Float this Weekend, Delaware to Shelvin, or Shelvin to Hootentown?

[Seth Clarkson]

I see a lot of posts of people fishing Delaware to Shelvin, but not a whole lot showing Shelvin to Hootentown. 

Can someone tell me why that is? Is the first stretch better for some reason, better fishing, less traffic, safer, shorter or longer? 

Trying to decide what to float this weekend. Also if anyone has an idea of how the water might be in either of those areas right now please let me know. I have not floated either one before. I will be in a kayak, a buddy in a 16ft 9in old town canoe and a jr high kid taking his new kayak out for a maiden voyage. 

Thanks!

[Jadesjigs]

Hey Seth,  I've caught nice fish on both sections of the river you mentioned. However, I haven't fished either one enough to really tell if one is better than the other. If the water is low, I think the shelvin to hootentown may be better-especially after the Finley runs in. With all the recent rain I would think that either area would be good floats. I also think the shelvin to hootentown float may be busier in summer due to canoe rentals. Sorry I know this doesn't help much, but maybe gives you a little insight. You won't regret either route that you decide. Let us know how the trip goes. Thanks!

[RSBreth]

Downstream from Hootentown is better than both - but you have to deal with the canoe rental crowd. There's a reason for the special regulations for that 22-mile stretch of the James.https://fishing.mdc.mo.gov/reports/james-river
 

[Seth Clarkson]

4 minutes ago, RSBreth said:

Downstream from Hootentown is better than both - but you have to deal with the canoe rental crowd. There's a reason for the special regulations for that 22-mile stretch of the James.https://fishing.mdc.mo.gov/reports/james-river
 

I have fished lower sections a couple times. Didn't produce too big of smallies. I floated marble ground to Hl Kerr and caught a ton of fish, but only a couple smallmouth over 12 inches. Kerr to Galena didn't produce much for me and I did hootentown to marble ground once but it was after rains and didn't do well. Whats the water level typically like between marble ground and Kerr compared to the area between Delaware and hootentown? 

[RSBreth]

Typically a little higher. There are bigger Smallies there - but you have to really fish it right to get any - there's plenty of fishing pressure.

[vonreed]

Shelvin Rock to Hootentown is no doubt the most floated section of the river.  I'm on that section a lot and some days it rivals North Fork of White for the amount of people.  The water is at a good level for floating right now.  Hootentown down to Marble Grounds off V Hwy is a much better fishing float in my opinion.

[Seth Clarkson]

5 minutes ago, vonreed said:

Shelvin Rock to Hootentown is no doubt the most floated section of the river.  I'm on that section a lot and some days it rivals North Fork of White for the amount of people.  The water is at a good level for floating right now.  Hootentown down to Marble Grounds off V Hwy is a much better fishing float in my opinion.

I floated hootentown to Marble ground last August. It was the first time I had floated James and it had rained earlier that week then had one dry day beforehand. Water was fairly fast in a lot of areas and dirtier than it was my last couple of trips. Between 2 of us we caught 1 smallmouth, a couple. Goggle eye and a few panfish. It also seemed like a lot shorter trip than I'd want, but like I said I think some sections were moving fairly fast. 

I had a great day from marble ground down to Kerr in June. But not looking for that long of float, we paddled the last probably mile which didn't have a lot of current in the afternoon heat. 

[Seth Clarkson]

There shouldn't be too much of the crowd that strictly floats and doesnt fish this time of year with the weather we've had though, right? 

[RSBreth]

I forget that I have a "cheat" in that I put in and paddle UPSTREAM in my solo canoe, missing the canoe rental crowd by 6 hours. That's how you catch the bigger smallies on the James.

[RSBreth]

Floating down means dealing with the  crowd or pulling out and waiting till the idiots get out if there for a good half hour.