Floated Dam To Hermitage

mzrealfish · June 29, 2012

Wheatland, Mo. Good people. Ask for Laura. Her husband has a higher pay schedule... I paid $15 to have my truck hauled from Wheatland to Hermitage.

My floats lock in at a 90 degree angle. I suppose I could see some benefits to both setups. Mine have only caused 1 problem in all of my trips. I was in heavy current through a tight chute and hit the log dead on to my right float. I knew if I pushed off, my float would go under the jam and pull me under. I jumped off on the left side and swam myslef and canoe out. Lost 1 tackle sleeve but everything else was safe. On a lighter note, the floats, for fact, saved my life on the Big Piney. Channel split and I couldn't tell main channel from flood. I chose flood and watched my life flash before my eyes a dozen times in the next 2 minutes. I feel very fortunate that I was at home and with my wife and daughters 2 days later. No more float trips above 6 ft. for me and the "Debacle"!

mzrealfish · July 11, 2012

I am headed back down tomrrw morning at 4 am. Hope to be floating by 6:30. We are putting in at Hermitage this time to avoid the 4 miles of regular dragging I dealt with below the dam last time. I considered bringing the trolling motor and running all the way back up to the 1st riffle, but I am confident that below Hermitge will be productive as well. I have thinned the tackle bag down a ton. I am loaded with jigs for the powerbait shad, some tubes and craws, zoom frogs and a couple of topwater options for the opening bell. I will post pictures when I get back.

MZ

mzrealfish · July 17, 2012

My neighbor and I made it down on Thursday for another installment of the PDT. We put in at the Hermitage access at 7:30 am and pulled out at the Cross Timbers access at 3:30 pm. We caught mostly spotted bass again. Not nearly as many and not nearly as well sized. We had a couple that were 1 3/4 lb. to 2 lb. Most were 3/4 lb. to 1 1/4 lb. All told 30 to 34 bass and a couple of sunfish. We saw a 4 lb. catfish swimming around in one of the 12 inch deep riffles. Also saw a couple of 3 to 4 lb. bass in the last pool above the pull-out as well as a very large 6ish lb. bass in the same pool. We threw everything at the 3 of them and came up with nothing but small spotted bass in 30 minutes. Most of the fish were caught on zoom senko style worms in baby bass and sweet potato no weight. A few others on jig and shad but not like last trip down.

The water was more stained than last trip, I am assuming from higher water temp, lower water level and algea stewing up a bit. I google earth mapped our trip and identified a potential hazzard at the 3 mile marker. I am glad we were at least mentally prepared for it. There were very large trees down across the river in 4 specific spots. the 1st we took of the outriggers for and floated under with little issue. The 2nd, we had to drag the boat through a mud run for about 20 feet between the fallen trees. The 3rd we had to stand on top of and then lift the canoe up and over 2 separate trees across the river. The 4th we had to lay down inside the canoe and float under. We had about 3 inches to spare! I was planning on doing this same run this Sunday with my 10 and 8 year old daughters as well as 2 other dads with their 4 girls. I am glad that I did a trial run! That would have been far more than any of them were up for...

Instead, we are going to put in at Cross Timbers and do the 4 mile float down to Sapp's Landing. We did encounter a conservation agent at the Cross Timbers access when we pulled out. I asked him about the downed trees. He said they have been down for over a year, but that they didn't have the resources to fix the problem right now. It seems to me, that if the word got out, like right now, that could hurt their recreational $$ being spent in the surrounding communities. Now I understand limited resources, but a year seems to be plenty of time to fix the problem. If not, then post a sign at the Hermitage Access notifying paddlers of what lies ahead. As it stands right now, I will not float the dam to Hermitage or Hermitage to Cross Timbers again if the water levels aren't better or if the trees are not dealt with. That only leaves Cross Timbers down as good options for floating on the PDT river. I paid $20 at Angler's Resort for hauling to Hermitage and $25 for hauling to Cross Timbers, both fair prices, but I expect to pay significantly more this weekend for the haul to Sapp's Landing. That is going to be more than I pay on the Niangua, Gasconade, Piney or Current rivers. The PDT has proximity for me being in KC, but it has a few issues that might get me back to the others quickly. Good fishing trip all in all, but not without it's serious issues.

Mark