Which Shuttle Outfitter To Use?

[padlnjones]

Hi Folks,

SOme friends and I are planning to do a canoe float trip on the Current (or Jacks Fork) around the first week in May. We did the Buffalo 2 years ago from Ponca to Woolum. We are thinking 5-6 days on the river, to be determined by the levels and conditions when we get there. we will be driving over from the Carolinas.

I know there are lots of outfitters in the area that could run shuttle for us, but could someone recommend which ones to use, and which to avoid? The ideal situation for us would be having the ability to change shuttle plans while we are on the river if we decide to go further, or get off sooner. I realize that may be asking too much...

Thanks for any advice you can offer on shuttle, or some nice places to wilderness camp along the river. Also, is there a good place to camp when we get there, the day before we put on...

david

[jdmidwest]

Best idea would be to use the one nearest the place you are pulling out for the best rates. Most campgrounds have a concessionaire that handles floats and shuttles.

There is a nice one at 2 Rivers that shuttles up both the Current and Jacks Fork.

[Gavin]

Thats an ambitious plan!....The Current is floatable year round from Baptist Camp on down..., but usually pretty skinny water till you get down to Welch Spring...plus there is that darn low water bridge at Cedargrove to portage...

I havent been below Round Spring in several years... but there are plenty of outfitters to run shuttles for you...

On the Upper Current..Best fishing is between Montauk State Park and Cedargrove...lots of big brown trout, some rainbows & smallmouth (Blue Ribbon regulations apply)...Cedar to Akers can be good if you want to bait fish for trout or eat some, some fair smallmouth and pickeral fishing too (White Ribbon Regulations apply). Akers to Pulltite just plain sucks for fishing but its a great float...paddle into Cave Spring...Fishing picks up at Pulltite...and Pulltite Spring is a must see...Pulltite to Round...Little Gem Cave is a fun detour.....Round Spring down if you want better smallmouth fishing

Jadwin Canoe does the Baptist to Cedar Stretch but they are located off the river aways and you camp in a field if you stay there. Montauk State Park, Ozark Mountain Ranch, and Eagles Park would be better camping options for the Blue Ribbon Area......Next outfitter served access is Cedargrove..no outfitter there, but plenty of camping...next Access is Akers Ferry...think there are group sites available there..plus Akers Ferry canoe rental& store they usually put in at Cedargrove, but you could probably talk em into Baptist for more money (Shuttles arent cheap down there... $54 for a car spot last time)...Next Access is Pulltite, big CG, Current River Canoe Rental & Store...Next Access is Round Spring...big CG, Carr's Canoe rental, store. I'm sure that someone else can provide some info on the lower river.

The Jack's Fork....May is a great time to float that...Prong's to Rymers is a favorite but it gets too low to float sometimes...lots of big rocks to watch out for on that float....I only use two outfitters down there...Harvey's Alley Spring Canoe Rental...and Windy's in Eminence...I havent been below Eminence in years either...someone else can give you the scoop on that stretch. Good smallmouth fishing over the entire stretch...(1>18" limit on a good portion of it too).

I'd probably do a couple days on each if you have the time and camp on the river....Primitive camping away from the access points in the boundaries of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways river is free and there are plenty of nice gravel bars to camp on. Wood can be scarce though...bring a good camp saw. Have fun!

[Al Agnew]

Gavin pretty well covered it for the upper Current and Jacks Fork.

If you wanted 5-6 days on the river without getting off, Baptist Camp to Two Rivers would fit the bill. As Gavin said, good trout fishing from Baptist Camp to Akers, poor fishing but great paddling from Akers to Round Spring, good smallmouth fishing from Round Spring to Two Rivers. Or you could do the Jacks Fork from the Prongs or from Buck Hollow (Hwy. 17) down to Two Rivers in 5-6 days, depending upon water levels. Nothing but smallmouth fishing, but it can be excellent throughout except for the stretch from Alley Spring to Eminence. No shortage of gravel bars on which to camp on either river.

Also like Gavin said, shuttles are costly, especially if you are wanting somebody to take you 5-6 days upstream. I imagine the outfitter at Two Rivers would do it if you wanted to start on a Monday...chances are that time of year they might be too busy on weekends to have somebody available to take the time to do a long shuttle. Just have to call well ahead of time and see if you can make arrangements. I've used Two Rivers a number of times with no problems.

[padlnjones]

Thanks to everyone for the replies, much appreciated.

I was wondering if there is reliable cell phone coverage (veizon) along the river corridor to help keep up with the weather while we are paddling. Wouldnt wanna get flash flooded if we could help it...

Also, if we decide to run our own shuttle (may have 4 or 5 vehicles) are there safe places to leave the cars at the access points, or would the outfitters be amenable to us parking there for a reasonable fee?

How about good local restaurants in the area?

thx again!

[gotmuddy]

Thanks to everyone for the replies, much appreciated.

I was wondering if there is reliable cell phone coverage (veizon) along the river corridor to help keep up with the weather while we are paddling. Wouldnt wanna get flash flooded if we could help it...

Also, if we decide to run our own shuttle (may have 4 or 5 vehicles) are there safe places to leave the cars at the access points, or would the outfitters be amenable to us parking there for a reasonable fee?

How about good local restaurants in the area?

thx again!

Part of the reason I like the ozarks rivers is no cell phone coverage. I would not count on cell coverage anywhere in SEMO. I dont know where your planning on floating(have not been on the current yet), but right in Doniphan you have service.

Rivers like the current are not prone to flash flooding like the buffalo. It would take massive rainfall to flood that river.

[Trout Commander]

If it were me I would just take

a battery powered weather radio. After all, part of the enjoyment is getting away from it all, right?

[Justin Spencer]

From my experience weather radios pretty spotty coverage as well, outfitters can usually look at forecast and water conditions and give you a good idea if the river is likely to come up or not.

[stlfisher]

There is a new cell phone tower near Montauk so coverage on the Upper Current from Mountauk down is much improved. Not sure about coverage further down river.

[awhuber]

There is a new cell phone tower near Montauk so coverage on the Upper Current from Mountauk down is much improved. Not sure about coverage further down river.

This is ATT country. Good coverage from the park down to cedar grove. not much on the river after that unless you are willing to do some climbing. Notice the verision map they show in their commercials, the area around here is all white. like others have said bring a weather radio NOAA coverage the whole way.