Mississippi Coldwater River

Hey guys new to the forum! Glad to be apart of it. I do most of my crappie fishing at Reelfoot Lake. However, my mother and father in law live in Hernando. I visit there often since my mother in law watches my son a couple times a week. I recently read some
old threads about the Coldwater River access at HWY 51. I’m looking to get an update on this location and I am also wondering if you can get into some good bank fishing spots here? I don’t mind to strap on the muck boots and do some walking so keep that in mind. I have a boat and a kayak but I’m thinking this is going to be one of those deals where I want to get a quick fishing trip in and hopefully land some decent crappie from the bank. Thanks!

That is an awesome fishery when the water level is right. The place is flooded right now. they just opened the gates this week. On top of that, the Highway 51 bridge has been under construction for a few years now and still isn't open. Be sure to only keep fish over 12". I've been checked several times down there.

Welcome aboard.....be sure to visit the MS board.....lots of information there.....and a good place to post your questions also.

Welcome! Not far from you. Always wanted to fish around 51 but usually just end up driving to Butla.

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Originally Posted by JonW

Welcome! Not far from you. Always wanted to fish around 51 but usually just end up driving to Butla.

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Well you’ll have to keep me posted if you ever decide to fish it. Heck.. maybe I’ll run into you out there sometime!

I think the 51 bridge just recently opened???

Coldwater 51 bridge was open the first of March. With the lake going as high as it did the roadway flooded between the bridge and Coldwater town.
I've never fished that area with water this high. The highest was when water was at the top of the 51 ramp and fished the grass along side the parking lot.
We'll be out in kayaks on my son's next off day. Give me a call and I'll fish/kayak with you.

Welcome to the big show, The whole area around Butla is flooded bad.

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Originally Posted by canebreaker

Coldwater 51 bridge was open the first of March. With the lake going as high as it did the roadway flooded between the bridge and Coldwater town.
I've never fished that area with water this high. The highest was when water was at the top of the 51 ramp and fished the grass along side the parking lot.
We'll be out in kayaks on my son's next off day. Give me a call and I'll fish/kayak with you.

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yea man ide love too!

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Originally Posted by trypman1

Welcome to the big show, The whole area around Butla is flooded bad.

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Yea I think I’ll try to monitor the water before I go. When the water does go down I’m kind of wondering if you can walk a good ways or do you have to stay by the bridge? If you have to stay by the bridge I may load up the yak to separate myself. Not crazy about overly populated places.

Welcome!

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Bridge has been open for three weeks or so now, water is still high. Best luck be trying around Arkabutla road in between the third ditch and Hickihalia creek. When the water resides there is plenty of bank to walk along the river, right now other then fishing off the road the kayak or waders would be your best bet.

Any update on the water here?

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Originally Posted by MoSlabz

Any update on the water here?

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Still really high. Latest stage 238 so its only gone down 3 feet from the peak.

Thinking about going out on the kayak this weekend. With how high the water has been is this even worth it?

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Originally Posted by MoSlabz

Thinking about going out on the kayak this weekend. With how high the water has been is this even worth it?

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might not be worth it, a guy in Indiana went out a few days ago in the Driftwood River, they found his body 2 days later

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Originally Posted by wannabe fisherman

might not be worth it, a guy in Indiana went out a few days ago in the Driftwood River, they found his body 2 days later

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Wow, any idea on what may have happened?

The guy,in Indiana decided to kayak by himself and he told his friends/family, he would either kayak driftwood or flatrock rivers. Both are small streams 20-30 ft wide when normal and pretty shallow and right after 5 inches of rain are wickedly swollen and flooded and full of debris. Most of these kayaks sold by every store now are really not a river running whitewater type kayak. The sides (chines as they are called) are different. Whitewater kayak will have rounded sides vs more vertical upright sides for rolling them upright. Whitewater kayaks have no keel under them and are smooth for quick movement to make them more maneuverable in moving water. Whitewater kayaks are also a workout on calm water due to no keel also. But..if your going to do moving water make a trip plan and leave with someone and never kayak moving water by yourself. Be experienced with moving water and stay away from flooded or high water streams. Avoid log jams, and trees across moving water as the river hydrolics will suck you under and avoid dams across as they will suck you under due to their water hydrolics. Stay safe.

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Originally Posted by cevans

The guy,in Indiana decided to kayak by himself and he told his friends/family, he would either kayak driftwood or flatrock rivers. Both are small streams 20-30 ft wide when normal and pretty shallow and right after 5 inches of rain are wickedly swollen and flooded and full of debris. Most of these kayaks sold by every store now are really not a river running whitewater type kayak. The sides (chines as they are called) are different. Whitewater kayak will have rounded sides vs more vertical upright sides for rolling them upright. Whitewater kayaks have no keel under them and are smooth for quick movement to make them more maneuverable in moving water. Whitewater kayaks are also a ///// workout on calm water due to no keel also. But..if your going to do moving water make a trip plan and leave with someone and never kayak moving water by yourself. Be experienced with moving water and stay away from flooded or high water streams. Avoid log jams, and trees across moving water as the river hydrolics will suck you under and avoid dams across as they will suck you under due to their water hydrolics. Stay safe.

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Thanks for the heads up! I’ll be with a buddy on Hobie kayaks. Hopefully there’s some high enough ground where we can bank up. Regardless, I’ll try to keep away from the swift stuff.

The information I gave you about the deceased came from Indy Star Newspaper and Channel Fox 59 in Indy. I really feel sorry for the family and their lost one as most deaths from kayaking happen on moving water. In my latter years of whitewater kayaking, I helped to train a few newbies on moving water kayaking as well as safety water survival courses and constantly feel the pain when I hear of these mishaps. Stay safe and realize your limitations on moving water.

Not that kind of river guys, we have extremely high water right now. What is normally a narrow river maybe 100 foot wide is about 2 miles wide of backed up flood land at highway 51 in Coldwater. This is a river that feeds the flood control lake Arkabutla, it is a man made lake and has a levee with one single outlet controlled by the Corp of Engineers. They have the gates wide open right now, it's 8 miles as a crow flys from 51 to the levee, he would perish from dehydration before he reached any danger of rapid water or getting sucked thru the gates. I was out yesterday in my two man boat, the breeze was a bigger issue rather the current. This weekend may not be the best time, calling for thunderstorms Saturday. And yes at normal water levels this river is very dangerous after a heavy storm, right now it's one huge bottle necked, backed up bath tub depending on one small outlet to release any of the water. And hate to here about the guy in Indiana, fast moving water with heavy currents isn't to be taken lightly.

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