Help! First Visit To Big Piney

[stream stalker]

I'm thinking about floating the Big Piney in a week or two for the first time with my two daughters. I need some input on which stretch to float. Looking for quality fishing and scenery all in a one day float. Keep in mind I won't float on a Saturday so I don't have to fight the crowds and I will need an outfitter to rent a canoe and shuttle from. Tell me what you think.

-SS

[ozark trout fisher]

I'm thinking about floating the Big Piney in a week or two for the first time with my two daughters. I need some input on which stretch to float. Looking for quality fishing and scenery all in a one day float. Keep in mind I won't float on a Saturday so I don't have to fight the crowds and I will need an outfitter to rent a canoe and shuttle from. Tell me what you think.

-SS

I just got back from my first trip on the Big Piney. I floated from Slabtown to Ross, but that's a two day float. I believe there was an intermediate access, a private access used by canoe rentals- 6 crossings I think. You could float down to Ross from there or from Slabtown down to there. I think that Rich's Last Resort near the Ross Access rents canoes but I'm not sure.

The Smallie fishing was great. Deep diving Rebel Teeny Crawfish caught a bunch of fish, as did Rooster Tail Spinners and Baby Bombers. Target the areas where riffles dump into pools and where ever you see boulders or fallen trees-just the typical smallie habitat. The smallmouth population is just incredible on that river- I think you'll have a good time. If you do float in the stretch between Slabtown and Ross, be aware that it's a Special smallmouth management area. I think it's 15 inches and 1 per day, but I didn't check too closely into that before I went because I release them anyway.

Good luck.

[stream stalker]

I just got back from my first trip on the Big Piney. I floated from Slabtown to Ross, but that's a two day float. I believe there was an intermediate access, a private access used by canoe rentals- 6 crossings I think. You could float down to Ross from there or from Slabtown down to there. I think that Rich's Last Resort near the Ross Access rents canoes but I'm not sure.

The Smallie fishing was great. Deep diving Rebel Teeny Crawfish caught a bunch of fish, as did Rooster Tail Spinners and Baby Bombers. Target the areas where riffles dump into pools and where ever you see boulders or fallen trees-just the typical smallie habitat. The smallmouth population is just incredible on that river- I think you'll have a good time. If you do float in the stretch between Slabtown and Ross, be aware that it's a Special smallmouth management area. I think it's 15 inches and 1 per day, but I didn't check too closely into that before I went because I release them anyway.

Good luck.

Sounds great ,I've never kept a smallmouth in my life, so the management area is not an issue. Thanks for the reply, anyone else have any thoughts????

[riverrat]

If it was me I would float from 6 crossings to Ross Bridge, especially if you could go during the week. There is good smallmouth habitat and beautiful high bluffs. you could use either Rich's Last Resort or Wilderness Ridge.

[ozark trout fisher]

If it was me I would float from 6 crossings to Ross Bridge, especially if you could go during the week. There is good smallmouth habitat and beautiful high bluffs. you could use either Rich's Last Resort or Wilderness Ridge.

Just one thing to remember if you do the float from 6X to Ross... There is a huge blowdown all the way across the channel at one point down there. You'll have to drag through. It wasn't particularly difficult in the low water we have now, but it would be a lot more technical if the river was a bit higher.

[stream stalker]

Just one thing to remember if you do the float from 6X to Ross... There is a huge blowdown all the way across the channel at one point down there. You'll have to drag through. It wasn't particularly difficult in the low water we have now, but it would be a lot more technical if the river was a bit higher.

How are the weekend crowds on Big Piney? I'm thinking about arriving on Saturday and floating Sunday or Monday or both. Are they as big and poorly behaved as they are on Niangua or Meramec? I won't even take my kids anywhere near the Niangua on a Saturday.

-SS

[ozark trout fisher]

How are the weekend crowds on Big Piney? I'm thinking about arriving on Saturday and floating Sunday or Monday or both. Are they as big and poorly behaved as they are on Niangua or Meramec? I won't even take my kids anywhere near the Niangua on a Saturday.

-SS

I have never been on the Big Piney on the weekend. That said, there are only a couple canoe rentals on the Big Piney compared with zillions on the Niangua or Meramec, and the rentals on the Big Piney are pretty small-time I think. I can pretty much say with 100% confidence, that while you're likely to run into some other folks, it won't be anything like the Meramec or Niangua on a weekend. The Big Piney is also much more remote than either of those rivers and I imagine that reduces the crowds further. I only saw two or three canoes each day on a Monday/Tuesday float, and while you're likely to see a few more on a weekend, I can't imagine it would be too bad.

[stream stalker]

I have never been on the Big Piney on the weekend. That said, there are only a couple canoe rentals on the Big Piney compared with zillions on the Niangua or Meramec, and the rentals on the Big Piney are pretty small-time I think. I can pretty much say with 100% confidence, that while you're likely to run into some other folks, it won't be anything like the Meramec or Niangua on a weekend. The Big Piney is also much more remote than either of those rivers and I imagine that reduces the crowds further. I only saw two or three canoes each day on a Monday/Tuesday float, and while you're likely to see a few more on a weekend, I can't imagine it would be too bad.

Thanks for the help OTF.

-SS

[ozark trout fisher]

Thanks for the help OTF.

-SS

No problem.