PADDLING THE CADDO WEDNESDAY 4/18/13

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

Glenwood to Hwy. 182, 8.5 miles, level is 5.7 low, but floatable - I actually think this will be a very good level for a gentle Class 2 outing

Be at the AGFC launching ramp in Glenwood at 9:30 a.m.

We will be stopping at OOO at 9:00 a.m. so you could catch us there

I'll be meeting another paddler in Little Rock at K-Mart on Rodney Parham at 8:00 a.m. if you want to meet there

I'll turn my cell on in the morning 501-681-2314 and will check this post in the morning

Mike Coogan, alias Captain Aleve

[Jim Krueger]

Hey Mike,

I didn't see this post until this morning, but I'm also trying to get caught-up here after being down at the farm working the last month. I personaly like the 5.70 level for that float. I haven't floated that section yet this year, so do post a report later. Have a nice day out there!

Best Regards
Jim

[rugger]

I think I passed you when pulled to the side of the road after turning off of Hwy 70...I was in the 2nd flatbed semi (white). Hope yall had a good float!

[Chicago Bob]

That was us but I didn't recognize you without a boat on the back of the truck. We pulled off to wait for Coogan to catch up. Its nice to be noticed. BOB

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

TRIP REPORT:
I had not paddled this part of the Caddo for twenty years so it was like a new river to me. At 5.7 feet on the gage the nearly constant current was delightful. There were some pools, but none of them seemed very long as compared to, say the Buffalo. Lots of small surfing waves at rocks or ledges; the one at a pipeline crossing was probably manmade (it was among the best). Riffle after riffle after riffle is a good way to describe the river. Lots of crisp eddies to catch, too. The most memorable part of the day for me was the first school of alligator gar we happened upon. I've never seen one of these before. In a bend with a swift current and a downed tree in the water, I noticed a small gar porpoising, breaking the surface in an arc in pursuit of a meal. As I passed the tree I saw another and another. Looking down deeper in the water I saw a group of good sized gar, all of them lined up facing upstream and not moving much. Intrigued, I looked even deeper and saw more gar, huge specimens, also lined up and slowly wagging their tails. I've never seen so many fish in one place, especially such LARGE fish with such BIG jaws. I would have loved to toss a hot dog in the water to see what would happen. Hmmm, I might not have been able to go to sleep that night if I had. We saw one more smaller school at another spot that was very similar to the first - fast water in a bend with a down tree ahead of the school.

The water quality throughout the day was excellent and there were a lot of carp to be seen in the shallows. There were many shallow runs where the water was less than a foot deep giving us a great view of the gravel and cobbles on the bottom. There were quite a few homes along the river, one on a hill top had a steel staircase running down the spine of a rock outcrop to the eddy behind the rock. We saw one bald eagle about mid way through the trip. There were plenty of gravel bars to stop at, allowing us to rest our knees. Overall it was an excellent Class I - II trip for Chicago Bob, Steve Heye, Sarah Hankinson, Chester Robinson and me.

Mike Coogan, alias Captain Aleve

[Jim Krueger]

Mike,

Thanks for the report! I'm glad you all enjoyed that section, and also that the level was good for you. I have really liked this section for many years for it's isolation and solitude. When the sections above become a little crowded, and a little too low for good floating, this section is wonderful. I have always also enjoyed fishing on this stretch, and when the weather is hotter and sunny, there are many long tree-shaded chutes that I just love.
As per your gar sighting, I had a similar encounter years ago. It was either on this section or the one from 84 down to the lake. At any rate, I could see them just packed into a shallow, swift chute ahead. I was able to just grind to a halt in the gravel right beside them and sit there and watch.
Thanks for your report too on the NFO, on another post. I've always thought it looked very nice where it crosses hwy 84, near the turn to go to Buckville. Marlo and I drove upstream one day, looking for possible put-ins. It seemed like there was an old church up aways that was right on the stream, and the closest good put-in we could see. I'll look forward to reading your further discription of it later!

Best Regards
Jim

Edit, I mean't to say hwy 298, not 84...