Buffalo vs Crooked Creek

[Daffron Outdoors]

I'm hoping I get a response from the King of the Ozarks, Al Agnew. Regardless, here's my question. What's the absolute minimum CFS you would float a section of the Buffalo? We do am annual Christmas float. Crooked is pushing it. The lowest I've floated Crooked on a Christmas float was 10 ft and about 80 cfs. But I don't know how that translates to the gauges on the Buffalo. What's a section I should be looking for, and what reading should I be looking for? I don't mind occasionally dragging. Wanting to do a 2 day 1 night float if possible. I know everything has been pretty low this fall. Even the spring fed rivers were low in October and November. Any advice is welcome. Even an alternative. Anywhere shuttling this late in the year would be great too. Just need a vehicle shuttle. Thanks yall. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

tag @Al Agnew for you 

[Al Agnew]

You said you floated Crooked Creek at 80 cfs.  Well, how was it?  Because the Buffalo will be just about the same floatability at 80 cfs.  That's the beauty of using the flow in cfs rather than the height in feet; gage height means something completely different for every gage, but 80 cfs is the same volume of water flowing no matter which stream or which gage it is.  The only difference between the Buffalo at 80 cfs and Crooked at 80 cfs is that some of the riffles on the lower portion of the Buffalo will be wider, and thus the same volume of water will be spread out over a wider channel and shallower.  

I usually use the easy to remember number of 100 cfs as the minimum on any stream in the Ozarks that can get too low to float, for fairly easy floating.  I've floated the lower Buffalo at 70 cfs, and had to walk some riffles.  Some of the widest riffles were gravelly and very shallow and required walking, and some of the rockiest riffles were impossible to float without hitting and getting hung up on rocks, unless they were VERY narrow.  I've floated other streams at 25-35 cfs, and very few riffles were floatable without at least a lot of bottom scraping.

But it all depends upon your tolerance for dragging and for scarring up your boat bottom.  I do a LOT of floating on streams well under 75 cfs, because I'm willing to do the work and scratch up my boat in order to experience the fishing and solitude.

Right now Crooked Creek is flowing at 63.8 cfs at Kelly's Crossing.  So remember what it was like at 80 cfs, and it will be a little lower than that.  At that flow at Kelly's, it's going to be completely dry not far below Yellville, as lower Crooked is a classic losing stream, its flow sinking underground below Yellville when it's low.  I'd call it marginally doable above Kelly's.  The Buffalo is better, 141 cfs at the St. Joe gage and 182 cfs at the gage at Highway 14.  I would not hesitate to float it anywhere below Gilbert at those flows.

But keep in mind that it's a LONG way from Rush to the White River, and the days are short this time of year.  If you just like to paddle a lot, you could do that stretch in two days, but I'd really recommend Gilbert to Buffalo Point as a better distance to float if you're not fishing seriously, and if you ARE fishing seriously during the winter, I'd consider doing an overnighter from Maumee to Buffalo Point.  The last time I did a late November float on the Buffalo, we did Buffalo Point to the White in 3 days, and had to move too fast to fish effectively.

[Daffron Outdoors]

Thank you Al. You're a legend. 80 on Crooked was not what I would consider ideal, but when you gotta hit the river, you gotta hit the river. I'm not afraid to be rough on my canoes.  Caught my PB Smallie about 2 miles above the slab. Ill attach a pic. Thanks for the advice Al. Its extremely appreciated. 

[gotmuddy]

One thing to consider is the weather this time of year is the weather is unpredictable at best so be prepared no matter where you go to get to high ground.  Good luck, for sure want to see a report.

[Al Agnew]

10 hours ago, gotmuddy said:

One thing to consider is the weather this time of year is the weather is unpredictable at best so be prepared no matter where you go to get to high ground.  Good luck, for sure want to see a report.

Good point, but it's a good idea at any time of year if you're doing an overnight float.  I make it a point to never camp on a bar that doesn't have an escape route to higher ground...no bars that are lower in the back.  And I always scout before dark to find the best way to get to higher ground.  But mostly, I just don't go if the forecast includes a good chance of rain overnight.

[budman]

Al is the expert and has given me advice on river levels a few times and never been wrong. You might consider taking out at Dillard's Ferry, 1.5  miles upstream from Buffalo Point. The take out is much easier because you can drive down to the river there and at Buffalo Point there is no road to the river and you have to drag all you stuff up a hill of loose gravel. Enjoy your trip and give us a report when you are back.

[budman]

Daffron Outdoors, did you ever take your Christmas Float? Report or Pictures.