Planning A Float: Big Piney Or Eleven Point?

[TroutRinger]

Planning a one-day, Saturday float trip (2 nights camping). Want to go somewhere new and Big Piney and 11 Point have been on my list for a while.

Main Criteria:

-Fishing: We would prefer Smallie's but trout is fine too. (Don't want to worry about any lure restrictions though)

-Scenery and Water Quality: I love me some bluffs and clear, spring-fed streams.

If you have a better suggestion, I'm open but it has to be within 3 hours of St. Louis and Springfield. I've already floated the Meramec, Big, Current, Jack's Fork, Niangua, and Huzzah.

Thanks

EDIT: Right now the plan is for mid to late June.

[Guest]

Slabtown to Ross on the Big piney would fit the bill.

[Greasy B]

Yea I would also go with Slabtown to Ross but you'll want to camp on a gravel bar along the way. A one day float in that area would have you floating 6 crossing to Ross, a beautiful part if the river but not the high quality experience you would have coming down from Slabtown.

[TroutRinger]

I'd like to do an overnight float, but it depends on the group.

[Guest]

Sorry, I thought you were looking for an overnighter on a gravel bar. Mason to slabtown would be good for a 1 day float on the Piney. Cane bluff to greer or greer to Turner on the eleven point would also be good.

[Gavin]

Ditto...There's a free Forest Service Campground at Slabtown...I'd probably camp there, and float Mason to Slabtown...

Greer CG on the 11pt is nice, so is the CG at nearby McCormack Lake. I wouldnt recommend Cane Bluff,Turner, or Whitten.

[TroutRinger]

Sorry, I thought you were looking for an overnighter on a gravel bar. Mason to slabtown would be good for a 1 day float on the Piney. Cane bluff to greer or greer to Turner on the eleven point would also be good.

That would be poor wording on my part. What canoe outfitters run Mason to Slabtown and is the Forest Service Campground first come first serve?

Thanks

[Gavin]

Its first come first served...no water..and there is a pit toilet...Might have to run your own shuttle for that stretch on a Saturday, but you could try Boiling Springs.. I dont think the Rich's or Wilderness Ridge would be interested.

[eric1978]

Just be warned...Slabtown to Ross on a Saturday in June...you'll be far from alone on the river.

[Al Agnew]

If you are dependent upon an outfitter, you gotta lower your expectations for a June Saturday experience. Anywhere you go will be crowded with river dorks, unfortunately...that's just the way it is. If you go into it with that mindset--resign yourself to putting up with river dorks--then the Slabtown to Ross stretch of the Piney will be about as good as it gets. However, Rich's and Wilderness Ridge at Ross, your only two choices in outfitters for that float, will charge you an arm, a leg, and an eye for a shuttle up to Slabtown; they much prefer to run trips from 6 Crossings to Ross, which is only about 5 miles in reality although they bill it as something like seven miles. And the float from Slabtown down is pretty long, if I remember correctly 11 or 12 miles. I know they won't run a shuttle for you from Mason to Slabtown, and I highly doubt that Boiling Spring will, either. And as far as scenery goes, although I love the Mason to Slabtown stretch, it hasn't got as many impressive bluffs as the Slabtown to Ross float.

Another choice, with scenery roughly comparable to the Mason to Slabtown stretch and not quite as populated with weekend river dorks, is from the East Gate of Fort Leonard Wood to Lay Z Day Campground. This is below the fort, and Lay Z Day's owner Glen is a great guy. He rents canoes and does shuttles. It's a good fishing stretch. I think he may offer a shorter float--it's a fairly long float from the Fort down.

Some other possibilities if you need an outfitter...Boiling Springs Campground and a float above Boiling Springs. Very pretty part of the Piney, and I don't think Boiling Springs rents huge numbers of watercraft so it might not be too crowded. The "other" Boiling Springs Campground, on the Gasconade. Beautiful bluffs above there, but big enough water that the jetboats will be out on the weekends, and a lot of very slow water. Gasconade Hills CG and CR farther up on the Gasconade. They tend to get some river dorks, but if you can get them to run you a float from their place down to Hwy. 133, there are fewer floaters and better fishing. And for a wild card...Sam A. Baker Park on the St. Francis. They don't rent a whole lot of canoes, and it's a nice float with interesting scenery from their put-in about seven miles upstream. A few bluffs, a few granite outcrops, a few wide bottomlands, and you never know what you'll catch...all three species of bass, a few straggler white bass that haven't made it back down to Wappapello yet, goggle-eye, crappie in the big pools, and there's even the possibility of a walleye these days. I've also caught catfish, gar, and drum on this stretch while bass fishing.