Trout Trip Recommendations

[Terrierman]

Quote

 

http://forums.ozarkanglers.com/topic/49393-may-20-21-and-22-on-the-river/

I love NFOW and Current River.  They are beautiful Ozarks rivers and fish very well.  But to me, the crown jewel is the Eleven Point.  Its just not to be missed.  It is best fished from a boat.

[Ham]

8 hours ago, Terrierman said:

http://forums.ozarkanglers.com/topic/49393-may-20-21-and-22-on-the-river/

 But to me, the crown jewel is the Eleven Point.  Its just not to be missed.  It is best fished from a boat.

I've never been on it during the summer. My understanding is that rec traffic is heavy. I try to limit my trips on those type rivers to the "off season". Spring before school is out and fall when school is back in. Better weather for camping anyway.

[Terrierman]

2 hours ago, Ham said:

I've never been on it during the summer. My understanding is that rec traffic is heavy. I try to limit my trips on those type rivers to the "off season". Spring before school is out and fall when school is back in. Better weather for camping anyway.

I try to float all the popular rivers on weekdays. Agree on when its best - spring being my preference.

[Flysmallie]

On ‎1‎/‎26‎/‎2016 at 8:36 PM, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I watched a water snake swim up behind a guy who was waste deep at Bennett. 

I think the snake thought he was a log or tree and slithered up his back to his head. 

That dude went wild when he finally realized it. 

I could not stop laughing although I felt sorry for him. 

Pete

I know his pain. I grew up fishing farm ponds in Oklahoma with my dad from float tubes. Sometimes those snakes would just make a beeline for you. I think they really thought it would just be a nice place to crawl up on and bask in the sun. ALWAYS freaked me out. You would have to wait until they got close enough to slap the water in front of them to get them to stop. Then came the worst part, they would go under and disappear. Then you had the occasional beaver that was trying to defend his spot. I saw a beaver in a float tube and I went the other way just as fast as a little fat kid could go.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I waste deep in the lake on the south side of 44 just east of St James by that winery.

I kind of noticed something to my right about a foot away.

When I looked closely it the big ole pink head of a snapping turtle.

Soiled myself while back peddling.

Pete

[dennishoddy]

On ‎1‎/‎28‎/‎2016 at 8:40 AM, Flysmallie said:

I know his pain. I grew up fishing farm ponds in Oklahoma with my dad from float tubes. Sometimes those snakes would just make a beeline for you. I think they really thought it would just be a nice place to crawl up on and bask in the sun. ALWAYS freaked me out. You would have to wait until they got close enough to slap the water in front of them to get them to stop. Then came the worst part, they would go under and disappear. Then you had the occasional beaver that was trying to defend his spot. I saw a beaver in a float tube and I went the other way just as fast as a little fat kid could go.

Oh heck ya! I was tubing a pond in North Central Ok a couple of years ago and had a big water snake make a beeline for me. I beat the water like you said and it disappeared, only to surface and climb on my tube with me. Bugger was almost 4' long, and was a handful to hold until getting to the bank to release it.

 

A year or so later, talked to some folks that tournament fish from float tubes and told of my experience. He said the solution is not to slap the water, but to use the tip of the rod gently to re-direct the snake until it moves on. Slapping the water with the rod puts it into panic mode, making it want to get out of the water, and the tube fisherman is the closest way to do that.

 

[DainW]

Ok so the trip is scheduled for March 11-14. Planning on getting a guide for NFOW on Friday, then either fishing the NFOW on Saturday or heading up to the Current. Current again on Sunday then maybe head to Little Piney. 

The guide tells me that for NFOW to be runnable in his boat that CFS needs to be under 1100, otherwise we're gonna be fishing the Norfork or the White. Based on the coming forecast, anyone care to handicap the odds of NFOW being fishable on the 11th? Also, from what I hear about 250 CFS is the max flow for wade fishing on the Current. Hoping that river doesn't come up too much either. Anybody that knows these rivers well care to chime in?

Thanks

[Ozark Sweetwater]

I don't know which guide you hired for the NFOW but there are only a handful of us so, I'm sure that I know him. What he is saying on flows is, that if it reaches above 1100 he won't be able to fish certain sections. Different boats will fit under the low water bridges at different flows. The normal drifter will fit under McKee bridge at or around 1200 CFS. Patrick bridge is a little dicey for most if flows are above 700 CFS. 

You are still able to fish the lower (below Patrick) at any flows, as long as it's not muddy. NFOW typically fishes better when the flows are up. I love it at 1200 CFS.

its sitting at 750 right now, which is good for this time of year but it could jump up pretty quick if we get a good rain between now and the days you're on the water.

 

[DainW]

I'm supposed to fish with Nathaneal Ferguson on Friday. I talked to him today it sounds like he's thinking there's a pretty good chance we'd have to fish white or norfork, which is fine by me. I'd still like to venture up into Missouri though. Hopefully the current is still fishable or one of the smaller creeks. 

[Eric82]

From looking at the levels and forecast the Little Piney should be ok around Lane Spring.