Trip Report: lower Elk River

[tomOzarkVideo]

Pics, map and story: http://www.spotadventures.com/trip/view?trip_id=281100

Unbelievable fishing.

We took the canoe.. Our first tandem in over a year. We paddle really well together.

This brings the 2011 milage to 145! A personal record.

[Jim Krueger]

Nice pictures & report! Thanks for sharing!

Best Regards
jim

[Eric Esche]

Thanks for posting - I could not have gone this weekend due to family activities, but I have done that section before and would love to go back again.

Give me a shout next time and maybe we can run shuttle together.

I went fishing while with Richard on the Buffalo the weekend before last. Caught and put back 11 in the 1/2 mile we paddled, some of which would have been legal keepers. First time fishing in 5-6 years and I never changed from the Mepps Minnow I started with, although I had two tackle boxes and a dry bag of other stuff with me. Also first time using a spinning rod in over 10 years. Will have to dig out my fly rods and flies for another trip, but I had fun even if I did not eat them. They would have all been edible. Did have a current Arkansas license, and might have to get one for Missouri now that I have remembered how much fun it is.

Hope to get to paddle with you.

Eric

[tomOzarkVideo]

You got it.

[AR-Nimrod]

Nice pics. Have to put that on my to do list.

[cpresoz]

Great report. I've floated that section a couple of times and Cowskin outfitters is, like you said, an unappreciated resource. That section is below the area around Pineville and above Noel and enjoyable even at the busiest party time. The shuttle bus is a hoot.

[Half Ton]

Nice Trip Report Your report and all the comments definitely square up with what I've observed.

That stretch is always floatable in the dry summers, may have a max of 40 folks on the most crowded day even when thousands of other folks are on upstream sections.

Fish literally jump in your boat every so often, and take your bait when you don't even know its dragging across the surface. Heck, if your not careful you might catch 100 or more and hurt your hand/digits from removing so many hook sets.

Tube Jigs, Flukes, Gulp Minnows, and Finesse Worms, have all worked real well for me. I've heard that buzz baits work really well in summer.

[tomOzarkVideo]

Shad and plastic crawfish were the weapons of choice.

Both worked well. Thanks for the input.