Overnighter Flows

[Nightbrew]

Hey guys I'm thinking of doing an overnighter on the bryant in a couple of weeks. Ive picked a couple of options but I need to what to look for on the gauge at tecumseh. As in if the gauge says this only float below this, etc. Im ok with some dragging just didnt want it to be a dragathon. Also what stretch is the best smallmouth fishing? Currently I was thinking bertha ford to hodgson mill or hodgson mill to cook access. Any info is appreciated.

[Ham]

The guage at Tecumseh is worthless. Lake Norfork water levels affect it at times and the Bryant has joined the NFOW by that point.

[Nightbrew]

I can see how that would affect things. But north fork has its own gauge, and they both always show different readings. Are the gauges at the bridge?

[Riverwhy]

I think you will catch bigger fish from Hodgson to Cook's Landing. Be careful on your campsite choices. It's best to pick an island area if possible to prevent landowner discussions.

[Nightbrew]

Riverwhy, do you know of any landowners who are known to have issues with gravel bar campers on that stretch? Sometimes its hard to see homes through the trees until it is dark and you can see the lights from the house way up the hill.

[Riverwhy]

I have been asked to not camp twice on that stretch. Nothing confrontational. They ask me not to camp and I said yes sir and moved downstream. I love gravel bar camping and I would not be deterred but I do keep my campsites small, quiet and with little campfire and lantern light.

I love smallmouth fishing that stretch but if you camp it is hard to not fish for a few of the big catfish after dark.

Good luck and send us a report when you are finished.

[Kelroy]

Nightbrew- just for reference, the Bryant Creek gage (07058000) is in a field on private property, about 2.5 miles above the mouth of the North Fork. The North Fork gage (07057500) is on private property in a concrete tower near the right edge of water, about 1.25 miles above the Hwy PP bridge. On the gage webpages there is a blue bar that reads "Available data for this site" which contains a pop-down menu. In that menu you will find the gage location map. You can zoom in/out and even select different map backgrounds (topo, hwy, satellite, etc) Have a safe and enjoyable trip :-)

[Ham]

Nightbrew- just for reference, the Bryant Creek gage (07058000) is in a field on private property, about 2.5 miles above the mouth of the North Fork. The North Fork gage (07057500) is on private property in a concrete tower near the right edge of water, about 1.25 miles above the Hwy PP bridge. On the gage webpages there is a blue bar that reads "Available data for this site" which contains a pop-down menu. In that menu you will find the gage location map. You can zoom in/out and even select different map backgrounds (topo, hwy, satellite, etc) Have a safe and enjoyable trip :-)

I did not know that. Thanks for the intell.

[Nightbrew]

I didnt know about the map feature either. Thanks for sharing that with us. Now back to the original question, and I know its a matter of opinion, but how low is too low?

[Riverwhy]

It is never too low to launch from Bertha. It is floatable even during the mid summer of drought years. Fox creek helps keep the water flow up.

You might do a bit of dragging and will need to portage over a few log jams but nothing too bad.