Where To Start?

[Ratdz]

I have never been to the Elk river, but happened to drive across it last year and made a mental note about wanting to go fish it.

My two sons have been bugging me about going over there and fishing/camping.

We will have small kayaks, and would like to find a place to fish/camp.

Can anyone give me any info on a good place to take kids fishing, without a "ton" of floaters coming by?

I realize its cold and snowy now, but I'm trying to plan ahead for the spring.

Thanks!

[Guest]

I have never been to the Elk river, but happened to drive across it last year and made a mental note about wanting to go fish it.

My two sons have been bugging me about going over there and fishing/camping.

We will have small kayaks, and would like to find a place to fish/camp.

Can anyone give me any info on a good place to take kids fishing, without a "ton" of floaters coming by?

I realize its cold and snowy now, but I'm trying to plan ahead for the spring.

Thanks!

If other floaters bother you, this isn't a river you want to fish...

[Ratdz]

I understand, it just looked like a great smallie river when I crossed it.

I was curious if there was a section that the floaters didn't use much.

Thanks!

[ollie]

If going in the spring then go during the week and you will see less people. Less people is the key word. There will still be a bunch of people, but not as many during the week.

[drew03cmc]

Fish higher in the system to avoid more floaters. If you put in at Cyclone and float to Deep Ford on Big Sugar, great smallmouth fishing, not too many floaters, nice water. That is about a 4.5 mile float.

[Big Brown Trout]

make sure you don't wait till summer. there is literally more people in elk river than there is water. think bowl of cereal and milk. one big drunk bowl of cereal.

[chub minnow]

Indian creek or Little Sugar will have even less people than Big Sugar. There is an outfitter at the hwy 59 bridge in Anderson that will shuttle you on Indian Creek. The cyclone to deep ford stretch on Big Sugar is the best though.....

[Wayne SW/MO]

I know that floaters seem to be a big problem, but all in all they generally aren't. I wouldn't miss a trip on any of our rivers because of floaters. You can play the waiting game, just call the local out fitter and ask them what the latest heavy launch is, and wait.

I don't think it bothers the fish, their pea brains get used to the canoes and they forget about them 10 seconds after they pass.

[KeithJones]

I can second what everyone else on here has said. Indian Creek is a good float, but in summer the water's usually low so you can expect to drag a few times. However, with only one outfitter on the whole river (and they don't rent boats) there is very, very little traffic. The best smallmouth fishing is from Lanagan City Park on down to the Elk. A buddy of mine and I floated Lanagan City Park to Mt. Shira a couple weeks ago.

The Elk is a great float during the middle of the week. I wouldn't recommend going on the weekend, epecially if you're going to fish. There is one exception, though. Put in at Noel just below the dam for Shadow Lake (use the term "lake" loosely) and you may have the river to yourself all the way down to Grand Lake. Also, Big Sugar from Powell down to Cyclone or Little Sugar from where 90 Hwy crosses it at Jane to Pineville.

[Ham]

make sure you don't wait till summer. there is literally more people in elk river than there is water. think bowl of cereal and milk. one big drunk bowl of cereal.

That's funny and sad at the same time.