Whitten Access

[WestCentralFisher]

The more or less annual three day Eleven Point float and fish trip is coming up towards the end of next week. We always do the usual Greer to Riverton run. Which is absolutely incredible, but the wetter summer this might make the stretch above Greer floatable. So we're considering changing things up and going Cane Bluff to Whitten instead. While it is beautiful, the stretch between Whitten and Riverton is usually the only place where the fishing is only OK. Some smallmouth, some trout, not a ton of either unless you happen catch the stocking schedule just right (I did once, it was fantastic).

So my question is this: the person I'm going with, and who will need to help with the shuttle drives a sedan with really low clearance. As someone who has spent a lot of time on Ozark gravel roads (and Whitten Access especially appears to be pretty far down one) I don't want to make any assumptions. Are those roads relatively maintained in general? I don't expect perfection but 2 foot deep ruts would make for the sort of adventure we're not looking for. 

If it doesn't work, nbd. A lot of worse things than a stretch of beautiful ozark river with only decent fishing.

[jdmidwest]

Whitten is kept up for float camp traffic by NFS.  Cane Bluff access is county road till near the end, then NFS.  Recent rains may have them rutted some but should be navigable in a sedan.  Not all of the crackheads that hang out there drive trucks, have to keep them smooth.  I would not leave overnite at either place.

[WestCentralFisher]

Thanks for the info!

[Mark]

I've left vehicles parked at Whitten and Turner many times and never had any problems - knock on wood. Has that changed recently?

[jdmidwest]

It's hit and miss.  Weekend's there is usually a crowd around watching out and camping at Turner and Whitten.

142 at the Narrows has easy access to road and I did have vehicle broken into on a 3 day float from Cane Bluff.

[WestCentralFisher]

Thanks again! And I know how it is. Some places are better than others but if you leave anything valuable in the car at a river access overnight, no guarantee it's still gonna be there.

Anyway, possibly moot point. Seems like somehow both of the last big rain events seem to have mostly missed the watershed, or else the gauge at Riverton is broken. If flows aren't really elevated at all, well, time spent dragging a canoe above Greer is time I'm not fishing. 

Still looking forward to it. Anyway, I can most likely scratch my itch for smallies well enough. It's nowhere near the best place to fish for them but from a couple miles below Turner on down I can usually find some here and there. And a deep diving rebel craw works well for both them and the trout. 

[jdmidwest]

Something goofy going on with River Guages.   I  see black on Jacks Fork in icons but gauge sees dropping river.  I think data screwed up.

The storm was spotty.  I was going to the Current above Van Buren for a boat ride on Friday.  But the data is inconclusive.

[WestCentralFisher]

2 hours ago, jdmidwest said:

Something goofy going on with River Guages.   I  see black on Jacks Fork in icons but gauge sees dropping river.  I think data screwed up.

The storm was spotty.  I was going to the Current above Van Buren for a boat ride on Friday.  But the data is inconclusive.

Yeah, seems like it was very spotty. Gauge says it barely rose and capped out under 600 CFS. Guess I'll just have to conduct a 3 day long floating inspection to see if the gauge is accurate.