Fourche Float Trip

Not crappie specific but hope you enjoy the pics...and i did my best to herd all the crappie out of the upper Fourche and into Nimrod, so you're welcome.

My father and his fellow fourche lafave fanatics have been making an annual February float trip for as long as I can remember. (Ok I'm done with the alliteration.) I've been blessed to tag along on many as a child and be invited to participate now as an adult.
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We usually make the run from Gravelly to Bluffton. Flat bottoms with trolling motors are the usual vessel of choice although this year my partner and I secured a 16ft aluminum cargo canoe with square back. This thing was was an absolute ocean liner. Held a track like no body's business but took a 40 acre field to turn the sucker around. Might have been the 3 inch keel.

6 folks in three boats and a rousing competition to avoid being last place on the fish count.

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Caught a lot of nice spots and a few largemouth throughout the course of the day.


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one smallmouth on the day

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shore lunch consisted of baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and grilled duck breast.

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at lunch my partner and i were sitting on 8 fish but made quite the rally in the afternoon

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due in large part to our secret weapon

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ended the day with 28 in our boat but alas we were surpassed by the other 2 boats with 29 and 32 fish so we maintained the traveling trophy for last place, however as youngest team we are always made to show our clicker first and as you all know, you never want to be the first liar.

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great day of food, fish, and fellowship. caught most on crawdad crank baits as is the norm and red was the color of choice.

That looks like a great trip ... floating and fishing is a blast.

Ya'll having too much fun. Great pics and a little alliteration always adds awesomeness.

Looks like a great time!!! Thanks for sharing.

Looks like fun! Cool deal!

You guys are brave , last canoe trip river was moving last summer when I took the owner of Legendcraft boats. We got swamped when the current pushed us under a tree! It can be lots of fun otherwise.

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

You guys are brave , last canoe trip river was moving last summer when I took the owner of Legendcraft boats. We got swamped when the current pushed us under a tree! It can be lots of fun otherwise.

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it was low low this week, another half foot lower and would have been lot of dragging

That sounds like a great time.

Are there boat ramps at these places?

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Originally Posted by river slabs are better

Are there boat ramps at these places?

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Some are private and a few bridges , no real public landings.

Sounds like y'all had a great time!

Looks like a great time enjoyed the pic's espically the Smallmouth.

I am sure that was a blast. My son and I kayak a different river every day for 6 days across North Arkansas during the early summer. We take day trips when we can also.

Awesome looking trip! That would be so mych fun!

You posted fish!!! Nice job and looks like a great time. Now get back home and work on the new crappie boat.

Good pics shifty.............bet those duck breasts tasted great bank side........I love a good float trip!

Float trips are a blast! Great pictures

Not a bad day at all. Nice smallie.

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Originally Posted by FroMan

Not a bad day at all. Nice smallie.

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You been lost grasshoppa ? :dono

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

You been lost grasshoppa ? :dono

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he's been too busy moving up the ranks in the United States Army. That's Captain Grasshopper to you sir.

I live in Perryville about a mile from the Fourche River. I've been here 68 yrs , and there isn't any place from the Nimrod dam to the Arkansas River that I haven't been on, I have so many fond memories of that river growing up as a boy, I just love it, but it hurts to see so many land owners that own land next to the river that dump there trash an junk in the river, some of the drifts are nothing but trash, I wish something could be done about it. But it was good to see your post I'am sure you'al had fun, when you go down the river bank to the river is like going back in time.

I am a creeker by heart. I love to yank brownies in. You and Nimrod have inspired me to float the Fourche. I've been on the South Fourche when it was flooded for a thrill when I was younger. Now a days, I'm just looking for a tug on the end of my line.

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Originally Posted by D10

I am a creeker by heart. I love to yank brownies in. You and Nimrod have inspired me to float the Fourche. I've been on the South Fourche when it was flooded for a thrill when I was younger. Now a days, I'm just looking for a tug on the end of my line.

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Hard to know when to plan a trip cause it can be too low to float and rain miles up in the head waters make it unsafe to float in a flash. Remember the Sherriff and Game Warden drowned trying to save folks a while back. I love fishing it but those long canoe rides are getting tougher ever year. Last trip it was up a couple feet and with trees across it in spots can be dangerous! Scarery when you hit rapids and look up to see a tree across the river ! I'm ready for a float but needs to warm up alot first. I don't keep any fish and ask the ones I take to release the Smallmouths. The Spots and Smallmouths can load up with worms anyway.

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Originally Posted by D10

I am a creeker by heart. I love to yank brownies in. You and Nimrod have inspired me to float the Fourche. I've been on the South Fourche when it was flooded for a thrill when I was younger. Now a days, I'm just looking for a tug on the end of my line.

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Let me know when and I'll be happy to help line you out or even tag along

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Originally Posted by D10

I am a creeker by heart. I love to yank brownies in. You and Nimrod have inspired me to float the Fourche. I've been on the South Fourche when it was flooded for a thrill when I was younger. Now a days, I'm just looking for a tug on the end of my line.

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Matt bulk of the Bass are Spotted with a few Large Mouth and occasional Small Mouth. Seems like only certain parts of the river have many Small Mouth. It is dangerous to float with high water and then a pain when it gets too low in late Summer and have to drag canoe over dry rocks ! One of my favorite areas takes a long summer day to complete the trip before dark starting at daylight.

Danger is my middle name! Just kidding! I am pretty tame these days. To be honest, I like to feel any kind of fish tug on a line. Smallies just fight a little better!

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Originally Posted by D10

Danger is my middle name! Just kidding! I am pretty tame these days. To be honest, I like to feel any kind of fish tug on a line. Smallies just fight a little better!

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Just wait the years will tame you. Not near as wild and tough as I thought I was back in the day. Taking risks is for the young 'uns. Try floating from daylight till dark when river is low. Not getting to the take out and sun setting because too much dragging and fishing. Then kicking Cotton Mouth's out of the way while dragging canoe across shoals in the dark !:yikes