Rivers I Need To Float...

[Al Agnew]

I've been floating Ozark streams for more than 45 years, and at one time or another I've floated most of them, but there are still some I haven't floated yet, and some that it's been so long that I want to go back. Maybe this year will be the year I mark a few off the list. Here are mine...what are the streams in the Ozarks that you would like to float and haven't recently?

Black River--It's been more than 10 years since I floated the upper Black, and I've never floated or fished the Middle Fork.

Current River--it's been a REAL long time since I floated below Big Spring. I know it's heavily used by jetboats these days and I could just take the jetboat, but I'd like to float it by canoe.

Eleven Point--I've only floated from Riverton to the Arkansas line once, and that was long ago and in the winter for walleye. Would like to do it for smallies, and also the Arkansas section.

Spring River--don't care to float the trout section again, but would like to do it below the trout water.

South Fork Spring River--have wanted to do that one for many years.

Upper end of the North Fork--I've floated it above the trout water, but not all of it.

Bryant Creek--another one I haven't been on for many years.

Elk and Big Sugar--never have gotten to them.

Shoal Creek--haven't floated all of it yet.

Indian Creek (in SWMO)--never floated it.

Pomme de Terre River--never floated above the lake.

Little Niangua--it's been a really long time.

Niangua--there are still a couple stretches in the upper portion above Bennett that I have never floated, and I've never floated the last day's float down to Tunnel Dam.

Gasconade River--one or two stretches in the upper end, and a couple stretches in the lower river...I always wanted to do the whole thing in one trip--250 miles, it would take 3 weeks or more to do it.

Kings River--I've never floated the upper sections.

Mulberry River--never floated it.

Big Piney Creek (in Arkansas)--never floated it.

There are some others, some of them too small to be well known but rumor has it they are terrific fishing.

So many rivers, so little time.

[drew03cmc]

I want to float as many as I can. There is no point in making a list of them, but I want to hit them all.

[Gavin]

You just cant float them all..but its fun to try!

[OzarksRiverman]

You ever floated Beaver Creek, Swan Creek, or Big Creek (Bull ShoalsTrib.)?

[Mitch f]

I would like to float the Big Piney thru Fort Leonard Wood

[jdmidwest]

Al, lets try South Fork of the Spring River this summer. I have never really floated thru, just put in near Salem and paddled up and down.

[eric1978]

I've hit most of the main arteries now, at least parts of them. I'd like to explore more of the smaller streams that are harder to access, see more of the SWMO streams that are so far from St. Louis, and finally get down to the Buffalo. And on the bucket list, like Al, I'd like to do complete river floats, from headwaters down to at least the end of smallmouth habitat in single trips: Meramec, Gasconade, Current, and 11 Point. I'd also like to go back in time and spend a whole summer floating the entire undammed White.

[Greasy B]

Short List of “Ozark must floats” in no particular order:

Mineral Fork was a staple for 20 years; I haven’t been on it since Rivermont closed. Vehicle security has me worried.

Meramec float from Short Bend to Woodson, it’s been a few years, I’m not sure if my knees can handle the portage from hell.

Lower Niangua haunts me; I got just a taste last summer.

Osage Fork Through the militarized zone. Maybe this should be at the top of the list.

Gasconade from below the puddle in Hartville to Hazelgreen. I’ve done the lower half; this has got to be one of the quietest stretches of river in the state. It’s a bit of a pipe dream; sitting in a canoe for more than three days is kind of rough. I’d have to bring another canoe for my Chiropractor.

Buffalo River, It’s kind of embarrassing to admit that I have never been on this most essential of Ozark Rivers. No excuse.

James River, heck I’d like to float a bunch of rivers in SWM. There just aren’t enough three day weekends to make the drive worthwhile.

Big River from Brown’s to Morse Mill, for the longest time I figured this for a sweet float. After they put in the boat ramp in at Morse Mill I was kind of heart broken, I don’t know if it gets pounded for the whole 17 miles but I’m sure it’s not as peaceful as it was when I would paddle up from Morse Mill and fish by way back.

St Francis River, I don’t know how this slipped through the cracks but I have only wade fished it.

Little Niangua, if this smaller version of its parent river I need to float it.

[ColdWaterFshr]

Big Piney (Ark), Mulberry (also Ark), are amazing gems. Get there, Al. Now is the time to go. Bring a bailer or a thirsty loofah!

And the Buffalo, for all of you others, duh! Granted, I've only gone from Boxley to Kyles, I do want to explore the middle and lower. That river is a must see and if you live in this area, there is no excuse.

I've hit most everything south of 44 and a few north of it. Big Sugar, Little, Indian, Shoal once, even Roaring River below the park. Flat Cr, Swan, Bull, Finley, James, Niangua, and the Little Niangua not since I was 8 when Dave Gann left me stranded on a big boulder in the middle of the river and I cried my heart out as he paddled away. But I have not seen big sections of the Gasconade below Jerome, because, yeah well, jet-boat country. Sections of the middle and lower Big and middle-lower sections of the Meremac, ehhh, do those really count? I don't have much desire to see them. I would like to float some sections of the Missouri and Mississippi, that might be interesting for an overnight gravel bar float. Floated the middle fork of the Black once because we got lost looking for the west fork. Lower 11 pt below Riverton would be interesting, and Current below Pulltite would be all new to me. Castor and Big Creek I never have done. And a couple sections of the St. Francis. Lots of cattle/mud rivers north of 44 that I don't have much desire to check out.

[Guest]

Elk and Big Sugar are worth the effort to avoid the crowds.

Trophy smallmouth and largemouth, but you dont get the feel of wilderness.

Spring River has a diverse group of fish other than trout. Smallmouth, musky, sauger, to name a few.

I learned to swim in that cold bastard.

Similar to the Elk in terms of idiot drunk floaters, avoid their season for sure.

Ive duck hunted the Black, dang good catfish waters there.

The strawberry is another gem, its pretty dam secluded. I like those creeks that start out Ozark streams and turn into cypress sloughs.

St.francis is similar to the Black River in that regard.