Buffalo Float Trip Advice

[rhennessy]

Hello,

I'm going to be camping around Ponca wilderness in a few weeks. I would like to canoe down the buffalo and do some fishing and am looking for some pointers. First I'd like to know what stretch of the river would be good for fishing for smallies - I'm thinking somewhere between Ponca Wilderness and Buffalo City. Also if anyone can recommend a good place that rents canoes and offers shuttle service (we'll only have one car) I'd sure appreciate it.

Thanks - and hopefully I'll be back on here in a few weeks with plenty of great pictures to post

Ryan

[hoglaw]

Between Ponca and Buffalo City?! That's about 3/4 of the river, so I'd say your thinking is on track. Any of the floats from Mt. Hershey down are fine for fishing. The big outfitters are Wild Bill's in Yellville, and the Buffalo Outdoor Center (Marshall maybe?). Outfitters must have federal permits to run shuttles or rent canoes, so I think some of the smaller ones have sold out. You used to be able to rent a canoe or get a shuttle from just about every business in the area.

[Zack Hoyt]

Bill Scruggs at Wild Bill's is a super guy to rent from. He keeps guides on staff, so he always knows where the fish are biting. He is lmimted to the lower Buffalo though. Buffalo Outdoor Center is in Ponca and does alot of the upper Buffalo. The lower has better fishing, but the upper buffalo is much more scenic.

If you meant Lower Wilderness instead of Ponca Wilderness, you are looking at the lower section. Let us know which area exactly you were meaning or if you were just open to any ideas.

[rhennessy]

Hey hoglaw and zhoyt,

Thanks for the quick reponse. We were planning on staying at Ponca for the hiking, scenery etc but it sounds like maybe after a day or two we'll move down to the lower area to do some fishing. Is it a long drive from the Ponca wilderness to Wild Bill's? Any good campgrounds around Wild Bill's?

I was thinking about trying to convince my gf to take the 2 day float from Rush to Buffalo City but I'm not sure how she'll like the remote camping. It'd be nice to wake up right on the river.

Thanks again for the advice,

Ryan

[Zack Hoyt]

Here is a great map of the Buffalo. It gives you a pretty good idea of what distances are.

http://home.nps.gov/applications/parks/buf...aps/ACF5567.pdf

And a list of rental places. Alot of the smaller outfitters ahve went out but these are all still going.

http://www.ozarkmtns.com/buffalo/canoe.html

Drive from Ponca to Wild Bills is a stretch. Take a look at the floats and match an outfitter with it. Every campground there has camping spots avalaible.