ideas for a kayak/ fishing trip on the huzzah/ courtois 4/25/15?

[Eric82]

Hey there. I am planning on doing a kayak trip next Saturday on the huzzah or courtois and was wondering what would be a good stretch to fish/float? Will be fly fishing and my buddy spin fishing. Would like to do the courtois but would do the huzzah of course... will be stopping to fish a lot. I was wondering what is the earliest we could get on the river? Trying to shoot for 6am if possible. Would probably call huzzah or bass on that huh. LOL. Thank you.

[Al Agnew]

You need to call either of them and see if they'd shuttle you that early...I doubt that they would, but they MIGHT leave out boats for you to rent if you put in at their place and go downstream, and/or you'd arrange for them to pick you up downstream whenever they pick up their regular floaters for the day. Understand that if the weather is nice, there will be a lot of people on either stream, but if you can work out the 6 AM put-in, you should be ahead of everybody for at least part of the day. That's probably your only possibility unless you want to put in with the crowds on upstream sections. The lower floats on both streams end up at Scotia, and are 5-6 miles, which is a good distance if you take your time. I've floated both quite a bit, and there isn't much to pick between them...both can be good. Courtois has an access about a mile and a half above Scotia, so you're likely to encounter people there even if you are still ahead of the main crowd on it.

[Eric82]

Thank you. Yeah growing up I was a major part of the canoe hatch and didn't fish either creek that much. I think I'm gonna do a float berryman to bass. Talk about a canoe hatch they are having a kayak race on the huzzah next Saturday so I think I'll do the courtois....

[joeD]

Good choice. So is using a kayak. The two streams are somewhat low for this time of year. You'll have plenty of water for sure, but, historically, the streams are generally higher this time of year. Fishing should be pretty good. Water temp is at the range where the smallies get active. I would use big streamers, big topwater, and maybe less big crawdad patterns for bottom bouncing. Fish everywhere. Never know where they'll be. Slower water probably.

[Eric82]

Thanks everyone. Yeah I was lucky enough to get off work early today and hit up a stream by my house today and caught a few smallies and sunfish on my spinning rod(didn't have my car fly rod with me). They were hitting rooster tails. They were feeding on top some too which gives me hope for some top water action next Saturday.

[Eric82]

St.Charles County smallie

[moguy1973]

Nice fish and nice old Mitchell reel...

[Coosa]

Eric, here is something I have done with bass river twice. I call them and tell them I want to float the courtois and I want to do it early. They gave me directions to the put in then they came and picked my truck up for me and had it waiting for me at their place when I was done. My brother has done this also.

I have done the same thing with birds nest lodge on the meramec.

[Eric82]

Interesting. I think I'll give them a call about that. Thank you sir!!!

[Greasy B]

St.Charles County smallie

That's something I have never seen, good going.