Float And Fish July 23-25

[STL Matt]

Hello,

I am gonna come down there and camp at Greer or Turner Mill and do a one day float on July 24. Any ideas on which stretch I should try to convince my mostly non-fishing friends to choose for my own selfish ways? Prefer trout on the fly, but if the water's too high and fast to get anything that isn't crazily heavy down to the fish, I wouldn't mind doing the more smallmouthy part above Greer instead (I broke my heavier rod, and throwing big hunks of lead on a 4-weight doesn't sound too keen).

Thanks!

Matt

[go4ducks2]

I'll tell ya Monday after the trip this weekend....... Cain to Turner

[2sheds]

I float-fished 2 weeks ago from Greer to The Narrows. Water was higher and flowing considerably faster than my traditional mid-summer experience. I used some 3-bead MOATs and Don's Crawdads (rip rfc) on my 8-foot 5 wt, but never got as deep as I thought I needed to be. I see now that the level is down to about normal for July, but still running a significantly higher volume than I am used to flyfishing - so your thoughts would seem to still be accurate.

That being said ...

IMHO, Greer Crossing is a nicer campground than Turner (but the spring-outlet at Turner North is killer-bee). You can wade fish upstream to the spring outlet and downstream to the 1st island at Graveyard Hollow. If there is enough water (ask Brian), he can put you in up at Cane Bluff and you can day-float back to your camp at Greer Crossing. Smallmouth should be good from Cane, plus trout downstream from the spring outlet. Cane-fo-Greer water should be shallow enough that you should have some early+late success in the shallow riffles. Before or after the float, your non-fishing friends can hike down to the Greer Spring, drive to Falling Spring, or enjoy the beach under the bridge.