Niangua Report

[Scooper]

I took my 88-year old Dad on what may be his last float trip last Thursday on the Niangua. I've camped and floated Ozark streams with him since the mid-1960s and he has been doing the same since the late 1940s. The Niangua is our favorite river, and it was a great trip as we reminisced about our experiences together over the past 40 years. I'll always treasure our time together and I feel very lucky to still have him with us. The river was about 2" below optimum level, but still had plenty of water to provide good "holes" for holding fish. We stayed at Sand Springs Resort on Wednesday night and, at daybreak, put in just above Bennett Springs access. We took out about 5 miles downriver. We had enough action to keep us interested, catching Rainbows here and there. The only "negative" for the trip was the fact that the roughly six mile stretch of the Niangua between Bennett Springs and the Department of Conservation's Barklay Access has seen quite a boom in "development" over the past 10 years. In just the 14 months since I last floated that section of the river, a new "high end" resort (Riverwoods) a private access and a new campground have all sprung up on the banks of the Niangua. Virtually all of the land along the Niangua is privately owned, and it seems that everytime a piece of land along the river is up for sale, it is bought and commercialized. We haven't floated any other Ozark streams in recent years, so I don't know if this "problem" (I guess some would call it "progress") is seen elsewhere. With this development comes more canoe traffic. Although not nearly what you would see on a summer weekend, I was still surprised at the number of canoeists and johnboat fishermen we saw on a Thursday.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Its a sad fact that its happening on many rivers, too many. Developers and individuals come in and build too close to the river. They do this in order to take advantage of the river, but in turn they increase gravel and pollutants in the river, and change it forever.

[MOFishwater]

Missing man’s body found in Niangua River

The body of a Kaiser man whose rental canoe capsized Saturday along a section of the Niangua River in Dallas County was found this morning by Missouri Water Patrol divers.

Travis Ash, 21, was seen swimming away after the canoe overturned at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday near the Barclay Access point, according to the patrol.

Divers found Ash’s body Monday morning not far from where the canoe capsized. The water was about 7 feet deep, the patrol said.

Ash was not wearing a life jacket, the patrol said.

[Scooper]

That's sad. We never float on weekends, because of the alcohol-fueled crowds of "sportsmen" on the Ozark streams. I'd wager that alcohol had a role in this death.

[MOFishwater]

floating an unfamiliar river at 9:30pm is not necessarily the best idea. Unfortunate...

[CaptainT16]

Yeah, unfortunately I bet alcohol did have something to play in the accident. And for it to happen so late in the evening?

Scooper, glad to hear you got to take out your 88yr old father for a trip on the river. It's great when you still have the opportunity to be able to do that with him. I wish you many more years of canoeing with him.

[Scooper]

Captain T16-

Thank you for your kind message. Despite being 88, my Pop is still mentally sharp and in pretty darn good shape physically, but has trouble with his balance when trying wade the river. If we get him a good wading staff, he might be able to join us for a few more years.

[BrianK]

I'm just up the road here at Lake of the Ozarks and need to get out on the Niangua more. have only been at the Bennett and Barclay accesses.

I'd like to check out the lower stretches from Mtn Creek downstream but the guy at Mtn Creek Campgnd. said that the next take out is 17 miles down!

Anyone know of a takeout (private? pay?) on the East side of the river around Eldridge somewhere in that stretch of water. I would imagine it gets less floating / fishing pressure if it's really a 2 day float between accesses.

Anyone familiar with the access at the end of Hwy E(or EE?) (don't have my map in front of me?)

Could I put in a boat or canoe in and motor (no jet) or paddle upstream?

Any help is great. looking for catch and release trophy smallies.

Brian

[Wayne SW/MO]

Lead mine is the next good access from Prosperine/Mountain Fork, but the shuttle is loooong. There is access at Berry Bluff CA at the end of E or EE, I can't remember either. You would have to scout the possibility because I don't think the road goes to water.