How Low Can You Go?

[GloryDaze]

So me and some buddies are looking to brave the low water here in 10 days and attempt to float from Buck Hollow down to to Bay Creek-

I've floated this section at least 5 times, but the gauge has always been at 1.9 or higher- if we were to do a 2 night and three day fishing trip in canoes and kayaks what do you think it may be like if the gauge is around 1.3-1.5? Are we talking about walking every shoal, or wil we be be able to still navigate the shoals if we pick the right lines?

None of us mind walking through shoals- I'd just prefer that we don't have to do it around every corner........ anyone have any thoughts or experience at these lower levels??

[eric1978]

You'll be doing a buttload of dragging, but it's still doable if you don't mind the work, especially in three days. Say hello to Jam-Up for me.

[drew03cmc]

That sounds like a blast! I hope you do it!

[ekl-stl]

I have never floated under 2 feet so I have no advice but let us know how it goes.. Should be a great time to be down therer. .

[Al Agnew]

I've said this before...it's a lot easier for me to go by the flow in cubic feet per second rather than the level in feet. Right now it's flowing 29 cfs. At 29 cfs, you WILL be scraping bottom in EVERY riffle, and getting out and walking a lot of them. The lower half, especially the last 5 or 6 miles above Bay Creek, you'll probably be walking most of the riffles, as they tend to be very wide and shallow as you near Bay Creek. This is true for just about every one of the smaller Ozark streams...it takes at least 75 cfs to float them without doing a lot of scraping bottom. On the upper Jacks Fork, which I've floated during low water a number of times, the stretch between Buck Hollow and Rymers is mostly narrow, rocky riffles that at anything under 60 or so cfs is a matter of dodging rocks until you can't dodge, and then pushing off the rock you end up hanging up on. Below Rymers, it's pushing the canoe over long, gravelly riffles about three inches deep.

Not to say it can't be done, or that it isn't worth it. It's a beautiful stream and it's nice to be there when the crowds aren't. Just expect to do a lot of work!