rocks/boulder would be moved around that much.

Any details would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Spiff]

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.

[bobber]

the class III ,thats where clabberd creek enters to the buffalo, and the start of the new fishing size limit starts .... oh, alot of damage has been done with the high water!! in some spots the river just plowed up the center and made new channels . at buffalo point it took out the whole put in! road and all! it even took out the bank under some camping sites, making them unsafe to use. the park service has been working there magic, but still it's all different looking from the water! large trees stacked up in the air some 30 feet along the bluff lines at spring creek. i just wanted you to have the heads-up for your trip! to be aware, and just keep an eye open ! the buffalo is a place with all kinds of things to wreck a weekend! and then it also can be the best time of your life!