Castor River

[slabseeker]

I go over the Castor River a lot at Aquilla on Hwy 25 going to Cape, and on Hwy. AB near Clines Island school. I have noticed they have really cleaned off the banks on both sides,  and appears cleaned out the river also.  I was wondering if @jdmidwest, @al agnew, or someone might have some information. How far are they doing this? You could see the machine I believe they used sitting beside 25 just north of Aquilla. Interesting looking machine almost looked like it was on pontoons.

[jdmidwest]

No idea, that part is below the Diversion Channel cutoff and basically a slough.  I noticed that last time thru, have no idea what they are up to.  Timber in high demand.

[slabseeker]

It definitely looked like a slough before. They did remove a lot of trees. Looks like they cleared the bank back about 20 or 30 feet of trees and brush.   Being a swamp paddler,  I have had the idea to float that stretch in my kayak between Aquilla and the bridge at AB for some time now, but it just looked too wooly with a lot of down trees I'm sure. But now... looks much better. You can even see a little current. My idea is to get my daughter, her friends, and my nephews to organize that trip. We would call it the Aquilla Flotilla.....

[jdmidwest]

May work for you.  When we did stream study of Whitewater River below the Diversion cutoff, we shocked up many small crappie in early 80's.  May find same on Castor.

The original channel was cut between Greenbriar access and Advance.  Pretty well dried up pools up there.  I guess it still picks up drainage down there, maybe current too.

[slabseeker]

Interesting. I doubt that stretch has been fished much. I'm intrigued to see what you could catch. 

 

[jdmidwest]

Never know, lowland backwater.  Probably full of bream and cats, maybe bowfin and gar.  Otters may have it picked clean.

We shocked up crappie, bream, and a pirate perch on the Whitewater cutoff at Delta.  Nasty mud bottom.

Never really followed it down, guessing it runs into the Little River canals they dug to drain swamps.  I have heard guys catching nice bass down near New Madrid on the Portage Ditch system.

[Ham]

18 minutes ago, jdmidwest said:

Never know, lowland backwater.  Probably full of bream and cats, maybe bowfin and gar.  Otters may have it picked clean.

We shocked up crappie, bream, and a pirate perch on the Whitewater cutoff at Delta.  Nasty mud bottom.

Never really followed it down, guessing it runs into the Little River canals they dug to drain swamps.  I have heard guys catching nice bass down near New Madrid on the Portage Ditch system.

Did somebody say Bowfin?

[jdmidwest]

8 hours ago, Ham said:

Did somebody say Bowfin?

Sorry, meant to say Grennel, dam spelchker.

[Ham]

I mean, It’s just what I need, another fishing spot 3 1/2 hours away. 

[slabseeker]

If I get to make this trip I will update with the Grennel report. Might save you a trip.  They sure are fun to catch. It is kind of a desolate looking place though. My nephew is afraid we might hear banjos about half way through.