Floatable Rivers Near Columbia Mo

[Fisherman Sam]

Hey all

I recently moved to Columbia MO and have been trying to find rivers other than the Missouri River to float and fish. Does anyone know of any rivers/creeks that are floatable and good for fishing near Columbia?

[OzarksRiverman]

http://mo.water.usgs.gov/

[Wayne SW/MO]

The Nianguas would probably be close to you. I know the lower Gasconade isn't too far, but I don't know anything about it that far down. Tavern creek is mentioned sometimes and I don't think it is far.

[eric1978]

Drove over the Moreau (sp?) River on the way back from Lake O this weekend...looked prime for wading at least, maybe floatable. Never been on it, but it looked worth exploring from the overpass. I'd say about an hour from Columbia, maybe 75 minutes.

[Jack Jones]

When I stayed there for a conference I fished the bank at Finger Lakes State Park. It's not a river, but you can canoe/kayak it and there are definitely some nice bass in there. It was only about 15 minutes north of the Bass Pro in Columbia.

[Al Agnew]

Nothing very close to Columbia that's truly floatable, although people have floated Cedar Creek and the Loutre River. For streams with real Ozark character you have to go south of the Missouri River. Moreau, and especially the South Fork of Moreau River, are more or less floatable, although the South Fork gets too low for good floating by early summer most years. Tavern Creek is marginally floatable. Lower Gasconade is jet boat water but can be floated as well. It's big water, very slow, but holds a few smallmouth as well as a lot of spotted bass. Maries River has been floated, although it's often too low.

[joeD]

It would help, F. Sam, if you would be more specific. What do you consider "near?" What is your idea of "float fishing?" What fish are you after? See what I mean? The more accurate the question, the more accurate the response. Thus, the more help it is to you.

[Bill B.]

Ditto. There are plenty of places to fish from a canoe, kayak or belly boat within an hour's drive of Columbia. Where to go depends on what you want to catch.

[Fisherman Sam]

Thanks for the advice everyone and sorry for the lack of specifics in my original post. I am mainly after bass (lm, sm, and spotted), but some goggle eye here and there aren't bad either. I would really like to stay within an hour of Columbia, if that helps with the distance.