Planning A Float: Big Piney Or Eleven Point?

[ozark trout fisher]

I love the Slabtown to Ross float, it really is one of my favorites but I can't in good conscience recommend the lower part of it on a summer weekend. For whatever reason, the Slabtown to 6x stretch tends to be much less crowded than 6x to Ross. On a two day float on the Slabtown-Ross section last summer (on the weekend), we saw a grand total of about 7 or 8 canoes above 6x and that half of the trip was about as enjoyable a day as I can remember. Then day 2 we got below 6X crossing and it was all of a sudden it was bumper boats, and seemingly everyone hammered drunk. So if you float below 6x, know what you are getting into.

[joeD]

Just do the Piney. You know you want to do it. You would prefer to catch smallies. So, go do it. Pick a section, and sally forth. All the above suggestions are fine. Think long, think wrong. There is no such thing as the "perfect float." I understand your desire for reliable beta, but, at some point, you'll reach an informational saturation point where you will still be hamstrung on where to go. It's your life, you decide, and then tell us what happened. It's better that way.

Or. Go to the 11pt.

Whatever. Nevermind.

[TroutRinger]

Thanks everybody. I had decided on the BP but when I called my friend and his family about that weekend and they had already booked a cabin in Eminence (which means they're paying!!) for our annual Jack's Fork float so this trip is getting bumped to later in the summer. We're floating the JF on Sunday so I'm trying to talk the younger people in the group to coming down earlier and hitting the Eleven Point on Saturday.

Going on the Buffalo in mid July so the Piney may have to wait until early August.

[Greasy B]

I love the Slabtown to Ross float, it really is one of my favorites but I can't in good conscience recommend the lower part of it on a summer weekend. For whatever reason, the Slabtown to 6x stretch tends to be much less crowded than 6x to Ross. On a two day float on the Slabtown-Ross section last summer (on the weekend), we saw a grand total of about 7 or 8 canoes above 6x and that half of the trip was about as enjoyable a day as I can remember. Then day 2 we got below 6X crossing and it was all of a sudden it was bumper boats, and seemingly everyone hammered drunk. So if you float below 6x, know what you are getting into.

The trick with spending a weekend on the Slabtown Ross float is to put in at Slabtown early afternoon sat. then fish hard and float slow so your behind the crowd. You want to get to 6x late afternoon Sun. and take out at dusk. You'll swear the river was empty when in reality everyone was ahead of you.

[ozark trout fisher]

That sounds like a good plan, never thought to do it that way. There's no question I plan to be floating the Big Piney more this summer (hopefully multiple times) and I think I'll give that a try.

That would to get there a little later too, because I always mostly just paddle through the 6x to Ross stretch anyway...I love the scenery down there with all the bluffs when it's not super crowded, but I've always thought the fishing was a little sub-par compared to further upstream- which is not to say that it's bad or anything. There's just a little too much slow water for my liking.

[Wormser]

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

Check out this link. It gives a bunch of outfitters and a link to their website depending on what river you want to float. It's a good start since their sites usually tell the floats they offer.

http://www.missouricanoe.org/directory.html