Floating The Lower Buffalo...again...

[Spiff]

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.

[Ham]

I guess that depends on how bad you want to fsh. I would the fish to chage behavior and start relating to deeper holes depending on water temp late Novemberish. Every year is different so YMMV, but my guess wiould be that after November if I'm fishing a river it will be a trout river.

[Danimal]

I agree with Ham. We did very well last year in early Nov. I would try to go while the weather has been somewhat warm for a couple of days if a major cold front has already moved through the area. Dan-o

[Spiff]

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.

[joeD]

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.

[joeD]

Also, in regard to your original query, it's never too cold!! I fished from Baker Ford to Maumee South (about 21 miles) in the middle of October a few years ago. The river level and weather were atypical. It was warm and sunny (shirts off and sunburns), really good fishing, and water levels about what you would expect. With a loaded canoe, you would drag in some spots, but nothing too bad. It was an outstanding trip. According to info, at Hwy 65/ Tyler Bend if the gauge is 3.1 - 4.5, it is low, but floatable. From Hwy 14/Buffalo Point, the gauge is 2.0 - 3.4 for low, but floatable conditions. Hope this helps.

[Al Agnew]

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!

[Danoinark]

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, you can get a tow or shuttle from the local outfitters. Contact these folks. Dano

http://buffaloriverfun.com/wa-wbr/wbr.htm

[joeD]

Thanks Dano and Al. Yes Al, you are a nut, but a skinny one, so YOU can get through those tight little creeks with low flow. Once I sit down in a canoe, however, my canoe is already "fully loaded!"

[bobber]

it's always better to go down stream to shipps ferry rather that trying to paddle up the white river !!