Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

any locals Russellville, Dover area ever float fish illinois bayou Scottsville to Dover i have lots years ago canoe but havent in a few years i have kayaks now and would kinda like to try it again it used to be great fishing .I dont think back then i looked at water levels i was young and didnt mind a little dragging. Just courrious if anyone ever floats it to fish or just a rec. float and how it is now i catch and release well i try to catch then i can release :) . THANKS ALL

Buffalofloat,

The I.B. is a little out of my home area but how I have admired the look of it each time I've been heading to the Buffalo over the years! From what of the stream I see from the Hwy 7 crossing, it looks just super, I know if I lived in Dover, I would either be swimming or fishing there every chance I had. As far as the stream being too low, it's on fishing trips this becomes most acceptable, even good sometimes. Good luck finding like-minded partners and give us some fishing reports from up there in future.

Best Regards from the Caddo

Jim Moose

Well Jim admiring someones fishing hole HUH .Im glad we arnt tournament fishing you would probably try to get a faster boat than me. Just jokin i havent fished it in about 7 years but back then the streach from Scottsville to Dover was great. A buzz bait or a worm around the bolders and tree tops WOW .Theres not many acess points in between just private land so not many boats. I agree with you on the best time to float fish if its low not many out there. You mentioned looking at the water as you go over the hy 7 bridge. Well that brought up a subject for a good post here i loved the old bridges where you could look down and see water im sure the new ones are safer but the old iron bridges were awsum in a lots of places. Some day hope we can get together for a float fishing trip :)

I certainly agree with you on the bridge sides, but don't want to annoy my engineering friends by bemoaning the point. At least in my truck, I can sort of glimpse many streams I cross but can forget it when in one of our more 'low slung' vehicles :)

I fish from my rec. kayak all the time and regardless how much of the property along a given float is private, if I can just find an allowable put-in and take-out, I don't infringe on the landowners in between otherwise, and have never had a problem. The vast majority of the Caddo river I paddle is also privately owned on either or both sides. I must say I have been pleased with the reception and assistance I've been given by landowners sometimes.

Happy 4th!

Jim Moose

I mainly float bridge to bridge up above hector but it is defiantly a good stream to float. Quite a few smallies but more kentucky and largemouth to catch than anything else. Believe it or not snow creek that enters the bayou has some pretty good smallmouth action when it has water. For sure dont get on the bayou below a 4 at the scottsville gauge, unless you want to drag quite a bit.

Snow Creek is def the place you want to be on the Illinois Bayou for Smallies. There are a number of access point with camping. We basically sight fish when the water is low and have great success on finesse worms and beatle spins. As for floating snow creek, good luck in the summer months. We just hike/swim up and down the stream until we get to the next small pool. Great fishing area that not alot of folks know about outside of the locals. I used to drive right past it on my way to the Kings, Mulberry and Buffalo. But it has become one of my favorites due to the privacy and beauty of the area.