Buffalo River Float/fish Trip 7/17/10

[FlyfishinOK]

We floated the Buffalo River Saturday From Maumee to Dillards Ferry. There was alot of runoff from up river and it was super muddy. Level was 5.5 ft according to the outfitter. Above 6 it's experienced paddlers only. Fishing was terible on the main river. I slid up spring creek to the clear line and it was fish on first cast! Caught 14 before I was forced to move on down with the rest of the group. We stayed on the spring creek about 4 miles up stream. Caught lots of spots, smallies, longear and Ozarks

My new kayak on the big muddy Buffalo

Spring Creek Entrance

Pix with new Casio G-shock camera

Spring Creek next to camp

Not sure but I think this is an Ozark Bass???

[bobber]

nice shots!....thanks for sharing

[TroutRinger]

Awesome pics. Thanks for sharing. The Buffalo is high on my list of rivers to float.

[gotmuddy]

nice pics, that last photo is of a goggleye or rock bass.

[stream stalker]

Hey, I'm thinking about buying that same kayak, How do you like it?

-SS

[Al Agnew]

Gotmuddy, you're behind the times. About 15 or 20 years ago, the biologists finally decided that there were three separate species of rock bass in the Ozarks. That one happens to be an Ozark bass. The other two are the shadow bass, and the northern rock bass. Of course, they do all look pretty similar, and most people in the Ozarks will keep calling them all goggle-eye. But if you know what you're looking for, you CAN tell them apart. However, most people go mainly on where they were caught. Any goggle-eye from the Buffalo will be an Ozark bass.

I've been taking some pictures of the shadow bass and northern rock bass I've been catching in this part of the Ozarks. When I get a chance I'll post them. We had a thread not too long ago with pictures posted, discussing the three species.

[FlyfishinOK]

I've only had the kayak out once. It was really stable and tracked very well. I'm going to move the adjustable rod holder back & add a few features but for the price it seems like a great deal.

The only think I don't like about it is the bottom seems to deform easily. I transported it upright in the back of my truck sitting on two foam pool noodles for 5 hrs in 98 deg full sun. When I removed the ratchet straps I noticed two depressions where the noodles where at. Within 30 minutes they had popped back out. On the trip home I flipped it over and didn't have any issues. Hopefully this won't be an ongoing issue.

[kayaker]

I just got the same boat from Bass Pro because it was a good price. I have the same problem with the bottom, very flimsly and deforms easily. It is an Ascend isn't it?

[Wayne SW/MO]

The Ozark bass is native to the White river drainage, the goggle eye wasn't.

most manufacturers recommend transporting and storing kayaks on their side, with top down second best.