Another First Timer

[steve l]

IMO Chalk yes, Leatherwood maybe not so much for a down day, unless you're planning on walking up the creek. Chalk Bluff a cool looking spot with nice water, and the bluff is pretty darn impressive. There is (or was last year) gravel across from Leatherwood, but the water isn't all that interesting & there is nothing special about the views.

[eric1978]

You don't have to plan your campsites on JF...the whole river is beautiful from the Prongs down to Bay Creek. Any random gravel bar will do for a great campsite. Here's one of many:

[Mark]

Aaaaawwwwwww Man, I think I could force myself to spend a day there!! BBQ grill going, strumming some Ozark Mountain Daredevils on the 6 string, a little John Barleycorn to quench my thirst!! It doesn't get any better than that!!!

[Phil Lilley]

Four or five days = 3 or 4 nights? Three nights is perfect for me from Buck Hollow to Alley assuming the river is floatable. My reference point on the gauge is feet instead of cfs. My preference is 1.5 to 2.0 feet. Below 1.5 & you will start dragging quite a bit. The gauge gets to three feet & the river is moving along a somewhat better clip. Much less time will be needed on the river. I think it is closed at 4?

Steve- which gage are you referring to here?

[watermen]

Steve- which gage are you referring to here?

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=sgf&gage=jrmm7

I think this is what your looking for Phil, Locally this is what we use on the rivers. Might be the same u use I don't know? Everyone knows when the good fishing is by feet on the gauges. South of me rivers are in good shape again so far, caught some again with the kids tonight.

[KCRIVERRAT]

Steve- which gage are you referring to here?

Actually... I believe he's referring to the gauge at Buck Hollow (Hwy. 17 bridge).

[Al Agnew]

The Buck Hollow and the Alley Spring gauges are about equally valid for the Jacks Fork above Alley Spring. The Alley gauge is above the spring, and its flow readings are usually pretty similar to the Buck Hollow gauge (note I'm talking flow in cfs, not level in feet) unless there's a flash flood that has reached Buck Hollow but not Alley yet. If I'm floating from Rymers to Alley I'll use the Alley gauge, if floating Prongs to Rymers the Buck Hollow gauge.

I'll say it again, if you are already familiar with a stream and know what the level in feet signifies for that stream, that's great, but the flow in cfs is a much more useful reading if you aren't familiar with the stream. If you tell me the Jacks Fork is at 2 feet on the gauge and I don't know the Jacks Fork and have never paid attention to that particular gauge, I have zero idea what you're talking about. But if you tell me the Jacks Fork is flowing 200 cfs at that gauge, I KNOW what 200 cfs looks like on ANY Ozark stream, and know that on any stream comparable in size to the Jacks Fork, 200 cfs is very floatable but not high.

[Mark]

Al, I tried to send you a PM last week but it was returned with "Not excepting PMs at this time". I was just wondering when you and Mary were returning to the Show Me State. We have a group going down to the Eleven Point for a weeklong campout starting May 21 and staying until at least Memorial Day. You would know most of us and a couple women to keep Mary company as well. We expect the couples to stay in cabins, but the hemen are camping at gravel bar across from Stinking Pond. We would all love to have you join us sometime for some smallmouth lessons.

[Al Agnew]

Yeah, I'd let my inbox get full. It's empty now, so messages should work. We'll be back before then, but we've got a bunch of stuff going on that week, don't know whether we will be able to make it or not. Thanks for the invite, though! We'll keep it in mind.

[Dan Kreher]

The Buck Hollow and the Alley Spring gauges are about equally valid for the Jacks Fork above Alley Spring. The Alley gauge is above the spring, and its flow readings are usually pretty similar to the Buck Hollow gauge (note I'm talking flow in cfs, not level in feet) unless there's a flash flood that has reached Buck Hollow but not Alley yet. If I'm floating from Rymers to Alley I'll use the Alley gauge, if floating Prongs to Rymers the Buck Hollow gauge.

I'll say it again, if you are already familiar with a stream and know what the level in feet signifies for that stream, that's great, but the flow in cfs is a much more useful reading if you aren't familiar with the stream. If you tell me the Jacks Fork is at 2 feet on the gauge and I don't know the Jacks Fork and have never paid attention to that particular gauge, I have zero idea what you're talking about. But if you tell me the Jacks Fork is flowing 200 cfs at that gauge, I KNOW what 200 cfs looks like on ANY Ozark stream, and know that on any stream comparable in size to the Jacks Fork, 200 cfs is very floatable but not high.

Was planning trip on upper Kings River (AR) but outfitter says not sufficient water above Rock House. Plan B is Jacks from Buck to Alley. CFS at Buck gauge at 78 and 1.7 feet. Matt Wier and I taking solo canoes on 3 day trip so load won't be too heavy. Do you believe there is sufficient water for good float/fishing at this level. Last year I did Prongs to Bay Creek in May at about 250 CFS and it was a wild ride at times on upper stretch above Rhymers mostly.

Still a couple days of pondering as we're not heading out until Sunday AM. Currently racking my brain mulling over options for 25 miles of water with adequate water, good fishing and great scenery. Jacks hopefully will fit that bill as air temps warm up after cold front passes.