Jacks Fork Trip Report May 17-19Th

[Mark]

Man somebody has their panties in a bunch. The Ozark National Scenic Riverways are as much mine as they are anybody's. So it is my RIGHT to enjoy them anytime I want to. I agree - from what I've seen, "locals" do as much damage to rivers as anyone. Most of us do behold the axiom "No trace left behind". I don't need a weekend class to teach me that nor do kids. Adults are the examples for young kids. Sorry you don't have your own private stretch of river. Go out west to Colorado or Wyoming and buy your own land with a stream if that is what you want and you can keep everybody else off of it. I hope Missouri never goes down that path. Most of us know which rivers to stay away from on weekends, which weekends are usually crowded, and I can say in all my years of floating, I have only NOT enjoyed myself because of crowds maybe two or three times, and that was on holiday weekends.

What you are suggesting is more government interference, more regulations, more restrictions, and pretty soon what you end up with is the priviledged few with money or connections that have preferential use of the streams.

I cannot believe anyone on here that loves the outdoors, streams, fishing, and tremendous recreational opportunities that we are accustomed to with our Ozark Streams would be in favor of restricting, regulating, and governmental interference in nature. Shame on you.

[cnr]

I know it would be a pain but I would be in agreement about having some sort of classes or licensing to operate any watercraft be it powered by paddle or motor. Water safety is no joke and you will all admit it takes only a few seconds to turn a great day into a tragedy. We make everyone get a license to operate a car for a reason. Does it eliminate accidents or prevent careless driving, no. But it does help to provide basic instruction and I couldn't imagine how bad the roads would be if everyone could just get in a car and drive without training. We will never get rid of the lunkheads on the river or the street, but having some training and enforcement of the rules sure would help on the rivers and lakes. I'm not trying to propose taking away anyones freedoms but rather protecting our safety. Admit it, most of us don't go near the rivers on weekends (or go very early) to avoid the bad things that happen when hundreds of people are flipping, crashing, cursing, and defiling every gravel bar on the river. If a few hours of courses and a permit/license could improve the situation I only see it as a positive.

Of course it is all easier said than done. :^)

[Smalliebigs]

see ya

[stlfisher]

I think an easier way is to have a "floating license" half the cost of a fishing license. It cost a few bucks and the money can be put back into the resource. I pay to fish in a sense so why shouldn't the floaters do the same.

If you purchase a fishing license you would also be able to float though...you wouldn't need to pay double. So if a fishing license is 7 bucks (with rights to float) a floating only license is 3.50.

[Gavin]

The last thing I'd want would be the government in charge of a permit system for river access. Imagine making reservations for every time you wanted to go floating or boating on a popular river...Apply online and hope you get drawn for a section you like..Yippee...I got drawn this year! It would be worse than the duck park reservation system.

[awhuber]

The last thing I'd want would be the government in charge of a permit system for river access. Imagine making reservations for every time you wanted to go floating or boating on a popular river...Apply online and hope you get drawn for a section you like..Yippee...I got drawn this year! It would be worse than the duck park reservation system.

Well said. The oufitters on the ONSR are already limited on the amounts of boats they can put in at a given access. What is not regulated is private boats. Becareful of what yuo ask for!

[steve l]

Think CWF went Prong's to Rymers...the river seems to flatten out and get shallower below there...I dont blame the article...Think I've talked with folks from out of state on most of the trips that I've made there...Last trip...group of 10-12 from Minnesota and some folks from Texas....

Yeah, maybe on the article, maybe not. And while the sample size was one, I don't think it was coincidental to the discussion that the one group I was shuttled with were on the river due to the article. Heck, I posted when it came out how my wife said she wished it hadn't been run. But it is what it is, the Conservationist will probably run a JF article every 5 or whatever years.

I also agree with the comment made on the weather. That was one of the few nice weather weekends the entire Spring, plus the weekend before Memorial Day I think brings some people out to avoid the Memorial Day & summer crowds. And the water flows were good, which means the outfitters are more likely to put people on up higher.

Just have to pick the times to float to avoid the crowds. We have our time to float & it seems to work fairly good. And if we do run across too many people (which isn't many for us) at least they aren't in the obnoxious jet boats like we get on the 11P when we go in the summer.

No no no on the permits or classes. The conceptual idea is good, but I don't want to see the gov't involved more in the mgt of the river. Heck, I would like to see them manage the current rules better by cracking down on whoever runs 4-wheelers on the gravel bars & in the river. Plus, it seems as though there are new unofficial access points being used, I would sure like to see that cracked-down on as well.

The one thing I like about the JF is it is quick to flood. At least the, er, usage, is usually washed away every year as well as fire wood being restocked.

I agree that it would be nice to see somehow see fewer people on the river & the river treated as the jewel it is. But it just isn't going to happen.

[KCRIVERRAT]

Floating from Blue Spring to Bay sunday the 3rd till maybe wednesday the 6th. Can't wait! And I believe some of you guys overthink it a little...

Power to the procrastinators!

[Al Agnew]

As far as floating levels...anything under 100 cfs on the Mountain View gauge and you'll be dragging a lot. And anything over about 250 and the river will be fast and you'll have to be careful. The canoe rentals hesitate to put in people in their boats if it's under 100 cfs because of wear and tear on the boats. The river from Buck Hollow to Rymers has a lot of rocky riffles that are hard on canoes and kayaks in low water conditions. The river between Rymers and Alley, and especially from Bay Creek to Alley, has a lot of very wide, shallow, gravel riffles that the paying customers whine about having to get out and walk in low water. The canoe rentals don't want the hassle.

The upper Jacks Fork (heck, even the lower Jacks Fork) is the most beautiful stream in Missouri, and could really be a terrific wilderness experience with different management. I'd hate to have to draw for a permit to float it, but other states have taken that route on their most spectacular wilderness streams. I'd be all for having to take a class and get a permit to float it, but that's about as likely to happen as requiring a class and a permit to be a parent (even though that would probably be a good idea, too). As is having to draw permits at this point. Like it or not, the combination of the profit motive and the innate disdain of government among the local people will insure that not much of anything is done to protect the Jacks Fork and improve the experience of floating it. I don't even hold out any hope of shutting down all the unauthorized accesses or getting serious about limiting horse traffic.

[ColdWaterFshr]

I hate to give up though. Something needs to be done.