Trying To Plan Float Trip, Considering Gasconade

[darbwa]

Every summer I try to gather old friends from around the country for a 3-day Ozark float trip. We have hit a few rivers but the last 2 years have been on the Buffalo and if water levels are sufficient, I have a hard time considering anything else. However, since water levels are low on the Buffalo, I am looking for a good alternative. How does the Gasconade compare as an alternative? Our priorities are good smallmouth fishing, good canoeing water, good riverside camping availability, peace and quiet, and good scenery. For those of you who have experience with the Buffalo, comparisons would be helpful.

[Gavin]

Too much frog water on the Gasconade...head to the Current, Jack's Fork, or Big Piney instead.

[Wayne SW/MO]

That makes it tough up here, especially if you're talking the lower Buffalo.

[TroutRinger]

Too much frog water on the Gasconade...head to the Current, Jack's Fork, or Big Piney instead.

I've heard good things about the Piney and have wanted to float it for a while. The Jack's Fork is good fishing, but there are only 14 miles of floatable river this time of the year which is too short for a 3 day trip and it will be crowded. The Current from Round Spring to Two Rivers (19 miles) or from Pulltite to Two Rivers (27 miles) would be better for a 3 day float, and the Current has plenty of sandbars for camping. The fishing is good and the scenery from Williams Landing to Two Rivers is great. It's also an easy float since the river is wide and fast most of the way. The peace and quiet will be tough to find on a weekend almost anywhere.

Hopefully Al will chime in here as well.

Also see my old topic where Al and others had good advice

http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=28874&st=0&p=196244&hl=Buffalo&fromsearch=1&#entry196244

[darbwa]

Gavin, Frog water?

Thanks for the suggestions trout ringer and the link was very useful. I liked Al's rankings. I should mention that we are planning a Wednesday - Friday trip before Labor Day weekend and the camping I am looking for is not camp grounds but more the freedom to set up in any spot that looks good. I am certainly going to be limited by water levels especially for a 3-day float.

[Al Agnew]

Gasconade...depends upon where you float it and whether you can do it yourself or if you are dependent upon a canoe rental. Best scenery on the Gasconade is from Schlicht Spring to Jerome, but as Gavin said, there are a lot of long, dead pools in that section, and unless the water is really low, you may have to contend with some jetboats, especially between the hwy. 28 bridge and Jerome. Because of that, the fishing is inconsistent, though it can be pretty good and there are some big fish to be had. Plenty of good gravel bars, too.

Farther up on the Gasconade, the bluffs aren't as high or prevalent, but there is more solitude. You'll run into slow water and big, dead pools just about the whole length of the Gasconade. The stretch from Hazelgreen down to Schlicht Spring is nice except for the frog water. Up above where the Osage Fork comes in, you could encounter spots where you have to scrape bottom or get out and drag if the water is late summer low, but the farther up you go the more solitude you get, and probably the easier fishing you'll find.

Big Piney...for scenery, there aren't many rivers in Missouri that can compare with the Piney between Boiling Spring and Ross Bridge. For a three day trip, you could put in at Boiling Spring if you like to cover quite a bit of water, or Mason Bridge if you want to cover less water. Big bluffs, good gravel bars, enough water to float, and you shouldn't run into many people until the last few miles above Ross Bridge. Fishing can be very good, just depends on what the fish are doing. There are enough of them in there.

Current River will have some people and some jetboats even on weekdays. So will Jacks Fork. But late summer fishing can be very good and there is no lack of scenery or good camping gravel bars, and it's all moving water and plenty of water to float.Pulltite to Two Rivers would be pretty good, or Alley Spring on the Jacks Fork down to Logyard on the Current would be interesting.

For something totally different, I'd consider the St. Francis if you can do it all yourself. I haven't been down there in a couple of years, but I assume there is still a place to put in at the Hwy. C/N bridge, and you could go from there to Sam A. Baker Park. Interesting and different scenery, good to excellent fishing for all three species of bass, not many people, good camping. But it will probably be low enough you'll have to scrape bottom and walk some riffles, and there are some long dead pools. If you really didn't mind a lot of work dragging canoes over lots of slick rocks, the stretch from Silvermines to the C/N bridge is really cool with some of the most varied, interesting, and occasionally spectacular scenery in the Ozarks, and excellent fishing, but it WOULD be serious work getting down it this time of year.

Here's another possibility...Put in at Riverton on the Eleven Point and go down somewhere into Arkansas. Don't have my info on it handy...it's in Missouri and I'm in Montana. But I'd think you could find an access in AR for a three day float.

Only other possibilities with enough water to float easily would be the James, or the Meramec. Neither would have the market cornered on solitude, but sometimes you can get lucky and not see too many people on weekdays on the Meramec. Riverview Access to Onondaga would make a nice three day float.

[Justin Spencer]

Bryant Creek! (not going to try and sell it, see it for yourself)

[DaveMac]

I recently floated the 6 mile stretch upstream from Gasconade Hills back down to the resort and can vouch for the excessive amount of frogwater. Fishing was tough though it was very hot and should be a little better with a little cooler weather. If you're planning to float on a weekday, I'd suggest the Niangua which is not too far to the west of Gasconade. Not sure about camping but in my opinion it is a much better river for fishing (trout + smallmouth).

[Al Agnew]

Yeah, I kinda forgot about the Niangua...could be a good option to go from Barclay or Prosperine down to Tunnel Dam (or actually somewhere at the head of the Tunnel Dam lake, don't know the accesses down there). But it's a long shuttle. Upper Niangua down to Bennett could be good, too, but will probably be pretty low.

[darbwa]

I appreciate all of the great suggestions. With the water rising on the Buffalo it is hard to depart from the known quantity (and quality).

Al, I have to try to pin you down. If you were me, driving from Tulsa to wherever and trying to get in as much quality river time as possible, where would you go for a Wednesday - Friday trip?